Jobs/traineeships

Are you currently affiliated with a university, where you share our ambitions for impact and change at the local, regional, and municipal levels? CEMR offers internship opportunities to motivate students interested in gaining hands-on experience in European policy, project management, and advocacy. We are open to receiving students’ expressions of interest throughout the year, nonetheless, interns are hosted for 3-6 months starting either in January or September.

Here’s what you can expect to learn and be doing throughout your internship depending on the team you’ll be part of:

• Policy Intern:

The intern will support the Policy Team working on a range of issues such as environment & climate issues, energy transition, mobility, cohesion policy, gender, migrations, democracy and more.  S/he will support expert groups’ work on policy and advocacy, the work on research and studies, and the exchange of good experiences both from a content and communication perspective and will have the opportunity to work with the policy officers and advisors. S/he will contribute to the wider policy activities which include engaging with external stakeholders and players.
Whenever needed, s/he will support some policy-related project implementation such as the Local, Social, Digital project or Living-in.EU and twinning activities.

• Projects & Programmes Intern:

The intern will support the Projects & Programmes Team in implementing activities on a range of issues such as climate, energy, twinning and partnership building. S/he will support with the preparation and organisation of events, and working group meetings including identification and dissemination of funding opportunities from various donors open to local governments and their associations.

When needed, will assist in drafting reports, publications, and surveys and collect best practices in the framework of the ongoing Projects & Programmes activities.
Currently, the team is delivering on the main following projects: Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities, Covenant of Mayors, Living-in.EU, Bridges of Trust, Sun4Ukraine and a sub-grant promoting twinning and partnership building.

• PLATFORMA Intern:

The PLATFORMA Intern will support the PLATFORMA Team with communications, administration, project management, and thematic activities such as working groups, publications, surveys, etc. in the field of decentralised development cooperation, localisation of global agendas at local and regional levels, as well as development education and awareness-raising (Global Citizenship Education).

The intern will get involved in the work of the team, attend, and contribute to weekly team meetings, and other team coordination moments, support and participate in meetings and events, support media monitoring and coverage of events, follow the legislative agenda and attend EP Committee meetings, draft policy briefs and newsletters, support project monitoring and implementation, and assist in drafting articles, reports, publications, studies, or good practices.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

• An interest and a good understanding of EU affairs and implications for the citizens.
• Good communication and drafting skills
• Very good command of English; French desirable; other languages a plus.
• Efficient user of IT tools: MS Office (Outlook, Word; Excel, PowerPoint), Google Suite, and teleconferencing software (Zoom, WebEx, MS Teams).
• Knowledge of online graphic design tools (Canva, KapWing, etc.) is considered a plus.
• Ability to effectively use social media.
• Motivated team player with a willingness to learn.

ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• The internship is unpaid. However, interns will receive daily meal vouchers (8 euros) and reimbursement for Brussels public transport monthly tickets.
• CEMR interns are also entitled to ½ off per week, to allow them to keep up with their university commitments while they complete their internship.
• As a general rule, interns are required to work from the CEMR office and only telework occasionally (with prior approval), from their residence in Brussels. Our office is based in a modern, well-situated office in the European Quarter.
• Read more here

APPLICATION PROCESS

We accept internship applications year-round. Interns will start their roles every 3–6 months, depending on the organisational needs and the internship cycle.

To apply, please send the following to application@ccre-cemr.org:

• A cover letter (in English or French) stating your motivation, availability, and any university requirements.
• Your CV in English.

If applying for a specific internship, please indicate “Policy Internship”, “Projects & Programmes Internship” or “PLATFORMA Internship” in the subject line. If you are open to any role, simply write “Internship Application.”

If you are interested in being considered for any internship available, please include in the subject email simply “Application for Internship”.
Please note that only students currently enrolled in a university programme can qualify for an internship opportunity. An internship agreement with the University (“Convention de stage”) is mandatory.
Every application receives our dedicated attention as we believe in giving each candidate the consideration they deserve. However, given the large number of applications we usually receive, unfortunately, we will only be able to respond to the shortlisted candidates.

CEMR is looking for a Projects Lead who will oversee, implement and expand our Twinning & Partnership Building portfolio to achieve the CEMR impact goal – society, currently including flagship programmes such as the Bridges of Trust (BoT) and Twinning.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone with strong project management and coordination skills, a result-driven professional with a passion for promoting and fostering partnerships amongst local governments and for driving impactful programmes.

The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in strengthening CEMR’s projects and programmes, fostering collaboration and sustainable partnership among local and regional governments across Europe and enabling them to learn, exchange, and work together on specific challenges they face.

The Projects Lead will be instrumental in expanding projects and the organisation’s network, securing resources to support impactful programmes, and building partnerships that advance sustainable development and effective governance at all levels.

• Read more here

TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Plan and coordinate the implementation of activities with team members within the Twinning & Partnership Building portfolio.
• Build and nurture relationships with members, donors and other stakeholders to strengthen and expand cooperation and partnerships delivering on current commitments.
• Drive the development of new projects to expand the Twinning & Partnership Building portfolio.
• Internally, coordinate and streamline the work of the “Twinning and Partnership Building” team.
• Work closely with the CEMR colleagues across teams (Communications, the Policy Team, Platforma, Finance/ Administration, and HR) to achieve results.
• Draft and deliver high quality project related narrative and financial reports, the latter in cooperation with the Finance/Administration team.
• Perform related duties as assigned by the Director of Programmes & Policies.

MAIN REQUIREMENTS

• A university level of Master’s degree in International Cooperation, Political Science, Public Administration, Project Management or similar.
• At least 5 years of professional experience managing and developing projects in the areas of twinning and international municipal cooperation.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills, including ability to effectively communicate with internal and external partners and stakeholders.
• Experience in grant proposals writing & fundraising.
• Solid experience in dealing with budget monitoring and management, with ability to anticipate and address possible over and under spending.
• Excellent computer proficiency (MS Office – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams, Google Office – Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms).
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, while maintaining a positive and cooperative attitude.
• Excellent team player, with ability to work independently, prioritise tasks effectively, and thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Excellent coordination and negotiation skills.
• Languages required: English as principal working language. A working knowledge of French and other European languages are an asset.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates are invited to send their application, including a CV and a cover letter before the 14^th of March 2025, at midnight, to application@ccre-cemr.org with ‘Project Lead‘ in the subject line.
CEMR is an equal opportunities employer, fostering an inclusive workplace where every individual is valued and can thrive.

As the Assistant, Logistics & Administration you will play an important role, providing administrative and logistics support to the team, contributing to an overall high quality and effective services and operations.

The Assistant, Logistics & Administration, is part of a small team and reports directly to the Head of Finance and Administration. 

TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Logistics (70%) 

• Travel arrangements for staff members and external people when required (booking flights and hotels).

• Assistance in organisation of external and in-house meetings (requesting and comparing offers, preparing service contracts with suppliers, booking and preparing meeting rooms, arranging catering, interpretation & other services as required).

 Administrative & HR Tasks (30%) 

• Prepare expenses claims.

• Maintaining an archiving system for accounting documents.

• Collaborate with the team in various daily administrative tasks.

• Assist in the monthly analysis of staff timesheets.

• Support the recruitment processes of staff and interns (downloading applications, contacting candidates to arrange interviews, replying to applicants).
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of administrative processes to gain efficiency and precision.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS 

• A degree in the field of Administration, Secretarial Studies or related.
• At least 2 years of proven experience in a similar position.
• Proficiency of English or French, and a very good command of the other language. Knowledge of any other languages is an asset.
• Excellent computer skills: Excel, Word, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint etc.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates are invited to send their application, including a CV and a cover letter before the May 15, 2025 at midnight, at application@ccre-cemr.org, with in the subject: “Assistant, Logistics & Administration”.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and suitable candidates may be contacted before the deadline for application is reached.

ABOUT THE ROLE

You will be responsible for monitoring of policy and legislative developments in the field of EU external action (financing instrument NDICI – Global Europe and its programming and implementation, territorial approach to local development, EU-AU / EU-CELAC relations, aid effectiveness, innovative financing) and advocacy towards EU institutions to include the role of and the opportunities for local and regional governments. You will also be responsible for monitoring of project partners’ activities. You will report directly to the Director of PLATFORMA.

Read more here

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Policy: contribute to conceptual and strategic reflections on issues and advise on the development sector; draft position papers, briefings, speeches, amendments, articles, and other documents; contribute to research and publications on issues relevant to evidence-based advocacy.

• Advocacy & networking: lobby EU institutions to include the role of and opportunities for local and regional governments in the EU development policy and financing instruments; be the contact point for EU institutions and other stakeholders regarding EU external action.

• Representation of PLATFORMA at the Policy Forum on Development: actively contribute to the Task Team and the overall work of the PFD together with the director of PLATFORMA and support the secretary general of CEMR as co-chair of the PFD for local authorities; represent PLATFORMA at relevant meetings and conferences in Brussels and occasionally abroad; facilitate the participation of members in events of the European institutions.

• Monitoring of partners’ activities: ensure smooth communication with relevant project partners; monitor closely the progress of partners’ activities in line with the foreseen budget; support project partners in the delivery of their activities.

MAIN REQUIREMENTS

• A master’s degree in international relations, political science, development studies or related field.
• At least four years of experience in policy, advocacy and project management related to development cooperation
• A solid understanding of the role as well as the functioning of local and regional governments in the field of international cooperation.

• Fluent (written and oral skills) in English and another official EU language; a working knowledge of French is an asset.

• An outstanding knowledge of the European Union policy-making and decision-making processes.
• Availability to travel, if necessary, in Europe and/or internationally.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Strategic Thinking and Planning
• Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Building
• Project Management and Execution
• Analytical, Problem Solving and Decision Making
• Effective Communication and Presentation Skills
• Adaptability, Resilience, and Results-Orientation
• Team player

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates are invited to send their application, including a CV and a cover letter in English before Friday 06 June 2025 at midnight, at application@ccre-cemr.org, with in the subject: “Adviser – Policy and Advocacy at PLATFORMA”.

We dedicate our attention to every application we receive, believing in giving each candidate the consideration they deserve. We are an equal opportunities employer and an inclusive workplace where every individual is valued and can thrive!