EURORDIS Public Affairs Internship (1 VACANCY/ Brussels-based)
Public AffairsIntern – September 2021 – February 2022 (6 months)
EURORDIS-Rare Diseases Europe is looking to recruit an intern from September 2021 – February 2022 (included) to work within the Public Affairs team in the Brussels office.
EURORDIS-Rare Diseases Europe is a unique, non-profit alliance of over 900 rare disease patient organisations from more than 70 countries that work together to improve the lives of the 30 million people living with a rare disease in Europe. Our vision is to enable better lives and cures for people living with a rare disease.
The Public Affairs team is looking for a candidate who is a real team-player with a proactive attitude and the willingness to work in an international environment. We expect the intern to be organised, highly detail-oriented and motivated to work for an NGO and support both its European advocacy efforts.
This is an excellent opportunity to work for a highly regarded health NGO in a truly international environment. There will be constant interaction with the European institutions and relevant decision-makers. Prior knowledge of rare diseases is not required, but a through understand of the working of the EU institutions is expected.
Job Purpose:
The main task of the public affairs intern will be to assist in the organisation of the second Brussels Rare Disease Week (RDW). Brussels RDW is a week-long series of events organised by EURORDIS in Brussels, plus a series of preparatory webinars. The goal is to empower rare disease patient advocates, with knowledge and skills to effectively participate in advocacy activities at the European level and as a result influence the EU decisions that have a direct impact on their lives. Through RDW, we raise awareness of rare diseases and present a strong and united message to MEPs and other policy-makers in Brussels on behalf of the rare disease community.
Responsibilities will include, but will not be limited to:
• Help guide the patient advocates through the “Brussels maze”, by providing insights on how the EU
institutions work;
• Help with the development of advocacy documents and communication tools;
• Map and reach out to key stakeholders, including EU Institutions and other Brussels-based organisations or permanent representations;
• Schedule meetings with high-level policy-makers for patient advocates, making the case on the importance of working on rare diseases at the EU level;
• Provide technical support for the organisation of online meetings with patient advocates and other events
of the RDW programmes;
• Prepare updates for the website and other media-related materials;
• Support the logistical preparation of RDW.
Requirements:
• A strong interest in EU affairs demonstrated by a thorough understanding of the European institutions and their working;
• Graduate/undergraduate degree in Political Science, International Relations, EU Studies, Law, or a related field;
• Genuine enthusiasm for public affairs and advocacy;
• Motivation to work for an NGO (experience working for an NGO desirable but not required);
• Fluency in English: The working language of EURORDIS-Rare Diseases Europe is English. A very good level of written and spoken English is required for interns;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, reflecting an appreciation that each audience requires its own approach;
• Strong analytical skills and attention to details;
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (including Word and Excel) and other IT tools (meetings and activities will mostly be organised online);
• Highly organised, detail-orientated and able to prioritise/cope under pressure;
• Ability to work independently.
Desired skills and experience:
• Understanding of the health sector
• Affinity with the rare disease cause;
• Practical experience with EU mechanisms and instruments, including legislative procedures;
• Experience using all social media channels and writing content for social media.
Outcome:
What knowledge will the intern have gained?
• The intern will have a good understanding of the structure and working methods of a civil society organisation. The intern will be familiar with mechanisms and policies that have an impact on the lives of people living with a rare disease. The intern will have gained a basic understanding of patient advocacy and of how to interact with key EU stakeholders and Institutions and other NGOs. The intern will have gained basic skills in networking and event organisation.
Hours: 35 hours a week
Compensation: the internship and the remuneration can also be done in the framework of studies (for current students).
To apply: Please fill in the EU Survey at https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/PAIntern2021 by 31 July 2021. Note that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

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