Position: Communications Officer
Location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Application Deadline: 10 August 2018
Duration: Part-time for 6 months (with possibility of extension)
Start Date: As soon as possible

SPARK is looking for a Communications Officer to support SPARK with its communication activities in general and the organisation of the annual IGNITE conference in particular.

The Communications Officer will focus on producing and editing quality content for a range of SPARK communication channels, including the SPARK website, social media presence and newsletter. Ideally, the candidate has excellent writing skills, the ability to write for different audiences and the ability to edit texts quickly and to a high standard.

In addition, the Communications Officer will assist with general HQ tasks and other requests from our 14 global offices working across 17 regions. SPARK offers the candidate the opportunity to work with young people from various countries, to challenge her/himself within the context of a vibrant and growing NGO, as well as to build personal relationships with our international staff.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities

The responsibilities and tasks include, but are not limited to:

Assist in planning and executing communications and digital media strategies;
Produce and edit up-to-date written content for the SPARK website;
Produce and edit up-to-date content for the SPARK newsletter;
Assist in the management of social media channels;
Design promotion materials, such as posters, banners, flyers, brochures;
Assist in promotional video production;
Contribute to the enhancement of the SPARK website – update content, SEO, AdWords etc.;
Provide communication, PR and organisational support for the IGNITE conference and other upcoming events, conferences, seminars;
Assist with internal communication deliverables;
Other duties as assigned.

Requirements and Skills

Bachelor or Master’s degree, preferably in English, Media, Communications, Journalism or a field relevant to SPARK’s work;
Native or bilingual proficiency in English;
Proficiency in Arabic and/or Dutch is desirable;
Proven writing skills for different audiences, in English;
Proven graphic design skills in Adobe Creative Suite;
Journalistic skills: not afraid of picking up the phone and giving someone a call;
Social media knowledge and experience are essential;
Familiarity with Google Drive/Docs/Analytics/SEO/Adwords etc.;
Experience with WordPress and MailChimp;
Good communication and social skills and the ability to work in a multicultural setting;
Excellent organisational skills and ability to prioritise;
Ability to work independently;
Eligible to work in the Netherlands.

SPARK Offers

International and dynamic working experience;
Opportunity to take initiative and realise your ideas;
Full-time employment contract;
Compensation of 1,600-2,000 Euros gross on full-time basis.
How to apply?

If you have any questions regarding SPARK or the position, please visit our website www.spark-online.org or call +31 20 753 0311, with Reference: Communications Officer.

Please apply through SPARK’s online application platform at https://vacancy.spark-online.org/ and be prepared to provide two writing samples if selected for the first round of interviews. The deadline for application is 10 August 2018. Reference: Communications Officer.

All applications will be assessed on rolling basis; interviews can therefore take place before the application deadline. However, due to the large volume of applications we receive, we cannot respond to every applicant individually. There may be a delay between the deadline and the moment we contact selected applicants.

If you have not received a reply we regret to inform that we have continued with other candidates.

About SPARK

SPARK develops higher education and entrepreneurship to empower young, ambitious people to lead their fragile and conflict-affected societies into prosperity. SPARK is a dynamic and growing, international not-for-profit development organisation with 80+ staff members, in more than 14 offices around the world. SPARK supports refugees in the Middle-East by providing them with scholarships in universities and higher education institutions in the region. SPARK also supports young entrepreneurs in fragile states, to start or grow their own businesses.

Job Email id: vacancy(at)spark-online.org