Communications Officer

Zero Waste Europe

Start date
January 2027

Duration
Seven-month limited-duration contract under Belgian law

About the Organisation

Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) is the European network of communities, local leaders, experts, and change agents working towards a better use of resources and the elimination of waste in our society. We advocate for sustainable systems; for the redesign of our relationship with resources; and for a global shift towards environmental justice, accelerating a just transition towards zero waste for the benefit of people and the planet.

The ZWE network now includes 41 members and alliances across 30 European countries and works with topics across the whole chain. From the strategic use of resources and product design to reusability to end-of-pipe waste management solutions, from the phase-out of plastics to municipal zero waste strategies, our scope has significantly expanded, but our mission and vision remain the same – a zero-waste, fairer, inclusive, circular Europe for all (and planet, too, while we're at it).

We are a successful and fast-growing independent NGO where personal development, fairness, and inclusiveness are high on the agenda. We are the proud founders of the Mission Zero Academy (MiZA), through which we offer Zero Waste certifications to cities, municipalities, and small businesses; we are a founding member of various movements and coalitions that are hosted under our entity (such as Break Free From Plastic), and are the European chapter of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA).

Our ZWE Values

• We are purpose-driven, always putting forward a solution-oriented approach.
• We are game-changing; we challenge the status quo, explore emerging topics, and create a safe space to succeed (and to recover from setbacks).
• We are adaptable, constantly striving towards learning and improving; open to change and taking agency.
• We believe acting with integrity is crucial to achieving impact and change, both inside and outside our network.
• We care deeply about our communities, the environment, and systemic changes that benefit society as a whole while also looking after ourselves and our own well-being as a team and as individuals.

About the role

You are impact- and values-driven, able to see the big picture whilst taking care of the details. You have experience in communications for an NGO, so you know how to collaborate with colleagues and balance competing priorities. You know the EU policy scene and how to influence the conversation, while also being willing to try new and creative things. You thrive when facing complex situations; you are passionate about the zero waste vision and well aware of the multiple challenges the world is facing today.

This is a fixed-term cover for one of our three communications officers who is going on maternity leave. Together with the Head of Communications, we make a small team that works across channels and media - our roles include editing written publications, planning a social media calendar, and managing the organisation's website. In your role, you will be responsible primarily for the visibility of our network and members, as well as the communication deliverables of a few projects.

Responsibilities

Core Responsibilities:

• The core responsibilities of this role will be to:
  • Plan and execute communications activities together with colleagues, including:
  • Writing, editing and proofreading communication materials for different channels (press releases, blog posts, social media, etc.)
  • Writing and producing a monthly newsletter (Zero Waste Cities)
  • Updating the Zero Waste Europe website
  • Preparing the publication and distribution of materials
• Provide communications support for network and project events:
  • Support the communication around our network-wide gathering in May
  • [TBD] The Reuse Expo in Paris in May
  • [TBD] Join a study tour with one of our members and develop a comms plan around it.
• Lead our work promoting several projects co-owned by Zero Waste Europe and its members:
  • Review, edit, help design and promote several publications (some of which our members will write), in particular case studies about members' work.
  • Review, edit, and promote other project-related publications.
• Technical support and coordination:
  • Coordinate with members on the translations of Zero Waste Europe reports and materials to other languages.
  • Help colleagues set up webinars, manage registration, and provide technical support.

Skills, Competencies, Experience & Attributes

Required Skills & Competencies:

• At least three years of relevant experience in communications, ideally in the field of sustainability and/or with experience in policy comms.
• Ability to plan and the flexibility to change plans when needed.
• Experience editing reports and blog posts in English.
• Experience managing social media accounts and working with Canva.
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues in a cross-cultural environment and sometimes remotely.
• Experience in working with people from different cultures and nationalities in a way that values community wisdom and facilitates conflict prevention.

Preferred Skills & Competencies:

• Experience working in coalition settings.
• Knowledge of environmental issues in the field of resource & waste management, climate, or environmental justice.
• Other languages, apart from English, are a plus.
• Solid IT competencies with collaborative tools (Google Drive, Slack, Zoho).

Personal Qualities:

• Outstanding communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Initiative, self-motivation, and a team player.
• Problem-solving attitude and results-oriented.
• Commitment to accuracy, efficiency, and a high standard of work.
• Ability and willingness to use initiative and take decisions under pressure and uncertainty.
• A strong commitment to Zero Waste Europe’s ethos and network structures.
• Willingness to work with a flexible schedule, as required.

Compensation & Benefits

• Lunch vouchers (€10/day)
• Year-end bonus, if applicable
• Double holiday pay (Belgian standard)
• 20 vacation days plus 6 extra-legal holidays pro-rata based on the contract duration;
• Hospitalisation, Ambulatory and Dental Insurance (DKV)
• Travel insurance
• Home working and other allowances (€170.00 net/month)
• Reimbursement of public transport costs for local commuting (max €56.00 net/month) upon show of receipts, full reimbursement of train transportation commuting costs within Belgium and bike allowance for commuting by bicycle
• Flexible working hours/times and hybrid work format between home and our Brussels office.

Conditions of employment

• Candidates must have the right to work in Belgium - please note that ZWE is not able to provide work permit sponsorship. Candidates must live in Belgium or be willing to relocate by the start date.

Working locations

• Hybrid model, working in the Brussels office and remotely

How to apply

• Please send your CV and motivation letter in English with two references (all merged into a single PDF document) through the appropriate form on the ZWE website. Only the applications sent via this form will be taken into account.
• The application deadline is 11th November 2026, at 23:59 CET.

Interviews

• We can only guarantee that short-listed candidates will be contacted.
• Our assessment process will be conducted on a rolling basis; therefore, we encourage potential candidates to submit their applications when ready, and not to wait until the final deadline. The interview process will include:
  • A 1st 45-minute interview (online) that will take place in the first 2 weeks following the application deadline;
  • A possible second interview and a 60-minute assignment* may be requested before a final decision.
• Please note that any assignments asked to be carried out cover previous materials/needs of Zero Waste Europe, and are purely asked to assess how candidates think about core tasks for this role. ZWE does NOT ask any candidates to provide ideas/work on upcoming projects/activities as part of this assignment.
• We aim to have a 2-way conversation and to get to know each other during the interview, so please be truthful and ask your questions, and we will do the same!

Policies

We are committed to the principle of Equal Employment Opportunity for all employees, regardless of sex, gender, marital status, nationality, religion, age, sexual orientation and any other characteristics unrelated to the performance of the job. We also realise that not all individuals have the same opportunities to engage in paid work or studies and are open to receiving applications from those who may not fulfil all the required skills but have the interest, passion, (cap)abilities and drive to fulfil the role. In this respect, we encourage people from a diverse intersection of backgrounds to apply.

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