Political consultant for STRING

Are you a quick-thinking, efficient political aficionado with a diplomatic flair for stakeholder relations?

Then you might be STRING's new political consultant!

YOUR ROLE

As our Deputy Managing Director is soon heading off on maternity leave, we need someone to temporarily fill her shoes. As her replacement, you will first and foremost lead our work on the infrastructure agenda and assure that our lobbying initiatives and infrastructure projects are successfully delivered and communicated. This will also include chairing our expert group on infrastructure and coordinate our infrastructure efforts with our 13 members as well as with representatives from the four national levels and the EU.

You will also be expected to maintain close contacts with all of our members on a range of different issues concerning the work of the Secretariat. Furthermore, you will contribute to a wide and on-going range of ad-hoc tasks in the Secretariat, such as support your colleagues on the work of creating a Northern European Green Hub, working to realise a range of recommendations as set out in a new report by the OECD commissioned by STRING, arrange events and conferences, and aid the development of our new hydrogen project.

SOME OF YOUR PRIMARY TASKS WILL BE:

Lobby for a double tracked railway between Oslo and Gothenburg, and fixed links across the Öresund. This is two of our key infrastructure priorities, and will involve having a close dialogue with the Transport Committees in Sweden, Denmark and Norway, communicate the benefits of the projects to the media and external stakeholders, and coordinate the efforts of our members on this issue.

Assuring that the priorities set out in the STRING bottleneck analysis are being delivered on, and seek political support and approval for these from our members.

Represent STRING as a speaker, presenter or panelist in different events and conferences.

Chair the STRING Transport Connectivity Group, which help set the agenda for our infrastructure priorities.

Produce material for our internal board meetings.

Find joint interests and priorities between our members and gain political support on their delivery.

Interact with a broad range of stakeholders and try to find diplomatic solutions that fit all different interests.

Lead on analytical work and project manage consultancies hired to provide services for us.

Help plan, arrange and execute events and conferences.

Be a support to your colleagues on other areas of the STRING agenda, such as building the green hub, realising the OECD recommendations, and managing the STRING hydrogen corridor project.

YOUR PROFILE

STRING has a small Secretariat with a large political mandate. As such, we are looking for a flexible candidate who can easily adjust to the fast-paced and often frequently changing climate of a political Secretariat. We therefore need our new colleague to have the following qualities:

You have previous experience of working either in an international or a political organisation with several stakeholders.

You preferably have some knowledge and understanding of infrastructure policy at an EU level

Fast working and efficient.

Able to set your own tasks and see what needs doing in order to promote our agenda and deliver on the visions of our members without too much guidance or supervision.

You thrive in working in an interchangeable environment, where the days differ a lot from each other (post Corona) and you are able to take things as they come without the need for a rigid schedule.

Enjoy the limelight and being a vocal ambassador for STRING and our partners, whilst happily also taking the backseat and assume a supporting role when needed.

The ability to make new connections quickly and to reach out to politicians and civil servants alike.

Friendly and personable by nature.

You need to have a diplomatic disposition where you are able to understand the many differing wills and perspectives of our members and manage to find solutions and compromises to benefit the larger scope.

At the same time, you are also not afraid to speak your mind and be a strong advocate for the larger STRING agenda.

Your grasp of the English language is exceptional, and you communicate fluently in one of the Scandinavian languages. A working level of German is beneficial.

You are of course interested in politics and have a genuine belief in the idea of international cooperation across borders

You have humor and a healthy dose of self- awareness, and no not take yourself too seriously.

A substantial amount of travelling activity is to be expected, particularly within Denmark, and to Sweden, Norway, Germany and Brussels in relation to meetings and events. In return, we can offer you a highly varied, flexible and interesting opportunity, where you will be encouraged to grown and shape your own position, surrounded by competent, supportive and lighthearted colleagues in the heart of Copenhagen.

Does this sound like you? Please follow the link below to submit your application, no later than June 21st 2021.

If you would like to hear more about the position, please contact Managing Director Thomas Becker on thbec@stringnetwork.org or +45 29 61 70 10.

PRACTICAL INFORMTION:

Start date: As soon as possible, preferably no later than August 1st 2021.

37,5 hour a week contract, with your base on Nørregade 7b, Copenhagen

The contract is around 14 months, but with the possibility of being extended into a permanent position.

STRING is technically an administrative part of Region Zealand, which means that you will be employed by Region Zealand in accordance with Danish labour law.

The Secretariat has employees from all of the STRING member countries, so the working langue around the office is Scandinavian

Salary to be negotiated according to Danish Region's guidelines.