Press & Information Assistant

We are

The European Union (EU) is an economic and political partnership between 27 European countries. It plays an important role in international affairs through diplomacy, trade, development aid and working with global organisations. Abroad, the EU is represented through more than 140 diplomatic representations, known also as EU Delegations, which have a similar function to those of an embassy.

The role of the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Korea includes:

• To represent the Union, as appropriate, in the Republic of Korea;
• To inform the European Union on political, social, economic, external relations and trade developments in the Republic of Korea and, in this regard, to maintain contact with the principal players in the fields of politics and public life generally, the economy, business, civil society and higher education;
• To ensure a smooth and fruitful development of bilateral relations in the political, economic and co-operation fields and to seek to develop and encourage initiatives to promote cooperation under the Framework Agreement;
• To monitor and ensure implementation of the EU-Republic of Korea Free Trade Agreement;
• To promote and protect the EU’s interests and values and to spread knowledge and raise awareness of developments in the EU, its policies, purposes and aims with a view to engendering a better understanding of EU affairs and establishing a higher profile for the EU;
• To promote the EU’s policies in all areas;
• To foster close co-operation on EU matters with Member States’ missions via regular meetings at Ambassador, Counsellor, Information and Administration Officer levels;
• To carry out press and information activities in pursuit of the above objectives.

We offer

We offer a specific job function as Press and Information Assistant. The successful candidate will contribute to promoting the image of the European Union, the knowledge of its policies in Korea and of EU-ROK relations. The successful candidate will also be responsible for Cultural activities and public diplomacy, and support the Delegation on other administrative, logistical and operational tasks depending on the needs of the Delegation. The tasks and assignments take place under the supervision and responsibility of the Head of Political, Press and Information Section.

Functions and Duties:

Media

• Liaise with Korean and foreign media.
• Draft and distribute press releases and respond to media enquiries.
• Make a daily selection and summary of main items in Korean press.
• Organise activities to maintain and increase good relations with Korean and foreign media including press conferences, media seminars, photo contests, press trips to Brussels, etc.
• Manage publication requests/purchases/subscriptions and respond to public enquiries.
• Manage Press and Information budget.

Outreach

• Serve as an administrator of the Delegation's website and social media platforms in Korean and English and ensure that online contents are up-to-date.
• Produce information & promotional materials, from developing concept to dissemination (e-newsletter, brochures, reports, photo exhibitions, testimonial videos, gadgets, etc.).
• Organise lectures, conferences and exhibitions, mainly with universities, but also with think tanks, other Korean institutions or other international organisations.
• Oversee visibility of EU-funded projects in coordination with other Delegation sections.

Public diplomacy and event organisation

• Organisation of cultural and public diplomacy activities, including negotiations with service providers and budget management.
• Be a focal point for publicity of the major events of the Delegation including visits by key EU officials, project launches, exhibitions and similar events.
• Organise public diplomacy events especially on culture and education in coordination with internal and external partners including EUMS, such as Erasmus+.
• Organise cultural counsellors meetings with EUMS.

Reporting

• Prepare written reports and presentations in English and Korean.
• Contribute to Press and Information work-plan and annual reports.

Place of employment is Seoul, in the premises of the Delegation of the EU to the Republic of Korea. Employment is on a full-time basis, with 37.5 weekly working hours in a dynamic and multi-cultural environment. The Group in the salary scale for the position of the Press and Information Assistant is Group 2 with a starting monthly basic salary of KRW 5,308,171. Final salary step will depend on the number of years of relevant professional experience.

We offer a competitive position in an international environment. Benefits, such as additional pension scheme and medical insurance, are offered to employees and their families under certain conditions.

Selection criteria

Minimum Requirements:

• Medically fit to perform the required duties;
• Enjoys civil rights and permits for employment under local law;
• Excellent knowledge of Korean and English language, capacity to communicate clearly and confidently in English;
• He/she must hold a University degree that is relevant for the function he/she is asked to perform, preferably in Political Sciences and/or Media and Communications;
• He/she must have at least 3 years of working experience in the topics related to the specific field that he/she is asked to cover;
• Familiarity with the Korean media landscape;
• Well-developed sense for engagement with journalists;
• Excellent communications skills with external and internal contacts;
• Ability to manage social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and to produce tailor-made contents for the main social media platforms;
• Computer literate (and knowledge of commonly used programs such as Word, Excel, MS Project, PowerPoint, etc.);
• Experience in budget management.

The following will be considered as an asset:

• Working knowledge of other EU official languages (read and spoken);
• Working knowledge of the European Union, its main policies, treaties and legislation and functioning;
• Working experience in or with Northeast Asia;
• Graphic skills (such as video editing, Photoshop, etc.);
• Experience in the organisation of events;
• Working experience in a multicultural environment such as Embassy, international organisation, multinational company;
• Familiarity with the cultural scene in Korea and EU Member States' cultural institutions;
• In depth working experience in the development and use of information systems, having full knowledge of the latest technological developments, including social media platforms.

Personal skills

• Personal initiative, flexibility, well organized and able to perform duties independently with speed and accuracy without needing constant supervision;
• Team player and able to adapt in a multi-cultural environment;
• High degree of integrity and ethics able to deal with confidential information;
• Understanding of the political sensitivities, protocol and tone needed in a diplomatic working environment;
• Ability to negotiate at all levels in a multicultural and multilingual environment;
• Fully independent in report reviewing/writing and drafting of official correspondence where diplomatic etiquette is essential;
• Capable of clearly, efficiently and effectively conceptualising ideas and approaches;
• Capable of producing high quality results within often tight deadlines;
• Capacity to focus on priorities and to organise work to deliver on time;
• Capacity to adapt quickly to changing circumstances and needs;
• Good presentation skills.

How to apply

Please send your application and supporting documents to Delegation-Rep-of-Korea-Vacancies@eeas.europa.eu. The package should include a cover letter, and a detailed CV (using the Europass template on the following link: https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/). Under subject, please indicate “Press and Information Officer Vacancy”.

The Delegation will not supply additional information or discuss the selection procedure by telephone: please address any queries concerning this procedure to Delegation-Rep-of-Korea-Vacancies@eeas.europa.eu .

The deadline for applications is: 15 March 2023.

The procedure

After the deadline for applications, the applications will be reviewed by a Selection Committee set up for this purpose. The Selection Committee will prepare a short-list of candidates who are considered to be the most suitable for the post based on a preliminary assessment of the information provided in their application letter and the supporting documents. The short-listed candidates will be invited to an assessment phase which may include an interview if necessary – during this phase, the Selection Committee will assess the suitability of the candidates for the post.

The candidates who have not been short-listed will not be contacted individually; however, the Delegation will use the same means of publication as for this Vacancy Notice to inform the remaining candidates once the recruitment procedure has been completed and that a candidate has (or has not) been recruited.

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