General Information

Type of contract:  Traineeship 

Who can apply?:  EU nationals eligible for our traineeship programme 

Grant:  The trainee grant is €1,170 per month plus an accommodation allowance (see further information section) 

Working time:  Full time 

Place of work:  Frankfurt am Main, Germany 

Closing date: 15.03.2024

Your team

You will be part of the Multimedia team in the Design and Digital Division in the Directorate General Communications. Our Division is responsible for the ECB’s digital communications, including website development, design and content, publications and visual communications.

As a trainee in the Multimedia team, your work will focus on the audiovisual aspects of the ECB’s communications. The team’s members draw on a broad set of skills in photography, videography, visual media editing and podcasting. The team also has strong stakeholder management skills and coordinates audiovisual projects and products from inception and drafting through to final implementation. You will work with colleagues from a variety of backgrounds who bring a range of perspectives. 

The ECB is an inclusive employer and we strive to reflect the diversity of the population we serve. We encourage you to apply irrespective of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or other characteristics.

Your role

As a trainee, you will:

• support the preparation and organisation of events involving the Multimedia team;
• develop (plan, draft, produce and edit) multimedia products, sometimes as stand-alone initiatives but often as part of a broader communications campaign or event;
• contribute to the production of audiovisual materials such as photos, videos, podcasts and live broadcasts;
• present innovative and creative proposals that will improve the ECB’s visual communications;
• foster collaboration and learning by seeking or offering advice or expertise when the need or opportunity arises;
• establish and maintain close contacts with internal and external stakeholders and act as a liaison between them and contracted external production agencies;
• participate in meetings linked to projects you are responsible for or for which you are a backup team member;
• present new and innovative ideas to the rest of the team.

The position offers you excellent opportunities to work in a dynamic environment and gain experience across a broad range of communications topics. Your activities will range from office-based support tasks to on-site production, providing opportunities for hands-on experience in the multimedia profession. You will be part of a multicultural team that strives for continuous innovation to make a positive impact on the lives of European citizens. 

Qualifications, experience and skills

Essential: 

• a bachelor’s degree or higher in communications, media, public relations, photography, graphic design or similar (other fields will also be considered if combined with relevant qualifications);
• experience in photography, videography and audio production;
• audiovisual post-production skills, including the ability to process raw audiovisual material using tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Premiere Pro or similar post-production software;
• a good knowledge of the Windows and Mac operating systems and Adobe Creative Cloud products;
• a clear understanding of the ECB’s mission, tasks and responsibilities, as well as a clear understanding of the European Union;
• a good knowledge of the MS Office package;
• an advanced (C1) command of English and an intermediate (B1) command of at least one other official language of the EU, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Desired: 

• experience producing high-quality audiovisual products for publication on social media and/or other online platforms;
• experience working in a professional audio production setting as a sound engineer, including experience in recording, mixing and editing with state-of-the-art sound technologies;
• exposure to the typical production work carried out in a production or broadcast studio, using lighting, audio set-ups, broadcast cameras and stage set-ups;
• an awareness of the communications strategies of leading private and public institutions; 
• experience working or studying in an international environment.

You are curious and eager to learn, and want to further develop your ability to analyse complex information. You are keen to collaborate with others, pursue team goals and learn from other people’s diverse perspectives. You strive to know and anticipate stakeholder needs, and will signal any need for change and propose alternative solutions.

You are motivated to contribute to the ECB’s mission, to serve the citizens of the EU as a member of a public institution and to work with colleagues from all over Europe. You are keen to be part of our team and to use your skills and competencies to achieve the aims of this position.

Further information

Initial traineeship of six months, with a possible extension to up to 12 months in total.

Other details on the conditions applicable to traineeships at the ECB can be found on our website.

Application and selection process

The recruitment process for this position will include an online interview. 

Further information on how to apply is available on our website.

You will be asked to provide examples of your work in photography, videography or sound recording. You can do so through publicly accessible URLs (i.e. hyperlinks) to social media, online portfolios, file-sharing platforms such as Dropbox or online articles. Please provide the links related to these examples in the “Further information” section of your application. 

If you are not selected for this position but are still considered suitable, you will be placed on a reserve list for 12 months from the closing date for applications, from which you might be considered for other traineeship positions within the ECB.