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 13.03.2026
Your team
You will be part of the Strategic Communication Section and the Senior Management Office in the Directorate General Communications. Our Directorate General, which has around 250 staff, is responsible for communicating the official views of the ECB and informing diverse audiences, in particular young Europeans, about the ECB’s mission and tasks. We manage all aspects of media relations, taking care of the ECB’s websites and social media channels, organising institutional events, and engaging with the general public by answering their questions and producing explanatory material. The Strategic Communication Section is responsible for the strategic focus and coherence of our external and internal communication activities.
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 in strategic communications you will:
- help draft and update presentations, articles and speeches for senior management in the Directorate General for internal and external audiences;
- keep the ECB communication toolkit up to date, including speaking lines on key aspects of monetary policy, the current economic environment and other key topics of relevance to the ECB;
- contribute to strategic communication activities, such as the review of our content planning, collaboration with social media content creators, and communication on the ECB and climate change;
- experiment with the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in strategic communications, such as research on target audiences and tracking messaging and communication trends.
This traineeship offers you excellent opportunities to learn how to create communications deliverables for top executives in a European institution, manage stakeholders in an international setting and strategically plan communication campaigns to achieve the greatest impact. 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, economics, international relations, business administration, political science, public relations or another relevant field;
- a clear understanding of the ECB’s mission, tasks and responsibilities and the ability to describe them in clear and simple terms;
- experience in producing effective, targeted communication deliverables;
- a basic understanding of the underlying economic concepts of Economic and Monetary Union and the euro;
- a proven interest in European current affairs;
- a good understanding of the communications landscape, in particular media and social media trends;
- a good knowledge of the MS Office package, in particular PowerPoint;
- 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 of using AI in the production of innovative content.
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, starting ideally in the third quarter of 2026, 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.
For additional information on this specific vacancy, you can speak to Belén Pérez Esteve, on +49 173 533 4269 between 16:00 and 18:00 CET on Friday, 6 March 2026, or to Ettore Fanciulli, on +49 172 257 0849 between 15:00 and 16:00 CET on Monday, 9 March 2026.
Application and selection process
The recruitment process for this position will include a remote written exercise and an online interview.
Further information on how to apply is available on our website.
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.
