Senior Communications Manager (f/m) - Ref: 25-05

The Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research

is recruiting a

Senior Communications Manager (f/m)

• Ref: 26-05
• Permanent employment contract (full-time, 40h/week)
• Work location: Belval (Luxembourg)
• Expected start: as soon as possible

In line with LISER’s strategic priorities for the coming years, LISER is seeking an experienced and visionary Senior Communications Manager to lead and structure its communication function and play a central role in strengthening the Institute’s public positioning, media presence and societal impact.

Beyond promoting scientific excellence, the role is pivotal in strengthening LISER’s visibility, reputation and influence among key audiences, including policymakers, media, partners and the broader public. The position contributes directly to positioning LISER as a leading socio-economic research institute at national and international levels.

Reporting to the Director of Administration and Finance and working in close functional partnership with the CEO and the Vice-Executive Director, the Senior Communications Manager acts as a strategic advisor on communication matters and plays a central role in shaping LISER’s institutional positioning, reputation and public communication.

The role leads a small and growing communications team and works in close collaboration with researchers and internal teams across LISER as well as external institutional partners.

Your Role

As Senior Communications Manager, you will define, structure and implement LISER’s strategic communication approach, ensuring coherence between institutional priorities, research outputs and public expectations.

You will work in close and continuous interaction with LISER’s management team to shape and drive the Institute’s institutional communication and public positioning, and will play a key role in reinforcing LISER’s narrative, media footprint and overall visibility.

Key responsibilities

Strategic communication, editorial leadership & digital communication

• Lead communication activities for a diverse portfolio of projects, including ERC, Horizon Europe and collaborative funded projects, ensuring strategic alignment, consistency and high quality ;
• Define and enforce editorial guidelines and tone of voice for LISER communications across all channels ;
• Shape LISER’s institutional narrative and public positioning in close cooperation with LISER’s management team ;
• Mentor and support researchers in drafting and refining dissemination materials, translating research outputs into accessible and impactful communication products ;
• Draft, edit and oversee the production of LISER communication materials, including website content, newsletters, press releases, social media, project platforms and institutional publications ;
• Oversee the development of research- and policy-oriented assets such as briefs, factsheets, infographics, presentations and audiovisual content ;
• Contribute to the strategic development of LISER’s website and digital presence as a member of the web editorial committee.

Media relations, events & institutional visibility

• Develop and manage relationships with national and international media and identify opportunities to enhance LISER’s visibility ;
• Prepare and advise the management and selected researchers for media appearances and public interventions ;
• Design and organise high-impact events including conferences, policy events, webinars and press briefings ;
• Manage the full event lifecycle, from concept and promotion to post-event communication and follow-up ;
• Coordinate communication support for institutional and project-related events across LISER.

Monitoring, analytics & reporting

• Monitor media coverage, press mentions and social media trends related to LISER and its research areas ;
• Produce analytics, insights and reports to assess communication performance and inform about strategic decisions ;
• Support documentation and reporting of communication deliverables for EU-funded projects, ensuring compliance and clarity.

Profile and qualifications

We welcome diverse profiles and encourage applications even if not all criteria are met.

• Master’s degree in Communication, Public Affairs, Journalism or a related field, or equivalent professional experience ;
• Significant senior-level experience in strategic communication, preferably in a public, research, institutional or complex environment ;
• Excellent command of English and French, both written and spoken ;
• Proven experience in media relations, public positioning and editorial leadership ;
• Strong leadership presence and emotional intelligence, with the ability to interact confidently with senior researchers and management ;
• Ability to challenge, structure and prioritise communication needs in a high-level research environment ;
• Strong interest in socio-economic, political and societal issues ;
• Entrepreneurial mindset, proactive, solution-oriented and highly organised ;
• Familiarity with the research sector and public policy debates is a strong asset ;
• Basic skills in graphic design or video editing are an advantage (e.g. Canva or similar tools).

What LISER offers

• A dynamic and international research environment with attractive working conditions and a stimulating work environment ;
• Flexibility in the organisation of the working hours and the possibility of teleworking;
• Competitive remuneration under the Luxembourg Collective Bargaining Agreement in force (half of a 13th month salary, meal vouchers) ;
• Investment in career support and development (trainings, seminars, participation to international meetings and conferences) ;
• 32.5 days of annual leave for a full-time contract.

Why LISER

LISER is a publicly funded research institute located in Luxembourg and dedicated to applied empirical research in economic, social and spatial sciences. The Institute attracts top researchers from all over the world and high-level student training is a vibrant part of the Institute’s activities.

LISER staff consists of approx. 200 employees, about 60% of the staff being researchers; mainly from the fields of economics, geography and sociology. The vision of the institute is to be a socio-economic research institute internationally recognised, focused on scientific excellence and societal impact, able to contribute through multi-disciplinary and intersectoral research, in an active and inclusive way to a sustainable and inclusive society at national and international level.

The institute is located on the new Belval campus in the south of Luxembourg (Cité des Sciences, Luxembourg), which hosts the University of Luxembourg and a substantial part of the country’s publicly funded research facilities, i.e. LISER, the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) cross-national data centre, the Luxembourg institutes of Health (LIH) and of Science and Technology (LIST).

Application process

LISER has engaged DO Recruitment Advisors to support this appointment. For an informal and confidential discussion about the position, please contact Nathalie Delebois via email at nathalie.delebois@dorecruit.com.

Completed applications should be submitted by email and must include:

1. Curriculum vitae ;
2. Cover letter outlining your motivation and fit for the position ;
3. Copy of your diplomas ;
4. Contact details for three referees.

LISER is an Equal Opportunity Employer