12850 - Institutional Relations Coordinator

CMCC - Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici; Lecce; On-site; EUR 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Welfare package 2,000 EUR/year

Flexible working time

Immigration support

Job summary

CMCC Foundation seeks an Institutional Relations Coordinator based in Lecce to support the development area’s external relations and policy engagement. You will liaise with national and international institutions, translate research into policy-ready materials, and ensure follow-up on commitments.

You will work closely with scientists, fundraisers, and communications to strengthen CMCC’s position and influence in Brussels, Rome and global fora.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of relevant work experience in institutional relations
• Experience gained in international organisations
• Fluency in English; knowledge of a third language is an asset
• Ability to translate technical content into plain language for policymakers
• Willingness to travel within Italy and abroad

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the design and implementation of CMCC’s institutional relations strategy
• Map and maintain CMCC’s institutional stakeholders base
• Manage day-to-day relations with institutional counterparts
• Prepare institutional documentation for the Directorate
• Monitor EU and international policy agendas and report implications
• Coordinate CMCC experts to draft policy–science documents
• Translate scientific inputs into clear policymaker-friendly language
• Organise institutional meetings, high-level visits and events
• Support fundraising and cross-departmental coordination
• Provide transversal support to senior management

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Diplomatic skills

English proficiency

Organisational skills

Analytical skills

Education

Master’s degree in International Relations…

Post-graduate qualification in European affairs

Job description

CMCC Position cod. 12850

Institutional Relations Coordinator

Deadline: November 2nd, 2026

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Do you know how institutional decisions take shape — in Brussels, in Rome and in the rooms where international organisations set their agendas? Are you equally at ease drafting a briefing note for a high-level meeting in the morning and building a long‑term relationship with a ministry, an EU directorate or an international partner in the afternoon? We are looking for an Institutional Relations Coordinator to join the CMCC Foundation and to work side by side with the Head of the Development Area on institutional relations, external stakeholder management and the full range of the Foundation’s national and international external relations activities. The ideal candidate has solid experience gained in international organisations — preferably European institutions or comparable bodies — a real understanding of how public institutions, research organisations and international networks work, and the ability to move confidently between strategic thinking and careful day‑to‑day follow‑up. Whether it is preparing leadership’s participation in a high‑level policy event, managing the relationship with a partner institution, turning the technical work of our researchers into language a policymaker can act on, or making sure that a commitment taken in a meeting is actually followed‑up and delivered, your contribution will be key to strengthening CMCC’s institutional positioning. We are looking for a highly organised, reliable and discreet professional, with proficiency in English, strong interpersonal and diplomatic skills, and a genuine interest in climate change as a scientific, policy and societal issue.

ABOUT US

CMCC Foundation is a cross‑cutting scientific research center on climate change and its interactions with the environment, society, the world of business, and policymakers. Our work aims to stimulate sustainable growth, protect the environment, and develop strategies for the adaptation and mitigation of climate change. CMCC's core objective is to conduct cutting‑edge science, to train the next generation of scientists at both national and international levels, and to be a beacon for climate modelling.

CMCC pursues fundamental and applied science with utmost scientific integrity, prioritizing data‑driven science and providing data, information, and research results that can support informed public debate and decision‑making processes. To achieve climate research objectives at the highest international standards, we invest in training all our talents, and strive to create a workplace where everyone can excel.

At CMCC you will find a strong, professional environment. Join an inclusive community that values diversity, where every voice is heard and respected. Help foster a culture of innovation and societal change, where individuals from all backgrounds can thrive and succeed. Over the last decade, CMCC has experienced extraordinary growth. We are now embarking on a new chapter of our journey that will further boost CMCC’s global position in climate change research…Together!

ROLE

The Institutional Relations Coordinator reports to the Head of Institutional Relations and is responsible for supporting the definition and implementation of the Foundation’s institutional and external relations strategy, for managing relations with national and international institutional stakeholders, and for providing analytical and operational support to the Directorate in all external relations activities. The Institutional Relations Coordinator also acts as an interface between science and policy, working with CMCC’s researchers to make scientific evidence usable by institutional audiences. He/she cooperates closely with the Fundraising Office on all matters lying between policy developments and funding opportunities and with the Communications Office on external stakeholders outreach. Given the cross‑cutting nature of the Development Area to which he/she belongs, the Institutional Relations Coordinator is also involved in additional support activities for the Head of the Development Area and the Directorate – from institutional communication to the drafting of a broad range of documents and presentations – with direct exposure to the Foundation's strategic agenda.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Contributing to the design and implementation of the Foundation’s institutional relations strategy at national, European and international level, and to its translation into annual objectives, action plans and priorities.


• Mapping and keeping up to date CMCC’s Institutional Stakeholders base: ministries and national authorities, regional and local administrations, European institutions and agencies, international organisations, research organisations, networks and alliances, business associations, foundations and civil society organisations.


• Managing day‑to‑day relations with institutional counterparts — correspondence, incoming requests, follow‑up of commitments — and maintaining a structured record of contacts, meetings and outcomes.


• Preparing institutional documentation for the Directorate: briefing notes, talking points, background dossiers, speeches, presentations, official letters, position papers and post‑meeting reports.


• Monitoring the European and International policy agenda relevant to climate change — including public consultations, strategic documents and policy processes — and reporting on their implications and opportunities for the Foundation.


• Coordinating CMCC’s Subject Matter Experts with the aim of drafting CMCC’s views and policy – science documents in response to public consultations.


• Acting as an interface between policy and science: working with scientists to translate technical and scientific inputs into clear, plain language for policymakers and non‑expert audiences, and ensuring that CMCC’s policy‑oriented documents are at the same time scientifically sound and immediately usable by their intended readers.


• Organising and coordinating institutional meetings, high‑level visits, delegations, missions and the CMCC’s participation in national and international events, in close cooperation with the relevant offices.


• Contributing to raise the Foundation’s institutional profile in close cooperation with the Communication Office.


• Working closely with the Fundraising Office on all matters lying at the intersection of policy and funding — from the CMCC’s positioning on the design of new European research and innovation framework programmes, to the management of strategic stakeholders with whom joint project development is envisaged.


• Providing further support to the Head of the Institutional Relations, to the Executive Director, Scientific Director and President on transversal tasks, including the drafting of a variety of institutional documents, correspondence and reports.

REQUIREMENTS

• Master’s degree in International Relations, Political Science, European Studies, Law, Economics, Public Policy, or equivalent subjects. A post‑graduate qualification in European affairs, international relations or public affairs will be considered an asset.


• Minimum 3 years of relevant work experience in institutional relations, external relations, public affairs or stakeholder management, gained in international organisations — preferably European institutions or comparable bodies (EU institutions and agencies, international organisations, permanent representations and diplomatic missions, European research organisations, networks and alliances).


• Sound knowledge of the European institutional framework and of EU and international policy‑making processes; familiarity with the climate, environment, energy and research policy agenda will be considered an asset.


• Proven experience in drafting institutional documents in Italian and English (briefing notes, talking points, official correspondence, agreements, reports) and in preparing senior management for high‑level meetings.


• Proven ability to work with technical and scientific experts and to translate complex technical content into plain, accessible language for policymakers and non‑expert audiences (policy briefs, executive summaries, position papers, science‑for‑policy documents).


• Very good knowledge of the English language, written and spoken; knowledge of a third language, preferably French, will be considered an asset.


• Accuracy and good analytical skills, with the ability to synthesise complex information into clear, concise and well‑structured documents.


• Excellent interpersonal and diplomatic skills, discretion in handling confidential information, ability to prioritise and to meet tight deadlines with a high degree of autonomy and reliability.


• Very good command of the main digital tools for office work, collaborative work and management of contacts and institutional databases.


• Ability to design and produce reporting for senior management using digital tools — dashboards, data visualisation, presentation and collaborative platforms — turning stakeholder, activity and policy information into concise, well‑structured and decision‑ready materials.


• Availability to travel in Italy and abroad.

DURATION, COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Please note that this opportunity will be issued both internally and externally.


• The Institutional Relations Coordinator will be based in Lecce (CMCC HQ).


• The contract offered for this position will be initially a 1‑year contract, with the possibility of renewal.


• The gross annual salary range for this position is 30,000 – 45,000 Euros. The salary offered within the range will be determined based on years of relevant experience, level of seniority, specific technical skills, applying objective and gender‑neutral criteria.


• Welfare package of 2,000 Euro per year.


• Flexible working time as per internal policies.


• Support during the immigration process, if needed.

PROTECTED CATEGORY

Belonging to legally protected categories (ex L. 68/99) will constitute a preferential condition.

Some fiscal benefits could be applied for repatriated workers or foreign researchers/professors, having the requirements defined by Dlgs 147/2015 (for repatriates) or Dl 78/2010 (for foreigners).

CMCC is an equal‑opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, familial status, and other legally protected characteristics. Please omit from your CV any data you or we might consider discriminatory.

This job announcement is an invitation to express interest in the above‑mentioned CMCC Position.

By submitting their application, candidates confirm that they have read, understood, and accepted the “Official Rule for the CMCC Personnel recruitment”.

We will keep your information on file for up to 1 year.