About the Association
ERA (European Regions Airline Association) is the trade association representing more than 50 airlines and over 170 companies, including manufacturers, airports, suppliers and aviation service providers, across the entire spectrum of the aviation industry. The power of one collective voice, representing multiple businesses, to promote and protect one industry sector is incredibly strong.
ERA works on behalf of its members to represent their interests before Europe’s major regulatory bodies, governments and legislators to encourage and develop long-term and sustainable growth for the sector and industry. The association also brings members together to exchange information and learn from each other through events, groups, meetings and forums. A major part of ERA’s role is to raise the profile and importance of its members, to champion green and sustainable air connectivity and European air transport.
About the Role & Responsibilities
This is a unique opportunity to shape the voice of ERA, engage its members and influence the future of European regional aviation, positioning ERA as the most influential airline association in Europe. As Head of Communications, you will develop and execute a dynamic strategy that amplifies ERA’s advocacy and policy work, ensuring the sector’s issues—regional connectivity, competition, sustainability, safety, and infrastructure—are heard and acted upon by key decision-makers. You will drive impactful campaigns, enhance engagement with European policymakers and oversee events and membership activity that strengthens industry collaboration and knowledge sharing. Leading a team of four, you’ll be a strategic thinker and a skilled communicator, with the ability to get involved in hands-on delivery when needed.
Working at the intersection of communications and public affairs, the new Head of Communications will:
- grow ERA’s media reach, sentiment, and policymaker engagement gaining key audience to support ERA strategies
- increase website traffic, social media engagement, and content effectiveness
- increase events attendance, sponsorship success, and feedback scores
- excel at retention and acquisition of new members, in addition to increasing their participation levels
Reporting to the Director-General of the association, you will be leading on the following tasks:
Communications
- Shape and and deliver ERA’s strategic messaging, aligning clear and compelling narrative with policy objectives
- Strengthen ERA’s influence with European policymakers and shape regulatory discussions, by working closely with the policy team to shape regulatory discussions and promoting ERA’s views to increase our lobbying activities and success on behalf of member airlines as well as the essemtial contributions from our sector to the European economy and society
- Lead on content creation (articles, social media, presentations, website) to maximise engagement and impact
- Oversee media relations, increasing ERA’s presence and credibility across key industry platforms
- Ensure ERA representation at external meetings, committees, and working groups and events, providing communication advice to the Director General, the Board, and the Policy & Technical team
Leadership
- Lead and develop the Events and Communication team (consisting of several team members), fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement
- Act as a senior leader within ERA, upholding its values and driving organisational effectiveness
- Manage budgets efficiently to maximise the impact of initiatives
Membership
- Develop and implement membership strategies to attract, retain and engage members for ERA’s long-term sustainability
- Supervise membership communications, including newsletters, updates and renewal campaigns, applying best practices to maximise participation
- Oversee accurate membership database, track trends, provide insights for strategic decisions
Events
- Plan and oversee execution of high-quality annual events programme, including ERA’S flagship conferences (and possibly webinars, workgroups and networking sessions)
- Develop event agendas that align with ERA’S strategic priorities and deliver value to members
- Manage stakeholder relationships, working closely with speakers, sponsors, and suppliers to ensure seamless delivery
- Oversee all event logistics (venue selection to budget management) ensuring cost-effectiveness and impact
- Drive marketing and promotion efforts, maximising attendance and engagement while continuously refining event offerings based on feedback
About your Skills and Experience
- Public Affairs knowledge: a strong understanding of policy and regulatory issues, coupled with extensive experience in public affairs, policy communications, policy development or public opinion campaigns, with experience spanning the aviation industry or the transport sector at large to be considered an asset
- Strategic thinking & execution: an ability to demonstrate critical thinking to develop and implement high-impact strategies whilst managing day-to-day delivery effectively
- Leadership & influence: proven ability to build credibility and trust with senior stakeholders in order to represent ERA externally, navigate complex regulatory environments diplomatically
- Media & external communications: solid experience in media relations, social media strategy, and shaping an organisation’s public profile
- Event & membership management: extensive experience in planning and delivering events would be desired, as well as engaging and growing membership communities, preferably within a not for profit or association background
- Team development: strong leadership skills to engage, motivate and develop team, fostering collaboration and innovation
- Skilful communicator: excellent spoken and written communication in English in order to create compelling narratives and engage diverse stakeholders effectively
- Creative, analytical & proactive: an ability to generate fresh ideas, solves problems, make data-driven decisions, show good judgement, effectively prioritise tasks, and manage multiple workstreams
- Technical skills: expert in dealing with digital marketing, social media, and content creation tools:
- Social media platforms (Twitter/X, LinkedIn)
- PowerPoint, InDesign, Illustrator, Canva, Video software
- CRM and event management platforms
About the Offer
- Join a close-knit, collaborative team where your work makes a real impact on the work of an entire European industry sector across its entire value chain
- An extensive salary package including a discretionary bonus, a group personal pension scheme, and 29 days’ holiday plus bank holidays
- The opportunity for regular European travel granting the chance to build and solidify strong industry connections and be part of a dynamic environment where your ideas are valued
About the Application
Interested candidates are asked to submit their applications, consisting of cover letter and recent CV to Sergey Golyshin, Director at Mavence, at sergey.golyshin@mavence.com . Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis.
