Ben Carlin Email & Phone Number

Brussels, Be

Brussels, Brussels Region, Belgium

Communications Manager for COGEN Europe (The European Association for the Promotion of Cogeneration) and the COGEN World Coalition. Also in charge of communications for 2 EU-funded European projects: PACE (supported by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership) and HEATLEAP (supported by the LIFE Programme).

Developing my professional skills (social media, graphic design, etc.), improving my language skills (especially German), and helping my wife to take care of our young son and baby daughter.

Brussels Area, Belgium

I was employed for 11 months (full-time) by EUROCHAMBRES, which brings together Chambers of Commerce and Industry from 43 European Countries.During this period I was responsible for developing and/or implementing Communication Plans/Strategies for a wide range of EU-funded actions and projects, including: actions providing advice and support to European SMEs (Consumer Law Ready, Early Warning Europe); projects promoting economic cooperation between the EU and neighbouring countries (Turkey-EU Business Dialogue, EU4Business: Connecting Companies); as well as the 'Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs' programme and various other EU-funded projects (including Archipelago, ERIAS and MATCH).My tasks as Communication Officer included:- Developing and/or implementing Communication Plans/Strategies tailored to the specific objectives of each project, in collaboration with Project Managers and other stakeholders;- Developing and implementing promotional and awareness-raising campaigns on social media (including paid-for advertising) (sometimes using Hootsuite);- Writing and editing website content and updating web pages (using WordPress);- Producing and disseminating electronic newsletters (using Mailchimp);- Taking photos, editing images and creating graphics (using Canva & Piktochart);- Drafting texts and preparing proposals for printed publications;- Live Tweeting/Posting during conferences and other large-scale events;- Participating in meetings with project partners and EU officials;- Advising on procurement and liaising with external suppliers (e.g. for website development, graphic design of project logos and printed materials, etc.);- Reporting on the results of communications activities, including social media analytics, impact of paid-for advertising, data relating to website traffic, etc.

Brussels, Brussels Region, Belgium

In September 2015, I created a Twitter account called @RemaininEU which was used to share information and other content in support of the UK's continued membership of the European Union. Following the referendum in June 2016, the account was renamed as @AbortBrexit.The account was very successful, attracting more than 12,000 followers and gaining retweets from prominent politicians and pro-European campaigners. This was all achieved as a solo project in my free time with zero budget, but it allowed me to learn a lot about social media.

Brussels Area, Belgium

Temporary position in the secretariat of the association representing Europe’s rail supply industry. My tasks included editing strategic publications such as: UNIFE Annual Report 2018, Policy Briefing for the Romanian Presidency, and Vision Paper on Digital Trends in the Rail Sector. I also produced content for the social media channels of UNIFE and the Industry4Europe coalition.

Brussels Area, Belgium

During this period, I was given the opportunity to research and write articles on major EU-funded projects for the Regional Policy section of the European Commission’s website.

Brussels Area, Belgium

Full-time position in the global communications team of a multi-national chemical company, which employs over 4,000 people in some 25 countries around the world. I was mostly involved in developing communications to facilitate and support the smooth integration of Allnex and Nuplex, following the decision to combine the two companies, which was announced in September 2016. My responsibilities as Internal Communications Specialist included:- Working with IT experts to create and develop a new global intranet based on SharePoint- Drafting and sending messages to all employees from the CEO and other senior executives- Scripting, shooting and editing video messages with the CEO and other senior executives- Researching, writing and editing news articles for publication on the company's global intranet- Editing and proofreading texts for key corporate publications (Annual Report, etc.)

Brussels, Belgium

Full-time position working for CEN and CENELEC, which are European standardisation organisations (recognised by the EU and EFTA) that bring together the national standardisation organisations of 33 countries, providing a framework for representatives of industry and other stakeholders to develop and adopt European Standards for products, services and processes. My responsibilities as a Project Manager in the Communication Unit included: - Managing the production and editing the content of Annual Reports (3 volumes per year), the annual CEN-CENELEC Work Programme, and various other publications- Managing and editing the quarterly newsletter 'CONNECT' (20 to 30 pages per issue) - Researching, writing, editing and issuing press releases and articles on a wide range of topics - Preparing and drafting editorial articles (forewords, etc.), statements and speeches on behalf of the CEN President, the CENELEC President, and the Director-General of CEN and CENELEC - Liaising with external suppliers regarding the design, printing and distribution of publications - Creating and editing web pages using content management system (CMS)- Sharing information via social media (Facebook, Linked In & Twitter)- Responding to enquiries and requests from journalists.

Brussels, Belgium

Providing high-quality content for all kinds of publications including magazines, brochures, annual reports, websites, etc.

Brussels, Belgium

Researching and writing articles for a leading online news website, focusing on EU policies and related developments.Responsible for coordinating coverage of regional policy, employment and social affairs, including interviews with key decision-makers.Also writing about other policy areas including: education, enterprise, trade, innovation, migration and minority rights.

Brussels, Belgium

During 6 months at ENPA, I achieved the following:- Monitored and analysed legislative developments and managed relations with the European Commission and Parliament on environmental and cultural policy issues (meetings with officials and MEPs, etc.)- Coordinated relations with the Council of Europe (participation in expert meetings, etc.)- Researched and drafted position papers, meeting reports, lobbying letters, etc.- Organised working group meetings (newsprint & environment, media literacy)- Wrote regular information updates for members (newsletter articles, etc.)- Responded to enquiries from members and journalists.

Brussels, Belgium

During 11 months at the EFC, I achieved the following:- Successfully managed and produced 3 issues of EFFECT magazine (triannual): liaising with contributors, designer and printer; writing and editing articles; selecting photos, etc.- Coordinated the planning and budgets of various publications- Wrote a series of press releases and liaised with journalists- Contributed to the preparation and organisation of a major international conference.

Brussels, Belgium

During my 6 and 1/2 years with EUROCITIES, I achieved the following:- Edited and published a regular monthly newsletter which was distributed to all EUROCITIES members via email- Wrote press releases and liaised with journalists- Developed cooperation with EuroNews TV ("Metropolitans")- Researched and wrote speeches and statements on behalf of the President of the association- Edited a number of position papers on various policy issues- Coordinated the implementation of lobbying actions- Helped to prepare and organise high-level meetings with key decision-makers (Mayors, Ministers, etc.)

Brussels Area, Belgium

After 12 months I was promoted to the position of Senior Advisor (Communications).

Master'S Degree, European Politics, Cultures And Societies, Great Distinction

I completed courses on social policy, democratic systems, federal structures, political parties and security policy. My Thesis focused.

Bachelor Of Arts (Honours), Social Psychology And Cognitive Science

I completed courses in communication techniques and statistical analysis. My final dissertation involved the implementation of research.

A-Levels In General Studies, Maths & Physics