REMUNERATION SURVEY OF BRUSSELS-BASED PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCATES

The figures here below are extracted from a survey undertaken in 2010 by Elwood Atfield, a Brussels-based search and selection firm dedicated to recruitment of association leaders, public affairs, public policy, corporate communications practitioners and media relations specialists. Their report covered the following 4 areas:

1. Public Affairs and Communications Consultancies
2. NGOs (e.g. charitable or ‘campaigning groups’
3. Business-In-house
4. Trade Associations

Although the survey was conducted 3 years ago, the remuneration range applicable to each area for specified positions is still valid today and provides a benchmark in its broadest sense about the compensation of public policy advocates.

1. Public Affairs and Communications Consultancies (Consultants)

Pay rates between different consultancies on a like-for-like basis are relatively similar. The crisis has seen a downward pressure on many consultancies and this has meant that pay for many has been frozen. Bonuses usually make up only a limited part of total remuneration and have been substantially reduced because of the downturn. Consultancies usually charge hourly. Client billing rates typically vary for mid to senior individuals from €200 to over €500 per hour, with slightly lower rates at local boutique firms. Rates have stayed fairly stable over the last three years despite the market becoming more competitive with many new consultancies starting up.

• Managing Director: € 180,000-€ 400,000 (Gross Salary)
• Director: € 90,000-€ 180,000 (Gross Salary)
• Associate Director: € 70,000-120,000 (Gross Salary)

2. Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) (Public Policy Advocates in NGOs)

The large variety of Non-Governmental Organisations in Brussels include not only the major international civil society campaigning groups, but also religious and country-centric organisations. As most of their funding comes from donations or grants, compensation is substantially lower than in commercial organisations. Remuneration at Think Tanks is usually comparable with NGOs. However, as they are often led by academics, seconded or semi-retired individuals, leadership compensation varies widely.

Brussels also has NGOs that are directly, partly or indirectly funded by EU institutions (such as the Progress Programme) and this sometimes affects the remuneration available for senior staff. The figures below refer to NGOs that are part of international based “franchises”. The size of a particular office can have an impact on the remuneration within this sector.

The norm is that people working in NGOs are salaried employees and on local contracts. However some NGOs do have senior staff who operate as independents. Due to the length of service or exceptional circumstances some will earn over €100,000 but this is rare. Some NGOs that have direct or indirect commercial backing will pay higher than the figures indicated below. NGOs that receive large grants from business or an institute that is pursuing some form of philanthropy may pay salaries substantially above the rates indicated below, even when compared to some commercial organisations.

• Director (Leader)/Head of Office: € 60,000-€ 120,000 (Gross Salary)
• Director Communications/Campaigns: € 50,000-€ 100,000 (Gross Salary)
• Director of Policy: € 50,000-€ 100,000 (Gross Salary)

3. Business Corporate In-House (In-House Public Policy Advocates)

Many international companies have a local sales office targeting the Belgian market, but some have gone even further and set-up global centres of excellence. Furthermore, there are many European HQs of US and Japanese multinationals based in and around Brussels. Increasingly, multinationals have set-up Brussels offices to represent their interests to the EU.

There are currently over 400 corporations listed on the Transparency Register. However, this figure represents only a fraction of the total number of commercial organisations with dedicated EU Public Affairs employees. Some companies maintain dedicated staffed offices in Brussels, while others are based in nearby European HQs and fly in for important meetings. Total packages in businesses are often higher than those available in consultancies. In-house practitioners are almost always full-time employees of their respective organisations.

Due to the recession, salaries have stayed fairly constant over the last two years. However bonuses (often 15% to 40% + of gross remuneration) have been substantially reduced across the board and some industry sectors have not paid bonuses at all.  A main differentiator for Brussels-based In-house public affairs remuneration stems from the size of their geographical remit and size of team. A Director of Public Affairs may cover only EU Institutions or all EU countries, some will have an EMEA remit. Remuneration is affected accordingly. Individuals who are posted to Brussels by large organisations will frequently be on expat status, which will vary according to the domicile of their parent company.

• European Head of Public Affairs: € 140,000-€ 400,000 (Gross Salary) + Bonus (circa 30%-40%)
• European Head of Communications: € 100,000-€ 260,000 (Gross Salary) + Bonus (circa 30%-40%)
• Director: € 125,000-€ 150,000 (Gross Salary) + Bonus (circa 30%-40%)
• Manager: € 70,000-€ 90,000

3. Trade Associations (Public Policy Advocates in Trade Associations)

Most Brussels public policy advocates are employed by trade associations. One estimate puts about 10,000 public policy advocates working in EU Trade Associations at the EU level and another 1,000 - 2,000 in National Trade Associations in Brussels. Broadly speaking trade associations consist of four distinct groups:

1. National Trade Associations
2. EU / Global Federations (representing the collective interests of National Trade associations)
3. Professional Associations
4. Coalitions (that can be a mix of Commercial, Trade and NGO organisations). Some may be very technically focused on specific “standards”, others responsible for overtly “political” agendas. There are significant differences in the remuneration of Trade Association Leaders depending on their financial, industry and membership base. There can also be a substantial gap between the remuneration of a Director General of an association and their first line management.

• Director or Secretary General: € 150,000-€ 400,000 (Gross Salary)
• Director of Public Affairs or Communications: € 90,000-220,000 (Gross Salary)
• Manager: € 70,000-€ 100,000 (Gross Salary)