Administrative Assistant Better Cotton Initiative

Under the supervision of the Governance and Operations Coordinator the Administrative Assistant is responsible for the smooth running of the office in Geneva and for effective administration of the Secretariat and association.

Responsibilities

Office management

• 1. To maintain and develop as necessary effective office processes.
• 2. To maintain office equipment, train staff on their use as necessary.
• 3. To manage office supplies, including inventory and purchasing.
• 4. To manage office services and effective cost and quality of suppliers.

Secretariat administration

• 5. To implement, and develop as necessary, BCI Secretariat administrative procedures, including workflow and correspondence.
• 6. To be the first point of contact for general telephone enquiries and visitors to the Geneva office.
• 7. To manage information and data, in cooperation with the Governance and Operations Coordinator, and other staff as relevant.
• 8. To support organising internal and external meetings and workshops.
• 9. To take notes of Secretariat and other relevant meetings.

Finances

• 10. To assist with accounting, including processing invoices and expenses claims, managing petty cash, and preparing invoices.
• 11. To assist with financial reporting and audit preparation.

Human Resources

• 12. To manage human resources administration, under the supervision of the Governance and Operations Coordinator.
• 13. To support recruitment and induction processes in coordination with other staff as relevant.

Personal assistance

• 14. To support the Executive Director with day-to-day administration.
• 15. To support with travel arrangements as necessary (flights and hotel booking).
• 16. To undertake other tasks as deemed necessary by the supervisor.

Working Arrangements

The successful candidate will report to the Governance and Operations Coordinator for their work programme, activities and outputs. The position is full-time (40 hours per week) and is based in Geneva, Switzerland. The Administrative Assistant will receive a 1 year contract, with a 3 month initial probation period with envisaged renewal.

Profile

To be successful, the Administrative Assistant will have the following attributes:

Required:

• 1. 2 years office experience
• 2. Strong administrative and organisational skills
• 3. Fluent in English and French
• 4. Advanced computer and IT skills, including literacy in Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint and Outlook
• 5. Ability to manage multiple tasks
• 6. Ability to work independently and to take initiative
• 7. Excellent interpersonal and team work skills, with service oriented attitude
• 8. Enjoy solving problems
• 9. Ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines

Preferred:

• 10. Experience or knowledge of accounting and finances
• 11. Experience or knowledge of Swiss Human Resources law
• 12. Experience working with international organizations
• 13. Experience of working in a small organisation
• 14. Ability to work in a multicultural environment with respect for diversity
• 15. Interest in and commitment to sustainability

Applications

Interested applicants with the required attributes are requested to send, in English, a detailed CV (2 pages maximum) and a brief covering letter (1 page maximum) by email only to recruitment@bettercotton.org Only Swiss and EU nationals are eligible to apply.

Application deadline: Monday 19 September 2011, 08:00 CET

First round interviews: 26-27 September 2011

Second round interviews: 3-4 October 2011 (to be confirmed during first round interview)

Start Date: As soon as possible.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only candidates short-listed for an interview will be contacted. The BCI is an equal opportunities employer, and is committed to good practice and transparency in the management of natural, human and financial resources