Executive Assistant to the Director Global Resources & Governance Support FLO

JOB DESCRIPTION

TITLE: Executive Assistant to the Director Global Resources & Governance Support
UNIT: Global Resources
REPORTS TO: Director Global Resources

OVERVIEW:
Fairtrade is an alternative approach to conventional trade and is based on a partnership between producers and consumers. Fairtrade offers producers a better deal and improved terms of trade. This allows them the opportunity to improve their lives and plan for their future. Fairtrade offers consumers a powerful way to reduce poverty through their every day shopping.

Fairtrade International (FLO) is the international non-profit, multi stakeholder body that is responsible for the strategic direction of Fairtrade, sets Fairtrade standards and supports producers.

OBJECTIVE/PURPOSE:
The Executive Assistant will provide administrative and logistical support to the Director Global Resources, the Chair of the Board, and other Board members requiring occasional support for their Board-related activities.

Additionally, s/he will act as a central point of contact for, and oversee the logistical requirements of, meetings of Fairtrade’s main governance instruments, principally the General Assembly, Board and Global Operations Team.

PRINCIPAL ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Support to the Board Chair and other Board members (40%)

• Provide administrative support to the Chair of the Fairtrade International Board regarding meeting and travel arrangements.
• Assist in the management of the “Board Chair” e-mail address, drafting e-mails as requested and monitoring incoming mail.
• Act as a key point of contact, ensuring good communication flow between the Board and Fairtrade International’s senior management, staff, member organizations and other key stakeholders.
• Act as key point of coordination for agenda setting, distribution of papers, managing the logistics for Board members in preparation of meetings.
• Manage the Board Chair’s travel expense claims.
• Provide similar administrative support to other Board members as necessary.

Governance meeting support (30%)

• Manage, co-ordinate and facilitate the logistics, planning, organization and follow-up of all meetings and conference calls of the principal governance instruments of Fairtrade (General Assembly, Fairtrade International Board, Global Operations Team).
• Specifically, the postholder will be responsible for coordinating the agenda-setting, minute taking, teleconferencing arrangements, logistical arrangements, preparation of documentation, ensuring translation of communication to Spanish, and meeting follow-up, including finalization and distribution of minutes.
• Manage, co-ordinate and facilitate the logistics, planning, organization, minuting and followup of member calls.
• Provide support to the Nominations Committee as requested. Support to the Director Global Resources (30%)
• Keep diaries – including making appointments and travel arrangements.
• Open all business mail / e-mail and deal with all matters that the Director of Global Resources does not need to deal with himself.
• Wherever possible, draft replies on behalf of the Director Global Resources where s/he needs to input or sign off correspondence.
• Keep track of correspondence and ensure that all queries are dealt with in an appropriate and timely manner.
• Take messages, answer queries and screen telephone calls and visitors.
• Update Director of Global Resources about any matters that he needs to be aware of, and prepare briefing documents as needed.
• Prepare and format emails, letters, reports, and other documents.
• Arrange meetings on behalf of the Director of Global Resources, such as Finance and Audit Committee – contacting attendees, organising venues, booking refreshments and equipment, making travel arrangements, distributing relevant documents to all participants. Setting agendas, taking notes and drafting minutes, producing papers and reports as required.
• Manage travel expense claims.
• Support the Office Coordinator in liasing with the relevant authorities regarding Fairtrade International’s legal formalities.
• Deputize for the Office Coordinator during vacation and other absences.

SKILLS REQUIRED:
Experience

• A minimum of 5 years in an international office environment
• Experience of supporting senior executive staff and/or Board members, ideally in a multistakeholder and/or international organization
• Experience in minute-taking
• Working with the MS Office suite of programmes – at a minimum: Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook

Knowledge & Qualifications

• Educated to at least first degree level, e.g. multi-lingual secretary or similar qualification
• An understanding of the Fairtrade movement would be useful
• Numerate and capable of understanding and interpreting financial reports, statistical analyses, etc

Skills & Abilities

• Fluency in English essential, Spanish and good working German desirable
• Ability to create accurate, well-presented material
• Strong degree of initiative, professionalism, judgement and accuracy
• Highly organized, ability to prioritise a varied and fast-changing workload
• Flexibility, excellent interpersonal skills, project coordination experience, and the ability to work well with all levels of internal management and staff, as well as outside clients and vendors

Personal Qualities

• Friendly, outgoing and committed to support
• Collaborative team player
• Pleasantly assertive
• Persistent and conscientious
• Able to maintain a high degree of confidentiality
• Resourceful, imaginative and problem solver

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

• This is a full-time position.
• An initial one-year contract is offered. It is envisaged that the contract will be renewable after the initial one year period.
• Location is at FLO eV offices in Bonn, Germany
• The working language is English
• Salary as per Collective Bargaining Agreement Scale V
• Starting date as soon as possible
• 30 days annual leave per annum

APPLICATIONS:

• Please consult www.fairtrade.net for more information on Fairtrade International and its members
• Please apply by email only, in English, with Curriculum Vitae and motivation letter to applications@fairtrade.net, citing “EA Director GR and Governance support” in the subject line
• Deadline for applications 2 January 2012
• Please note that Fairtrade International is strict on compliance with the required qualification criteria mentioned above, and only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.