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Administrative Assistant/Visiting Astronomer Travel Coordinator

12:36:00 AM

European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere

Garching near Munich, Germany


The European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO) is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world’s most productive astronomical observatory. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in the Atacama Desert region of Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnator. The ESO headquarters are located in Garching, near Munich, Germany. ESO is the focal point for Europe’s participation in the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) consortium, which is currently constructing a large submillimetre array in the Chilean Andes. The concept and design of a 39-m European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) is also currently underway at ESO.
Within the Data Management and Operations Division at the Headquarters in Garching near Munich, Germany, ESO is opening the position of Administrative Assistant/Visiting Astronomer Travel Coordinator.
The Office of the Data Management and Operations Division (DMO) provides administrative support for approximately 50 staff members within the division. In addition it supports the Visiting Astronomer Travel Office that is an important interface between ESO and its community. The VA Travel office is responsible for organising all travel arrangements for all Visiting Astronomers who travel to ESO’s observatories (La Silla, Paranal and APEX – approximately 600 trips per year). The handling and coordination of these travel arrangements with the travel agency are key aspects for the assignment.
Basic requirements for the position include excellent communication skills, a good familiarity with common office desktop and dedicated web applications, a good knowledge of handling and managing of budgets and a willingness and capacity to learn how to use new tools.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Ensuring the coordination and handling of all travel arrangements to ESO Observatories in Chile for staff and Visiting Astronomers in close collaboration with the ESO Travel Agency and with personnel at the Observatories;
  • Creation, maintenance and publication of the complete list of astronomers travelling to the sites of the ESO observatories using dedicated tools;
  • Maintenance of up-to-date documentation available to Visiting Astronomers for the preparation of their trip to the ESO observatories, including maintenance of a dedicated web site;
  • Management of the ESO budget devoted to the travels of Visiting Astronomers and subsequent reporting;
  • Provision of assistance to DMO staff in day-to-day administrative tasks;
  • Preparation of purchase orders and internal commitments;
  • Support of the organization of meetings and workshops for the users community. Assistance to logistics and practical details before, during and after meetings, including budget management.

Reports to:

The holder of this position will report to the Head of the User Support Department.

Experience:

Demonstrated experience as administrative assistant in an international environment is required. Past responsibility in coordinating and managing international travel arrangements for a large number of corporate travellers will be an asset.

Key Competences:

Applicants for this position shall meet the following requirements:
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; friendly and service oriented;
  • Ability to build strong and effective links with other teams and external partners, optimising communication flows between Garching and Chile and between ESO and its community;
  • Demonstrated familiarity with common office desktop and dedicated web applications, including a content management system;
  • Proven ability to handle and manage budgets;
  • Capacity to provide clear, concise and timely oral and written communications, identifying the key issues, examining options and proposing a way ahead; act and react quickly but deliberately confronted with unexpected situations or problems;
  • Able to make decisions in an objective and fair way, within ESO rules boundaries.
The successful candidate will have an extended period of overlap and receive proper training from the staff member currently in charge of the VA Travel Office.

Qualifications:

Secondary school education and a secretarial/administration diploma or equivalent.

Language Skills:

The position requires a working knowledge of English (oral and written). Communication skills in Spanish will be an asset.

Remuneration and Contract:

We offer an attractive remuneration package including a competitive salary (tax free), comprehensive pension scheme and medical, educational and other social benefits, as well as financial help in relocating your family and the possibility to place your child/children in daycare.
The initial contract is for a period of three years with the possibility of an extension based on competencies and achievements. The title or grade may be subject to change according to qualification and the number of years of experience.

Duty Station:

Garching near Munich, Germany

Starting Date:

As soon as possible

Career Path: II

Application:

If you are interested in working in areas of frontline technology and in a stimulating international environment, please visit (http://www.eso.org) for further details.
Applicants are invited to apply online via our recruitment portal http://jobs.eso.org/. Applications must be completed in English and should include a motivation letter and your CV.

Closing date for applications is 13 April 2014.

Although recruitment preference will be given to nationals of ESO Member States (members are: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom) no nationality is in principle excluded.
The post is equally open to suitably qualified female and male applicants.

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