Title: Program/Office Assistant- Washington D.C., ( I think this is a good get your foot in the door position)
Company/Organization: Institute for Sustainable Communities
Location: Washington, D.C.
Department: Program
Application Deadline: April 24, 2009
Position Description: The Program/Office Assistant provides program, administrative and communications support for the various DC-based programs of ISC. The assistant will conduct research, attend meetings, prepare correspondence, presentations, and other communications material, perform general clerical and receptionist functions, and manage facilities, equipment and systems to ensure an effective and efficient work environment. To succeed in this position, the incumbent must be extremely organized, have excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with a diverse group of people, and be a strategic thinker and proactive problem solver. The person must have general administrative experience and be able to intuitively know and understand work priorities, workflow, and be able to anticipate actions needed to support the programs. The ideal candidate will have an interest in development work and bring a solid practical enthusiasm to this position. We are seeking an enterprising person who will bring skills and energy to the task of providing first-class support to a busy, committed; cutting-edge nonprofit engaged in both international and domestic community building.
Company/Organization Description: ISC is an independent non-profit organization that gives passionate, committed people the tools, skills, and resources they need to make their communities better places to live. Our current areas of programmatic growth include strengthening democratic institutions and citizenship in transition countries; helping communities in the US and China become more resource efficient and move to a less carbon dependent economy; and supporting sustainable community development – particularly in areas recovering from natural disasters or vulnerable to climate disruption. With our headquarters in Montpelier, Vermont, and offices in China, Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, and Washington, DC, ISC has an international staff of approximately 70 people. Since our founding in 1991 by former Vermont Governor Madeleine M. Kunin, ISC has led transformative community-driven projects in 20 countries across the globe.
Responsibilities:
Program support:
•Assisting with the production and completion of project proposals including copy editing and formatting, assembly of attachments, tracking of proposal information;
•Conducting research and analysis activities under the direction of program staff or as needed to manage designated activities;
•Supporting consultant and grants management activities, including preparation of agreements and amendments, communications, and review of program and financial reports;
•Assisting with the preparation of reports, proposals, training materials, grantee agreements and other written documents to produce high-quality materials;
•Maintaining communication with project partners, funders, and consultants under the direction of program staff;
•Organizing program events, seminars and study tours in the United States; and
•Assisting program staff in managing the day to day activities of ISC projects.
Administrative support:
•Developing, maintaining, and improving the quality of ISC’s database programs and other filing systems;
•Coordinating travel schedules, purchasing tickets and making travel arrangements, preparing travel itineraries, and arranging for visas for staff, partners, and consultants;
•Facilitating communications among all program staff and assisting with team logistics;
•Organizing internal and external events and/or meetings, including logistics, materials, refreshments and meals, and transportation as appropriate;
•Coordinating with DC office and HQ staff on travel and visits, managing shared office calendar;
•Coordinating IT support in conjunction with network administrator (VT) and local IT support vendor;
•Managing petty cash and performing monthly reconciliation;
•Performing tasks associated with receptionist area, check, sort and forward mail;
•Completing and forwarding appropriate documents and other information to Finance and Human Resources; and
•Ensuring availability of office resources and working condition of office equipment, managing service providers and vendors.
Qualifications and Skills:
•BA degree 2 years minimum experience in a field related to ISC’s work;
•Strong organizational and administrative skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks;
•Ability to work independently and collaboratively and adapt to changing priorities;
•Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills;
•Ability to prepare, manage, and review budgets and financial reports;
•Ability to develop successful outcomes and products from concepts;
•Research and analysis experience and skills;
•Strong work ethic, personal integrity, and sensitivity to people from different countries/cultures;
•Above average skills in Microsoft Office suite, email, Internet browsers, and other software helpful in advancing the efficiency of the team; and
•Knowledge of one or more foreign languages a plus.
Relationships:
•Supervised by Office Director.
•Coordinates work activity with program officers, the operations associate, and others.
•Interacts with all ISC employees, including members of the overseas offices, on matters related to the program team.
Working Conditions:
Office environment. Some occasional travel within the U.S.
To Apply: Interested applicants should email a cover letter and resume to ccarpenter_AT_iscvt_DOT_org. Applicants are encouraged to apply soon because applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please specify last name, first initial and “DC Assistant” in the subject line of your email. No Phone Calls Please.
