Program Assistant (Boston, MA)

Organization:

Ceres is an advocate for sustainability leadership. Ceres mobilizes a powerful network of investors, companies and public interest groups to accelerate and expand the adoption of sustainable business practices and solutions to build a healthy global economy.  Our mission is to mobilize investor and business leadership to build a thriving, sustainable global economy.

Ceres is uniquely positioned at the nexus of the business, investment and advocacy communities. To advance our mission and vision, we leverage the power of our partners—leading investors, Fortune 500 companies, thought leaders and policymakers—to positively influence change. To accomplish our mission, Ceres relies on the power and expertise of the companies we engage with, the investors we bring together and the public interest groups we work with.

Program:

Water is a finite and precious resource, but our economic systems treat it as limitless and of little value. For many companies and other water users, their water bills are so small that it hardly seems worthwhile to conserve. The result is unsustainable water use across much of our economy—from industry to agriculture to homeowners.

Ceres brings unique capital market solutions to these challenges. We are changing the way that businesses and utilities manage water, and the way that investors consider water risk in their investment decisions. By reshaping how key economic actors value water, we can turn smart water management into a business fundamental and water stewardship into an economic imperative.

We focus on three key sectors with enormous responsibility for protecting our nation’s water security— water utilities, oil and gas, and agriculture. Taken together, these sectors are responsible for more than 90% of the nation’s water consumption. By improving their water management, we can build an economy that protects freshwater for the future.

Position:

The Water Program is hiring a Program Assistant to support this thriving and growing team.  This job is an opportunity for an organized, detail-oriented, and mission-driven individual.  This is a full-time position based in Boston, MA.  Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Provide event and scheduling support to team & Program Director, including booking travel and managing calendars
• Organize team meetings and work with Program Director on developing agendas, facilitating meetings logistics and taking notes
• Support Ceres’ green bond initiative, including coordinating internal and external meetings and events, organizing webinars and related outreach
• Support projects related to water infrastructure and hydraulic fracturing, specifically coordinating meetings and events, taking notes, and organizing webinars and report distribution
• Assist with coordinating and organizing Water Program activities at Ceres Annual Conference
• Serve as database point person for team, including updating information as directed by senior program staff
• Perform duties such as filing, photocopying, mailing correspondence, and organizing and shipping materials
• Process reimbursement documents for Program Director and 2 other senior staff
• On an as needed basis, provide research and writing support to team
• Support Program Director on planning team retreats, specifically overseeing logistics
• Work with team and Communications to develop Water Program newsletter and update webpages
• Support team with fundraising meetings or proposals and track deliverable activity for grant reporting

 Candidate Requirements:

• Bachelor degree, preferred.  Associate degree, required.
• 1 – 3 years of work experience, required.
• Demonstrated interested in environmental or sustainability issues, preferred.
• Prior office experience, preferred
• Data entry experience and familiarity with database systems
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and word processing
• Strong organizational skills
• Ability to evaluate workload and prioritize projects
• Experience managing calendars and scheduling for senior staff
• Solid writing and research skills
• Good oral communication skills
• Able to manage multiple tasks at the same time
• Able to work well independently and as a team member
• Comfortable working with different personalities and people
• Desire to work in a mission-driven / nonprofit environment

Application Instructions:

Candidates are asked to visit the Ceres website www.ceres.org to make themselves familiar with our organization.  Candidates must submit a cover letter, resume, and 2 writing samples to careers[at]ceres.org to be considered for this position.

Ceres is an equal opportunity employer and seeks qualified applicants without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation.