Executive Assistant - Ottawa, Canada - Fairtrade Canada

Description

Executive Assistant
Full time role, 35hr/wk


Reports to:

CEO
Remote w in-person meetings - based in Montreal or Ottawa


Your role in a nutshell:

From being our
CEO's right hand to organizing events all the way to maintaining a general sense of community in the team, our Executive Assistant is the glue that keeps it all working.

You further the efficiency of our whole team ensuring that we work well as a collective.


Who will thrive in this role:
You are a dynamic, resourceful person who can keep our
CEO on track. You love planning events, trips and getting all the detail rights. You know the best locations for team events, you love organizing other people and you keep calendars in check.

You're an independent worker with a strong sense of initiative :
we have a very hands-off management style and will trust you to take the lead. You see problems before they arise. You are efficient and prioritize like a pro.

You are flexible:
our work is external facing and rapidly changing. If you like a routine, you will be unhappy in this role. You have deep personal values aligned with Fairtrade Canada's mission - you believe in social justice and sustainability.


What you will do:


Executive Support - 40% time

• Keep the
  CEO schedule, and coordinate travel and public engagements, ensuring proper documents and logistics support for the
  CEO.
• Ensure smooth administrative functioning of the
  CEO's work including inbox management, responding to inquiries; preparing correspondence, highlighting weekly priorities.
• Assist in the coordination and implementation of decisions of the
  CEO and Directors.
• Undertake research for the
  CEO as required, analyzing and synthesizing information.
• Facilitate the efficiency and effectiveness of Directors meetings by preparing agendas and minutes, maintaining records and monitoring followup.
• Support the
  CEO with processing expense claims, invoices and monitoring of
  CEO budget.
• Provide ongoing support, research and documentation for the
  CEO involvement in committees and working groups.

Governance and Board Liaison - 20% time

• Serve as the
  CEO's liaison to the Board of Directors and manage Board activities, which includes: coordinating full board and committee meetings (both virtual and in person), Board member orientations; support in arranging travel for Board members; booking venues for meetings and compiling, assembling, and distributing Board meeting materials.
• Help maintain governance related administrative information, contact information, and corporate records.
• Support
  CEO to deliver on Board committee priorities and activities.
• Ensure that information relating to the
  CEO, the Board and its Committees, and other organizational policies are complete, accurate and available for Fairtrade Canada's website and publications.

Organizational support - 40% time

• Provide support for annual and quarterly planning processes, annual team retreats, professional development and teambuilding.
• Plan and implement a teambuilding calendar with bimonthly in person full team events.
• Coordinate training for staff: IT/tools training, languages + new staff basic onboarding
• Responsible for managing relationships with some external providers such as; IT, translation, coworking facility.
• Remote office management of tools and equipment provided to staff in their home offices and in coworking space.
• Support in Inventory management: monitoring and updating inventories of promotional materials, office supplies and other goods as relevant.
• Ensure implementation of our Sustainable and Ethical Sourcing policy
• Lead on annual carbon emissions calculations and carbon offsets for the organization, events and staff travel.
• Run event logistics (venues, food, planning + event support) for Annual General Meeting, producer visits, origin trips, conferences and other meetings

What skills, and qualifications you need:
Fully proficient in written and oral French and English.

Post secondary studies in administration or similar field preferred.

Demonstrated good judgment and awareness of the sensitive nature of confidential material; exercises tact and discretion.

Experience in governance and working with Board of Directors an asset.

Strong attention to detail and demonstrated ability to research, analyze and synthesize information.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with commitment to anti-racism, social justice and equity and an ability to work in a diverse team environment essential.

Natural problem-solving abilities, creatively minded

Friendly and enthusiastic personality

Calm and cool under pressure

Ready to embrace daily challenges with a smile

Ability to travel to Ottawa and Montreal regularly through the year (costs covered by us, of course)


The organization you will work for: Fairtrade represents over 2 million farmers and workers in the Global South who have been historically marginalized, disadvantaged by coloni