Programme Assistant, Issues Affecting Women Programme and Executive Assistant to the Trustees

Application deadline: 21 September 2024

Interview dates: 29 October (final)

Starting date: To be confirmed

About Oak Foundation:

Oak Foundation commits its resources to address issues of global, social, and environmental concern, particularly those that have a major impact on the lives of the disadvantaged. Through our grant-making, we support others to make the world a safer, fairer, and more sustainable place to live. With offices in Europe, India, and North America, we make grants to organisations in approximately 40 countries worldwide.

Background:

All women and girls should be safe, free, and have an equal chance to thrive. Yet, every day, women experience violence and discrimination and are denied the freedom to decide how they will live. This undermines their health, safety, dignity, and independence. We find inspiration and hope in strong and vibrant movements, built, and led by women, which are transforming lives and communities across the world. Their shared purpose and collective power are advancing a more just world – in ways that protect human rights and the future of our planet.

Supporting these movements to live, breathe, strengthen, and grow – by enabling women’s agency, leadership, and capacity – is at the heart of what we do. In addition to a deep commitment to advancing women’s rights, our culture is characterised by collegiality, mutual support, high expectations, and laughter. Read the IAWP strategy for more details.

In addition, Oak Foundation and its Trustees support several other areas of interest to create a safer, fairer, and more sustainable world through engaging grant-making programmes. We strive to live the values we work to advance.

We are currently recruiting a Programme Assistant and Executive Assistant to manage a portfolio of grants and contribute to the implementation of the IAWP strategy. In addition, this Programme Assistant and Executive Assistant will support London-based Trustees by managing their schedules, arranging travel, and processing discretionary grants. The role of the Programme Assistant and Executive Assistant is essential in maintaining the seamless operations and success of our foundation.

Executive Assistant to London based Trustees (approximately 30%)

• Processing discretionary grants for Trustees by liaising with the organisations identified to receive grants, collecting necessary documentation, and coordinating with Oak grant management team
• Assisting the Trustees with external contacts, including prioritising correspondence and phone inquiries, drafting responses as necessary, and managing workflow emerging from these contacts
• Scheduling and coordinating Trustee appointments, meetings, and travel itineraries, including the preparation of background materials, arranging meetings and events, and ensuring appropriate follow-up of decisions and agreements
• Supporting Trustees in various boards and committees, including all aspects of preparation and follow-up

Support to the Issues Affecting Women Programme team (approximately 70%)

• Grant-making: Master grant-making tools, especially the grant management system (i.e. database) to facilitate team management of the grant-making process. Develop a deep understanding of the grant portfolio to support execution of the overall strategy.
• Communications: Work with the Communications Department to prepare and pull together material for presentations, briefings, and background material as required. Work with the team and director to manage a communications plan for the programme. This may include preparing and coordinating material and presentations for board meetings, events, meetings, and team calls. It may also include drafting and preparing communication updates, including programme newsletters.
• Scheduling: Manage the Director’s and team’s schedule and movements, including coordinating all activities, arranging meetings, and coordinating travel including applying for visas, and booking planes/trains/accommodation/developing an itinerary. Help track and support meeting deadlines.
• Team calendar: Maintain overall team calendar for planning purposes.
• Administration: Provide administrative support to the team (and office when requested): organise and maintain files, submit expenses, and log documents with response deadlines. Other administrative tasks as assigned.
• Meetings: Attend various meetings with internal and external parties; take notes and follow up on action points as required.
• Routine correspondence: Draft routine correspondence, including various programme reports and other briefings.
• Contracts and payments: Provide support in drafting contracts and payments, and liaise with third party providers on various issues. Maintain a roster of consultants and keep a record of staff satisfaction with work completed.
• Events planning: Coordinate team training activities and meetings including: organising invitations to participants and room set up (table, chairs, flipcharts, video equipment); providing video call information; ensuring presentations are in the right format; and organising lunches, booking restaurants, pick-ups, and other logistics. Provide other back-office support as needed.
• Recruitment: When recruitments take place, follow-up with candidates at all stages of the process in liaison with the HR team.

Other support tasks including:

• Performing reception duties by meeting and greeting visitors for the Trustees and the IAWP programme
• Advising staff visiting from other offices about arrangements for visiting London (e.g., hotels, restaurants, booking meeting rooms) for Trustees and IAWP related visits
• Setting up the office for newcomers in IAWP team: arranging desks, IT devices, and stationary etc
• Acting as back up to others in the London office for office management tasks (i.e., performing reception duties, liaising with office concierge, and setting up offices for newcomers, etc).

In addition to your main duties, you will be required to carry out such duties consistent with your position as required.

Position requirements

• University degree or equivalent experience
• Approx. 5 years in a comparable role
• Excellent organisational skills, high level of discretion, and attention to detail
• Advanced fluency / first-language level knowledge of English, additional languages a plus
• Polyvalent, enjoy working on multiple projects, and able to juggle competing priorities
• Can do attitude, positive, and resourceful
• Be results-oriented, and prompt to anticipate needs, proactive
• Ability to work independently and under pressure
• Commitment to the continuous improvement of personal and organisation-wide results
• Team player and enjoy working with multi-cultural teams across the globe
• Good with numbers and budgets
• Ability to manage and adapt to rapidly evolving communication and document management technologies
• Experience with database programmes, and proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
• Dynamic personality with a sense of humour
• Committed to Oak’s organisational values