Special Assistant to the President

Ceres is a national coalition of investors, public pension trustees, foundations, labor unions, and environmental, religious and public interest groups, dedicated to advancing more sustainable business practices and corporate accountability. Ceres' mission is to move businesses, capital, and markets to advance lasting prosperity by valuing the health of the planet and its people.

Ceres plays a unique role in the national environmental and sustainability movement by bringing the perspective and power of investors to environmental and sustainability issues and specifically to the performance, practices and policies of corporations.

Our program activities seek to foster greater public disclosure of environmental and social impacts by corporations, encourage engagement between companies and their stakeholders, and create opportunities for collaborative dialogue leading to positive change on key sustainability issues.  Ceres has been recognized with very high profile awards from the Skoll Foundation and Fast Company magazine and is regularly featured in mainstream print and electronic media.

Position Description & Responsibilities

We seek an energetic and mission-driven candidate to serve as the Ceres president’s right-hand assistant. This is a crucial position, providing programmatic and administrative support in a fast-paced environment, as well as acting as the administrative liaison to the Ceres board of directors. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Act as primary point of contact for the president; prioritize phone calls and correspondence, determine actions and ensure appropriate follow-through
• Provide support for the president’s on-site meetings, often including taking minutes during meetings
• Schedule appointments and oversee travel arrangements, synchronizing with the president’s personal and office calendar
• Provide programmatic support for the president as needed, including conducting research and attending meetings
• Act as administrative liaison to Ceres board of directors; plan and execute logistics for board meetings and special events, prepare board meeting materials, and oversee board meeting budget
• Perform general office administrative duties such as filing, photocopying, and sending faxes and correspondence
• Act as primary back-up for answering the general Ceres phone line, greeting visitors, and routing deliveries
• Provide conference and event support

Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree and 1-3 years relevant experience
• Highly developed organizational and administrative skills. Ability to handle and prioritize multiple tasks, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment. Proactive approach to creating and continually improving systems is necessary.
• Sound judgment, high level of integrity and professionalism, with the ability to handle confidential information and to maintain an exceptional level of discretion, diplomacy and courtesy in all contacts with staff, board and external people
• Highly-developed oral and written communication skills are imperative
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with a team
• Proficiency with word-processing, spreadsheet, database, e-mail, and presentation programs
• Strong academic background and willingness to continue learning
• Experience with or strong interest in environmental issues and organizations, investment institutions and/or large corporations

How to Apply

In addition to a resume and three references, interested applicants should email, fax or mail letter describing their qualifications, interests, and potential contribution.

Ceres, Inc.
Special Assistant to President Search Committee
99 Chauncy St., 6th Floor
Boston, MA 02111

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.