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Project Assistant
Litigation team - London
About the role
We have an exciting and challenging opportunity for a reliable, self-motivated individual who thrives in a team environment to join our new litigation team in London as Project Assistant. The Project Assistant will support the work undertaken by the new litigation team by providing administrative and research support, carrying out team and project management and planning, coordinating and planning travel and logistics for team members and for events, assisting with communications, funding applications and reporting.
About you
The successful candidate will be highly organised, efficient and able to handle a number of competing priorities, with excellent written and verbal skills in English and, ideally, another European language. You will need a professional and friendly manner and be able to establish good working relationships within the litigation team, and with colleagues throughout the organisation. You will be committed to environmental issues.
About us
ClientEarth is a public interest environmental law group founded in 2007. ClientEarth brings together law, science and policy to create practical solutions to key environmental challenges. Working in partnership with civil society and policy-makers, ClientEarth is committed to securing the rights of citizens and civil society to participation, information and justice in environmental matters. In Europe and beyond, ClientEarth’s 60 strong staff includes legal experts qualified in more than ten jurisdictions based in offices in London, Brussels and Warsaw and with lawyers in Ghana, Gabon and Congo Brazzaville. Our programmes cover environmental justice, biodiversity, climate and forests, climate and energy, and health and environment.
Litigation team overview
The formation of a litigation team is a new initiative at ClientEarth. Over the past year we have been working on developing a strategy to use litigation and similar legal interventions to accelerate the transition to a low carbon economy. This team will build on the work of the Climate & Energy programme as well as extend our current clean air litigation work.
ClientEarth´s existing Climate and Energy Programme focuses primarily on advancing the development of law and policy to drive Europe´s transition to a low carbon, efficient and affordable energy system. This work includes extensive litigation work in Poland. ClientEarth´s CleanAir campaign focuses on improving air quality in the UK and EU, including our recent air quality case in the UK Supreme Court and the ECJ regarding the UK´s breaches of EU air pollution legislation.
The new litigation team will build on our existing climate, energy and clean air work by developing and implementing strategies for using litigation and other legal interventions to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy and cleaner air. The litigation strategies are likely to including using company and financial laws to improve corporate and investment transparency and decision-making in relation to climate change, using EU energy and climate laws to enhance the viability of renewables in Europe and using EU air pollution legislation to improve air quality across Europe.
Job description
Job focus
The Project Assistant will support the work undertaken by the new litigation team. The Assistant will be an integral member of our team and provide administrative and research support, carrying out team and project management and planning, coordinating and planning travel and logistics for team members and for events, assisting with communications, funding applications and reporting, and conducting research.
Working relationships
The Project Assistant will work under the supervision of the Litigation Team Leader, but also with the guidance and support of the administration, finance and development teams of the organisation. The post holder will have key relationships across the litigation team and more widely across ClientEarth’s programmes and functions including development and communications.
Job responsibilities
Administration, Event and Travel Coordination
- Help the litigation team to establish, implement and use team and project planning and organisational systems and tools; monitor and facilitate the use of such tools.
- Compile and/or maintain internal databases
- Coordinate and book travel and logistics for workshops, meetings and other events (including organising conferences or similar events)
- Prepare meeting agendas, summaries and minutes
- Prepare, process and monitor payment requests, invoices and related materials according to existing procedures
- Maintain physical and electronic records of the project’s files (e.g. reports, publications, correspondence, etc).
Communications
- Compile information for and write (as applicable) project evaluation processes and reports, including contributing to development of periodic internal reports and of donor reports for external audiences
- Assist in the preparation of publications and coordinate with the Communications team to maintain the litigation team’s web pages up-to-date, as well as to disseminate timely updates via blogs, press releases and social media outlets
- Assist in preparation of informative and visually engaging PowerPoint presentations for different audiences
- Liaise with external partners, organizations and individuals as required by the projects within the litigation team
Research and other support
- Conduct research and prepare internal briefs or databases on various topics required for the litigation team’s work
- Monitor events at EU, international and national levels which are relevant to the work of the litigation team, as required
- Provide general support and guidance to staff and external audiences by providing prompt, informative communications to general queries on the project
- Edit, format and proof-read project publications
- Assistance with the running of court cases including (where applicable) preparing court bundles and liaising with the court.
- Carry out other duties as assigned
Experience & knowledge
- Experience of working in a not-for-profit organisation or legal environment
- Experience of responding to competing deadlines and managing multiple tasks and priorities within a working environment
- Experience of working within a busy team
- Ideally some understanding or knowledge of law, litigation, courts and/or environmental justice
- An interest in environmental issues such as climate change and air pollution
Competencies & skills
- Excellent organisational skills and efficient management of multiple tasks and priorities
- Reliable and understands the importance of meeting deadlines
- Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills, with ability to foster positive working relationships with diverse internal and external individuals
- Ability to work well under pressure
- Ability to think creatively in developing systems and tools for team and project organisation
- Excellent writing, editing and verbal communication skills
- Ability to execute work independently and take the initiative when required
- Fluency in English (essential) and another European language (desirable)
- Strong computer skills (Microsoft suite – Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint)
Qualifications
Location
This position will be based in London and may involve some travel within Europe.
Salary
The salary will be dependent on experience. Package includes the option to join our 4% contributory pension scheme after 3 months of employment.
To apply
Please send us your CV and a cover letter explaining your interest in joining ClientEarth and the contribution you believe you could make to the organisation.
Please include ‘Litigation Team – Project Assistant’ in the email subject line, and identify the documents you are sending by including ‘[your name] Project Assistant cover letter’ and ‘[your name] CV’ in the file name.
Please address your application to:
Patricia del Rio,
Administration and Human Resources Manager,
The Hothouse, 274 Richmond Road,
London E8 3QW
or send it by email to:
jobs@clientearth.org
Recruitment is open now and you should send your application as soon as possible.
Applications are scheduled to close on 9 October 2014.
Please note that ClientEarth will only consider candidates who have the legal right to work in the EU.
If you have any questions about the roles advertised or recruitment process, please contact Patricia del Rio ( pdelrio@clientearth.org).
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