Centre for Environmental Rights – Advancing Environmental Rights in South Africa

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) is looking for an enthusiastic student intern or new graduate to join our team in Cape Town for a fixed term period for some practical working experience. The role will primarily provide administrative and logistical support to our operations team. This opportunity is for an enthusiastic candidate who will manage the front desk and assist with various administrative duties.  The position is for a meticulous organiser and a team player who is confident, highly capable of using different computer applications, and will assist in coordinating various types of tasks within the organisation. The ideal candidate must possess a positive attitude towards learning the various facets of general office administration.

The candidate must be able to work full time and start as soon as possible up until February 2023.

Location

Cape Town

Qualifications, skills and experience

• A relevant degree or certificate in office administration or similar qualification (or working towards such qualification)
• Proficient in the use of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Outlook & calendars, and virtual applications like MS Teams, Zoom, Google docs, etc.
• A positive demeanour and professional, and “can do” attitude
• Punctual and very good with time management
• Clear verbal and written communication skills
• Highly focused and organised, trustworthy, and is able to multi-task

Key responsibilities

• Promptly and politely answer phone calls, take and relay messages accurately
• Warmly welcome and greet staff and guests
• Monitor and control the flow of visitors and service providers
• Monitor the CER calendars meetings and upcoming events and activities
• Receive and dispatch mail or courier
• Assist staff with printing, scanning, sorting, filing of documents
• Assist the operations team in coordinating travel bookings and related logistics
• Assist the operations team with the various office admin tasks
• Assist the operations team in organising meetings, events, catering services, etc.
• Liaise with various suppliers and service providers as requested
• Attend meetings and draft minutes of meeting as requested
• Maintain CER’s standards in office safety, protocols and procedures
• Perform ad hoc tasks and duties as requested or required

Salary

The monthly remuneration for this fixed-term contract position is R 10 000 (subject to applicable statutory deductions).  The Centre for Environmental Rights strives to reflect South Africa’s racial, cultural, sex and gender diversity within its staff complement. All suitably-qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.

Working for the CER

The Centre for Environmental Rights is a non-profit organisation and law clinic of environmental justice lawyers that helps communities defend their right to a healthy environment. We do this by advocating and litigating for transparency, accountability, and compliance with environmental laws. As South Africa’s largest public interest environmental law organisation, we leverage our expertise and commitment to fight for environmental justice for all. We take on the big environmental fights – high-stakes cases where we can empower local communities to defend their rights to a healthy environment and clean air, to mitigate the impacts of climate change, and to set powerful precedents for other cases and help improve legislation, policy and practice across the country.

Winning the legal case is only part of the battle. CER’s litigation work is strengthened by local empowerment, dedicated policy and advocacy work as well as strategic communications. We work closely with partners in affected communities and with other civil society and public interest law organisations particularly in the environmental and social justice sectors.

We work across the following core themes: Biodiversity, Mining, Water, Pollution and Climate Change, Corporate Accountability & Transparency, and Activist Support and Training. Our main office is in Observatory, Cape Town.

At CER, we value our staff and regard their wellbeing as a priority. We are committed to a work environment that is inclusive and empathetic, and in which diversity is celebrated and supported.