Centre for Environmental Rights – Advancing Environmental Rights in South Africa

The Centre for Environmental Rights is looking for a Project Administrator to join our team to work primarily in the CER’s Activist Support and Training Programme. Based in Cape Town, this position is for an energetic team player and a meticulous organiser with at least 3 years’ experience in an administrative or programmatic support role, and who has a passion for environmental justice and working for the right to a healthy and protected environment to be realised.

Location

Cape Town

Qualifications, skills and experience

• Relevant degree or qualification; a certificate in paralegal course would be advantageous
• A minimum of 3 years’ working experience in an administrative or programmatic support role, events planning, including working with programme budgets
• Excellent networking skills, and strong capabilities in building support amongst a wide range of stakeholders
• Excellent organisational and time management skills, as well as the ability to multi task in a fast-paced work environment.
• Excellent communication skills, attention to detail and commitment to high accuracy levels in all aspects of the job are essential; fluency in isiXhosa is highly advantageous
• Experience in working with similar non-profit organisations will be advantageous
• High level of computer literacy, competent in Microsoft Office Suite and Sharepoint, other virtual applications like Zoom, webinars, social media, Google forms, website, etc.
• A sensitivity to social issues and the experiences and needs of marginalised communities and a passion for social and environmental justice
• A commitment to high-quality client service
• A commitment to diversity, inclusion, and transformation
• Occasional travel for events and projects

Key responsibilities

To provide general administrative support and assistance primarily to the Activist Support and Training (AS&T) Programme but also to the CER in general to realise the programme’s and Centre’s strategic goals and objectives.

• Assisting with the planning and executing community engagement strategies to support all of the Centre’s programmes and projects
• Providing assistance and support to AS&T in its role as fiscal sponsor to some of the Centre’s community partners and networks
• Providing assistance and support with the planning and execution of the Centre’s Rights & Remedies (R&R) course such as helping put together training curriculum and materials, planning and executing the monitoring and evaluation for the training, maintain the R&R library, planning the annual R&R training event, etc.
• Organising various events for the AS&T programme and the Centre in general such as workshops, trainings and conferences, booking for venue, catering, speakers, interpreter, dissemination of materials, minute taking, assisting follow-up action items, etc.
• Assisting with inter and intra programme coordination, collaboration and communication
• Participating in achieving deliverables as set out in terms of the different funding agreements, helping put together the corresponding report to the funders
• Assisting with enquiries and requests received from communities and community partners
• Assisting with planning and fundraising for programme events and projects
• Assisting in the upkeep of some of the Centre’s partners’ websites and social media pages
• Assisting or liaising with travel bookings, accommodation, transport, etc.
• Providing onsite administrative support during meetings, workshops, trainings, etc.
• Providing limited bookkeeping support to ensure compliance with the Centre’s financial policies;
• Providing assistance to the Centre’s operational team from time to time

Salary

The salary range for this position is between R227 993 to R308 380 (total cost to company) which includes the compulsory membership to the Centre’s group medical aid. The salary offered will be dependent on factors that include the qualifications, level of expertise, and experience of the successful candidate.

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 rights 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, clean air and mitigate the impacts of climate change and set powerful precedents for other cases, and help improve 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, and Activist Support and Training. Our main office is in Observatory, Cape Town.

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