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Executive Assistant and Fair Trade Coordinator

Green America is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a socially just and environmentally sustainable society by harnessing economic power for positive change.  Our unique approach involves working with consumers, investors, and businesses to advance the green economy. 

Our workplace reflects our goal of creating a more cooperative, environmentally sound economy.  We have a participatory decision-making process that aims to build consensus within the departments and teams and a flexible four-day work week to promote work-life balance.

This position will play two important roles in the organization: being the key person assisting the Executive Director and coordinating Green America’s Fair Trade program. 

The Executive Team is responsible for managing all the ins and outs of Green America, working closely with the other teams and departments and serving as a knowledge-resource for the entire staff and outside contacts.

Green America’s Fair Trade Program plays a significant role in the Fair Trade movement.  We seek to educate and empower consumers to use their spending power to support disadvantaged farmers and artisans throughout the world.  We produce a number of resources available to consumers and businesses, all of which can be found at www.fairtradeaction.org.

We are seeking someone who is well-organized and able to juggle multiple tasks.  We hope to work with a person who relishes the opportunity to learn about a variety of issues and to work with a wide range of people. 

Responsibilities:

A. Executive Team (60%):

1. Become familiar with all aspects of Green America internally and programmatically.  Be able to communicate our mission, goals and achievements to individual members, outside organizations, donors, allies, and the general public.
   • Become an Executive Department point person able to respond to sensitive communications in order to build and maintain relationships that are important to Green America. 
   • Become a general resource for staff and outsiders about Green America, the green marketplace and the network of organizations working on similar issues.
   • Assist in the creation of Board Reports and scheduling Board meetings.  Act as the liaison to the Board.
   • Schedule Executive team related meetings.
   • Assist with organizational-wide media, including posting of press releases on the Green America website and assisting in fielding/directing media related calls.
   • Coordinate and plan all staff meetings including space, food, and materials
   • Take part in the organization’s “space team,” which works to provide office space to all staff and plans cleanings of the office. 
   • Update appropriate pages of the Green America website  to include:
     • Media
     • Jobs and Internships
     • About Us Section
2. Assist the Executive Director:
   • Open and evaluate the Executive Director’s mail and e-mail.  Re-route relevant mail to other staff members or pass on to the Executive Director as appropriate.  Carefully prioritize outside communications to capitalize on opportunities while minimizing overload.
   • Author wide variety of letters under Executive Director's signatures with minimum guidance.  This includes letters to high donors, letters dealing with program opportunities, and others.  Write with a natural, friendly, affirming tone while effectively pursuing clear objectives.
   • Manage the Executive Director’s Schedule.  Keep track of appointments and book meetings and travel under guidance from the Executive Director.
   • Coordinate with the Development teams to incorporate the Executive Director into large-scale asks – including travel, meetings and telephone outreach to potential donors.
   • Cooordinate travel plans for the Executive Director and other staff  members as needed.
   • Serve as a relay to the Executive Director when she is on the road.
   • Assist the Executive Director in her responsibilities for outside Boards and nonprofit working groups.
   • Coordinate and send Green America materials and information to various events.
   • Work with the Executive Department to produce special reports and memos to staff.  Serve as a general liaison and on-site resource between staff and Executive Department to answer questions
   • Coordinate the organization’s needs for interns, including the posting of intern job descriptions, Helping to orientate them, ensuring that interns are provided with desks and equipment when they arrive, and planning staff wide appreciation events.

B.  Fair Trade Program (35%):

1. Organize, coordinate, and produce content for consumer campaigns to promote Fair Trade products and encourage businesses to source Fair Trade.
2. Work with networks of activists and the media to promote Fair Trade. Green America’s Fair Trade Alliance consists of over 1,000 individuals and organizations nationwide that promote fair trade in their communities.  Green America provides a newsletter to them on a monthly basis.
3. Create and maintain relationships with leaders in the American Fair Trade movement.
4. Working with the Green America foundation fundraising team to raise funding for the program.
5. Create Fair Trade Pavilions at 3-4 Green Festival® events per year, where speakers present information about fair trade to audiences throughout a weekend-long event.
6. Work with other Fair Trade organizations to create seasonal events to promote fair trade (e.g. reverse trick or treating for Halloween, promotion of World Fair Trade Day in May).
7. Recruit and supervise Fair Trade interns, fellows and volunteers.

C.  Participate in general staff, team, and division meetings and weekly fulfillment parties (5-10%)

Candidates should possess:

1. Bachelor's degree.
2. 2-3 years experience in campaign work – creating effective campaigns and strategies to mobilize constituencies.
3. Knowledge and experience working with Fair Trade producers, certification systems and/or businesses.
4. Ability to work to strict deadlines and to work calmly under pressure.
5. Ability to explain complex ideas in an easy-to-read style.  Ability to work cooperatively with a team.  Desire to produce an excellent product in a cooperative atmosphere.
6. Ability to work independently.  Desire and skill to move a project from conception to completion.
7. Excellent writing skills, and a writing style that projects a creative, exciting and warm feeling that motivates and affirms others.  Strong proofreading and editing abilities.
8. Excellent oral communication skills.  Ability to talk confidently, honestly and trategically with a wide variety of stakeholders.
9. Experience in organizing work projects and files, scheduling, and serving as an assistant – a vital link in an organization.
10. Interest in Green America and a socially and environmentally responsible marketplace.
11. Experience using computers, especially Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Access.  Ability to conduct Internet research quickly and effectively.
12. Ability to learn quickly, synthesize large amounts of information, and present it to the public in a clear and easy-to-access style.
13. Problem-solving tenacity.  Willingness to research various issues in a detailed ashion (both administrative and programmatic issues) and follow leads to the end.
14. Ability to multitask and handle multiple projects in any given day.  Willingness to prioritize and reprioritize.
15. Talent for keeping multi-person, multi-step projects on target.  A strong interest in taking a project from step A to step Z, and a willingness to follow-up with individuals about their specific steps to keep a project moving forward.
16. Interest in working cooperatively – sharing drafts of a letter or proposal back and forth.  Comfort with giving and receiving feedback and reworking a project.
17. Ability to interact harmoniously with staff members to help increase co-operationand effectiveness of the entire staff.

How to Apply:

Send cover letter, resume and pertinent writing sample (2-3 pages) to: Todd Larsen, Corporate Responsibility Program Director at tlarsen@greenamericatoday.org.
No calls, please.

Green America is an equal opportunity employer.

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