Date posted: 9 June 2020
Closing date: 11pm, Tue 30 June 2020

CAfS is growing, and we are looking for an experienced project support officer to join our busy administrative team. It’s a role with a lot of variety, helping us to deliver our wide range of projects and keep CAfS running smoothly. The postholder will support our events, assist customers, answer our busy phones, coordinate meetings, and support our HR, payroll and financial management, among other tasks. They’ll be part of a friendly and supportive team, helping CAfS to tackle climate change in Cumbria.

Application & Interview Process

Please apply by completing the application form below. We do not accept CVs. Guidance for submitting your application is included in the form.

Application Form – Project Support Officer

The closing date for return of applications is 11pm on 30 June 2020. Candidates shortlisted for interview will be informed by Wednesday 8 July 2020. Interviews will be held on Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 July 2020. These are likely to be online.

Job description

If you prefer to download the job description and person specification, please use the link below:

Job Description – Project Support Officer

EMPLOYER: Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS)

LOCATION: Principally home working, with meetings required at our office in Penrith when Covid-19 restrictions allow. Eden Rural Foyer, Old London Road, Penrith, CA11 8ET.

REPORTS TO:  Administration Officer

HOURS: 30 hours a week, with flexibility to be worked across 4 or 5 days (with potential to expand to full time subject to funding).

SALARY RANGE: £18,500 to £22,000 per annum full-time equivalent (£14,800 to £17,600 for the 30-hour week) depending on skills and experience.

DURATION: Start ASAP. Fixed-term contract to end Feb 2021 (with potential for extension subject to funding).

APPLICATIONS BY: 11pm on Tuesday 30 June 2020. Please apply using the application form. CVs will not be considered.

ABOUT CAFS:

Our vision is a zero carbon Cumbria and we strive to bring about a better way of life, in balance with our environment.

Our mission is to empower and enable people, communities and businesses to live and work more sustainably by sharing our knowledge, practice, skills, networks and practical experience. We manage and deliver events, advice, training and practical projects across the county as well as providing specialist consultancy services to enable individuals, communities, businesses and local authorities to drive a shift towards a Zero Carbon Cumbria.

 CAfS is an award-winning charity with a team of fourteen highly skilled staff, working with a pool of specialist contractors and volunteers to deliver around 20 major, transformational low-carbon projects each year. CAfS is the leading organisation in Cumbria showcasing low-carbon living, energy-efficiency improvements, renewable technology and reduced use of fossil fuels, both on a domestic scale and in the community. Now in our 22nd year, CAfS is the first point of reference in the county for information on sustainability. CAfS is a dynamic, pro-active and responsive organisation, continually striving to deliver effective projects that make an impact and drive real change towards a low-carbon future. As such, we continually initiate, scrutinise, refine and launch new projects, accessing funding from a variety of sources or earning income from delivering specialist services.

MAIN PURPOSE OF ROLE:

To provide a professional, friendly and comprehensive support service to all staff working in CAfS, as well as excellent customer service to our clients, including vulnerable customers. The role includes a range of administrative duties to support our core team and project managers to deliver their work. A major part of the work will be assisting our energy efficiency team to deliver the Cold to Cosy Homes project.

 MAIN TASKS:

  • To perform a telephone reception function; taking enquiries and requests and ensuring clear and full messages via phone, email or in person are relayed to the relevant person, input onto the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system or followed up as necessary.
  • To undertake administration tasks as directed by the relevant staff member. This includes: providing quality customer service; arranging appointments; event administration; project administration; inputting and analysing data; organising and minuting meetings; liaising with clients and contractors; drafting letters and emails; ordering equipment and stationery; collating and monitoring financial information.
  • To respond to online information enquiries, logging enquiries in line with CAfS’ processes.
  • To coordinate meetings where required. To include booking rooms, arranging catering, preparing and circulating agendas, action lists and confidential minutes.
  • To provide support to events. To include administering bookings on our website and CRM, managing sign-ins, preparing and packing event kit, setting up rooms and attending where required.
  • To support the administration officer in reviewing CAfS’ policies and procedures, including organising training and record keeping.
  • To provide support for the ongoing implementation of GDPR requirements and the CRM system.
  • Assist with maintaining office systems; organising, storing and destroying paperwork, documents and computer-based information; researching insurance options; updating policies and procedures; keeping inventory updated and storeroom tidy.
  • To undertake finance and administration tasks as directed by the administration officer. This includes inputting of data onto Quickbooks finance recording systems; issuing and coding of invoices and receipts; chasing unpaid invoices; generating reports from Quickbooks; arranging for cheques and online bank payments to be paid on time.
  • To undertake payroll tasks as directed by the administration officer. This includes inputting of data onto payroll recording systems, collating timesheets and expenses.
  • Provide HR support to our staff, volunteers and trustees. To include: ensuring relevant inductions take place; volunteer leads are appointed; and that paperwork is completed and filed appropriately.
  • Undertake relevant training to ensure continued personal development relevant to the area of work.
  • Perform other duties that may be required from time to time.

The hours of work are flexible but must include core office hours of 10am-3pm. There may also be an occasional need to work evenings/weekends for event or meeting support.

This job description is not exhaustive, but is provided to assist the postholder to know what her/his main duties are. It may be amended from time to time without change to the levels of responsibility appropriate to the grade of the post and in discussion with the postholder.

Person Specification

Essential skills and attributes:

To be able to demonstrate:

  • Experience in providing administrative support in a dynamic and demanding environment.
  • Excellent customer service to both internal and external customers.
  • Experience of reception function.
  • Event organisation, meeting administration and effective minute taking skills.
  • Ability to proactively handle a wide range of tasks and prioritise these effectively.
  • Ability to use initiative and make effective decisions.
  • Ability to use a comprehensive range of IT software (Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint) and the willingness to train in additional IT skills as and when required.
  • Accuracy and attention to detail, and the ability to work to tight timeframes.
  • A good level of numeracy.
  • Good written and proofreading skills.
  • Tact, patience and diplomacy.
  • Ability to maintain a sensitive and professional approach towards colleagues and service users, mindful of confidentiality and anti-discriminatory practices.
  • Empathy with CAfS’ aims, values and objectives.

Desirable criteria

The following attributes are desirable but not essential.

To be able to demonstrate:

  • Experience in undertaking invoice processing, managing incoming and outgoing payments.
  • Experience in inputting information to finance/bookkeeping packages.
  • Experience of Quickbooks finance package.
  • Experience of Database/Customer Relationship Management systems
  • Experience of data gathering, manipulation and reporting e.g. customer data
  • Experience of providing HR support.
  • An understanding of energy efficiency in the home.
  • An understanding of the work of CAfS and the impact of climate change on the environment and economy.

If you would like more information about the role, please email: [email protected].