Commission for Environmental Cooperation

Assistant, Advisory Groups and Private Sector Engagement Unit

Deadline: May 23, 2022 5:00pm

The CEC Secretariat headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, is seeking a qualified and dedicated individual for a full-time position as Assistant, Advisory Groups and Private Sector Engagement Unit. The candidate must be legally eligible to work in Canada (Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident Status).

This position reports to the Head, Advisory Groups and Private Sector Engagement, while collaborating with project leads, officers, and other CEC staff.

The successful candidate will be providing administrative support to the Advisory Groups and Private Sector Engagement Unit when implementing activities of the CEC’s advisory bodies—the Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) and the Traditional Ecological Knowledge Expert Group (TEKEG)—and those related to private sector engagement. This will include administrative functions in support of virtual and in-person meetings and travel arrangements, as well as work in relation to project budgets and contracts, translation, electronic filing and website updates.

You should apply to this position if you are interested in being part of a dynamic team focused on sustainable development goals in North America and working for an international organization that is committed to integrity, transparency, inclusiveness, collaboration, and excellence.

Key responsibilities

Administrative support for the Unit

• Assist in priority planning of unit activities.
• Coordinate and update all information related to the advisory groups on the CEC website and internal documents.
• Coordinate travel for the Unit Team and Advisory Group members, completing all required administrative tasks, including processing post travel expense claims.
• Draft letters and memos as required, using standard CEC formats; edit, proofread, and translate (if required) daily correspondence prior to distribution outside the Unit.
•    Maintain and update the contact databases for advisory group members, Indigenous communities, and private sector stakeholders.
• Assist in the coordination of the quality assurance process for publications.
• Support the editing and translation of reports, studies and all other documents produced by the Unit.
• Follow-up with the Communications Unit on the status of official publications produced by the Unit and ensure that publications are posted on the CEC website and/or virtual library.
• Ensure all relevant project documents are archived according to CEC policies.
• Conduct research and compile public consultation results, as appropriate.
• Contribute to the Unit’s reporting activities.

Organization of virtual and in-person meetings

• Track meeting registrations and ensure that new contacts are entered in the unit’s contact database.
• Prepare a detailed meeting budget for input into budgetary system.
• Assist in drafting and sending out agendas and meeting invitations, help ensure that participants register in a timely manner, and facilitate processing participants’ requests for financial assistance, when necessary.
• Liaise with Meeting Services regarding travel and all other logistical arrangements for in person meetings.
• Ensure posting of meeting announcements in three languages on the CEC website and assist with updating the CEC calendar of events.
• Compile and summarize the evaluation surveys and collect responses, when applicable.
• Assist in the compilation and distribution of meeting supporting documents and summaries.

Budget monitoring and contract-related activities

• Track invoicing and payments for activities related to the Unit.
• Liaise with the Administration Unit on Unit-related expenses.
• Assist with budget modifications and transfers.
• Assist with the preparation of quarterly reports, as required.
• Collaborate in the development of requests for proposals for consulting services and ensure their translation and publication on the CEC website.
• Collaborate in the development and drafting of terms of reference, including fees and expenses.
• Prepare contracts and/or amendments and enter them in the budgetary system.
• Review consultant invoices and ensure consistency with contract requirements.

Attributes and qualifications
The successful applicant will comply with the following requirements:

• Post-secondary diploma (e.g., CEGEP) or equivalent in Administration or Office Technology.
• Minimum of five years of experience in an administrative support or project support position.
• Knowledge of administrative procedures and office-related financial transactions.
• Knowledge of accounting and budgeting procedures/terminology and contracting processes.
• Excellent computer skills and knowledge of computer office tools and programs of the Microsoft Office suite and web-based collaboration software.
• Excellent writing skills in English and Spanish. Very good reading and speaking skills in English, French and Spanish.
• Capacity to maintain good relations with consultants, government officials, public and the CEC staff.
• Ability to work with limited supervision with clear instructions provided and under pressure.
• Good organizational, time-management and priority-setting skills.
• Adaptability and flexibility in a dynamic, multicultural environment.
• Interpersonal skills, discretion, and judgement.
• Experience as an executive assistant will be considered an asset.
• Ability to work overtime on a limited basis (e.g., prior to and during events), and to travel between the three countries, as required.

The work is carried out in accordance with the: Environmental Cooperation Agreement, Chapter 24 of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, CEC Council Resolutions and recommendations and the CEC Headquarters Agreement with Canada and Quebec.

For this position, the salary range is from a minimum of CAD 42,000 to a maximum of CAD 52,000, based on a weekly schedule of 37.5 hours. In addition to the salary, the CEC provides benefits representing 25% of your annual salary, as provided in our benefits package, which also includes healthcare coverage. The benefits package can be used for childcare services, retirement savings (RRSP), tuition costs, and professional or fitness facilities memberships and dues, among others.

Submit your resume and cover letter at email assist-agpse@cec.org  by 23 May 2022 (COB).

The CEC promotes employment equity and encourages diversity.

No phone calls or email message inquiries will be accepted.