Communications Assistant

Are you passionate about working on global environmental and social issues? Are you a natural communicator who can work across platforms, create different types of content and help to organise a busy workplace? This is an exciting opportunity to use a broad range of skills in a dynamic organisation that is working at the forefront of responsible sourcing and production of agricultural commodities around the world.

You will have a desire to build a career in communications, an appetite to learn on the job, and a passion for social and environmental sustainability. It would be useful to have a good level of  French, Spanish, Portuguese or Bahasa Indonesia – English is our global working language.  

Position summary

Proforest is looking for an organised self-starter and multi-tasker to support the internal and external communications team, supporting our work in Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America, across donor-funded programmes, client consultancy projects, capacity building and training.

What you might get involved with

Project administration for a documentary film of one of our landscape programmes like this one in cocoa production Ghana

Microsite development for a commodity toolkit or regional programme like this one for soy

Drafting updates and organising translations for our website, or managing a new site like we have done for stakeholders in China

Supporting our technical teams with everything from webinars to publications, photography to presentations – you can see some of our work from around the world in 2021

Responsibilities

• Internal support – coordinating internal requests for support from the team
• Website maintenance – supporting with content updates and ongoing management
• Social media channels – planning and creating content for Twitter and LinkedIn
• Internal comms – playing a part in global knowledge sharing and bringing colleagues together Photography  – updating and managing Proforest’s image library
• Online analytics – supporting on quarterly reporting across all online channels
• Content creation – helping with layouts and editing of different content types
• Translations – coordinating content translations
• Sharepoint – support maintenance of Proforest’s Intranet and document libraries
• Mailchimp – managing Proforest’s database and supporting mailshots
• Microsoft Teams – support global teams, including meeting schedules, file sharing

Requirements

You will have the following skills:

• Familiarity with digital platforms and main social media channels
• Good editorial skills, proof-reading and writing, preferably in more than one language
• Editing skills, working in video and audio
• MSOffice skills (working with templates in Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
• Close attention to detail and an eye for quality
• Good communication – from understanding what colleagues need to briefing third parties
• Excellent time management, ability to multi-task, meet deadlines and manage project plans
• Ability to work as part of a team and take initiative to manage smaller projects independently

About Proforest

Proforest is a mission driven organisation with a 20-year track record of supporting the transition to sustainable production and sourcing of agricultural and forest commodities. We are a not-for-profit group with a global presence across Europe, Asia, Africa and South America and work with governments, the private sector and civil society to deliver positive social and environmental outcomes in the places agricultural commodities are produced, ranging from protecting forests to recognising the land rights of indigenous peoples to improving conditions for workers.

Our clients are well-known consumer brands, such as Unilever, Nestle, PepsiCo and Mars, and some of the world’s largest traders and integrated producers including Cargill, Olam, Wilmar and Cofco. We combine our work for companies with longer-term programmes supported by institutional funders such as the UK’s FCDO, Germany’s IKI and GIZ, and the Global Environment Facility.

Our work environment

Proforest has an amazing global team of highly motivated staff from over 20 countries working out of offices in the UK, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Indonesia, Ghana, Brazil, and Colombia. The UK office is in Oxford with a friendly environment where colleagues work collaboratively and socialise outside of the office. Regular internal exchange events bring together colleagues from all the offices for learning and exchange, ensuring a strong sense of a belonging to a global team.

Terms and conditions

Annual salary: £23k - £25k, depending on experience. Full-time permanent position in Oxford, but there is scope to work from home part of the time. Benefits include company pension, life insurance.

To apply

Please send a cover letter outlining relevant experience and why you would be a good fit for the role at Proforest, with your CV to personnel@proforest.net.

Closing Date: March 13, 2022

Proforest is an equal opportunity employer.