About you:
You have 2-5 years of experience as Operations Officer in a small and complex work environment. You are a born problem-solver with an eye for detail and enjoy well-completed tasks. You take initiative and see what needs to be done. And, most of all, you enjoy IT, office management, event management, and general operations; and are looking to expand your skills in this area of work.
This is a maternity leave cover role and the contract type is dependent on skills. It is possible to apply for the role without the event management part - thus reducing the contract to a 3-day/week contract. Please note, however, that our preference will go out to someone skilled in event management.
About the role
The Events & Operations Officer is part of Zero Waste Europe’s Operations Team and will work closely with the Head of Operations to build a smooth running of the ZWE office in Brussels.
The core (and non-exhaustive) responsibilities of the Events & Operations Officer will be to:
● Ensure general office well-being, liaise with the co-working space administration, manage office supplies and assets, order and organise IT and promotion materials, and coordinate external IT support.
● Ensure proper management of our information - online and on paper - by managing our Drive, Wiki, incoming mail, and storage of formal documentation - including taking ownership of our access and password control policy and ensuring its correct usage throughout the organisation. Collaborate with our HR Officer on enabling the teams through better information sharing.
● Be responsible for organising internal and external events alongside our project teams - organising logistics, on-site setup, preparing documents for the event, and following up on reimbursements and financial expenditures of the events. They will also contribute to our events templates to enable the project teams to manage their events in an autonomous manner.
● Take ownership of our online tools - such as AODocs license, Zoho CRM, Docusign, Microsoft licence, and our general hello@ and aodocs@ mailboxes. Be responsible for new software purchases or implementation, and our bookkeeping package (Winbooks) updates.
● Ongoing project: enabling cross-team collaboration in the organisation through KPIs, grant reporting, and project management development by working closely with the Director and Head of Operations.
● Management of legal entity (when and where needed) - including follow-up on administration linked to entity conversion changes, liaising with KBO and Belgian authorities for legal representative/board changes.
● General side tasks in the Operations team (shared) can include: sending out invoices (via Zoho), financial support, management support.
About you
Required skills and competencies
● 2+ years working in operations, events, change management, and administration within a small operations team.
● Solid understanding and ability to manage IT tools (AODocs, Google Drive) and collaborative tools (Slack, Zoho).
● Good interpersonal skills- you are able to seamlessly integrate new processes in a team of 20+ people.
● Exceptional stakeholder manager (you will liaise with different IT and Office suppliers).
● Proficient in English, you understand written Dutch OR French.
● Initiative taker, team player and ability to work independently.
● Data-driven and detail-oriented.
● Problem-solving and results-oriented attitude.
● Interest in, and passion for, Zero Waste Europe’s work and areas of focus.
● Prioritising integrity above all.
Desired skills and competencies
● A bachelor’s degree in the field of event management, business administration, project management, administration, or other - or relevant experience.
● Previous experience in event management is an asset.
How we work in the Ops Team
● In all that you do, you identify the options for automation or simplification, freeing up time for what matters: the people around you.
● You own your workflows - when blocked, you ask for help; and, when stuck in your growth, you seek or ask for more responsibilities or challenges.
● You remain focused on your objectives and you dare to say no while caring for a good team spirit.
● You show commitment to accuracy, efficiency, and a high standard of work.
● You like GIFs, and humour gets you a long way.
Equal Employment opportunity
We are committed to the principle of Equal Employment Opportunity for all employees, regardless of sex, gender, marital status, nationality, religion, age, sexual orientation, disability and any other characteristics unrelated to the performance of the job. We also realise that not all individuals have the same
opportunities to engage in paid work or studies and are open to receiving applications from those who may not fulfil all the required skills but have the interest, passion, (cap)abilities and drive to fulfil the role.
In this respect, we encourage people from a diverse intersection of backgrounds to apply.
Location, Compensation and Work Environment
This is a short-term contract based out of our Brussels office. It is a hybrid working arrangement, with a split of 50/50 working from home (in Belgium) versus the office.
Candidates must already have a valid working permit for Belgium - please note that ZWE is not able to provide working permit sponsorships.
We offer a competitive NGO salary (€2911-3484 gross for an FTE) plus benefits, including:
● Lunch vouchers (8€/day);
● 13th month (year-end bonus);
● Double holiday pay (Belgian standard);
● 20 vacation days plus 6 extra-legal holiday; pro-rated to the number of annual days worked and availability according to Belgian law;
● Hospitalisation, ambulatory and dental insurance (DKV);
● Travel insurance;
● Home working and other allowances (€150.00-170.00 net/month);
● Full coverage of public transport costs for commuting (minimum €49.00 net/month); an flexible working hours/times.
We take pride in our ability to support one another's work in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect, and look forward to introducing the successful candidate to our welcoming and highly motivated team and network members.
To apply:
Please send (all merged into a single PDF document) before 5 May 23:59 CEST:
● A statement (maximum 1 page) telling us your motivation for applying and what you can bring to ZWE. Please highlight work experiences where you were able to show your proactivity, and problem-solving skills.
● Your CV in English with two references.
Your application must be sent through the appropriate form on the ZWE website (“Work With Us” page - Events & Operations Officer). Only the applications sent via this form will be taken into account. We can only guarantee that short-listed candidates will be contacted.
The position remains open until filled. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. We encourage potential candidates to submit their applications when ready, and not to wait until the final deadline.
Our interview process will include:
● A first and sole round of screening interviews taking place on 13 and 14 May 2024 (ideally in person).
● A second interview may be organised on 17 may 2024.
● Type of position: maternity leave cover - 100% or Part-time (see below)
● Contract dates: 03/06/2024 - 15/11/2024 (5.5 months)
● Location: Brussels-based (hybrid work setup – 50% from ZWE office, 50% from home)
● Application deadline: 5 May 2024
About us
Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) is the European network of communities, organisations, local leaders, experts, and change agents working towards a better use of resources and the elimination of waste in our society.
We advocate for sustainable systems and the redesign of our relationship with resources, to accelerate a just
transition towards zero waste for the benefit of people and the planet. The ZWE network now includes 35 members from 28 European countries and works with topics across the whole chain.
From product design to reusability to end-of-pipe waste management solutions, from the phase-out of plastics to municipal zero waste strategies, our scope has significantly expanded but our mission and vision remain the same – a zero waste, fairer, inclusive, circular Europe for all (and planet, too, while we’re at it). We are a successful and fast-growing independent NGO where personal development, fairness and inclusiveness are high on the agenda.
We are the proud founders of the Mission Zero Academy (MiZA), through which we offer zero waste certifications to cities, municipalities and small businesses. We are founding member of various movements and coalitions that are hosted under our entity (such as Break Free From Plastic), and are the European chapter of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA),
Our ZWE values
● We are purpose-driven, always putting forward a solution-oriented approach.
● We are game-changing – we challenge the status quo, explore emerging topics and create a safe space to succeed (and to recover from setbacks).
● We are adaptable, constantly striving towards learning and improving; open to change and taking agency.
● We believe that acting with integrity is crucial to achieving impact and change, both inside and outside our network.
● And we care deeply about our communities, the environment, and systemic changes that benefit society as a whole – while also looking after ourselves and our own well-being as a team and as individuals
