C40 Cities is looking for an Events Assistant, Global Covenant of Mayors

About The Global Covenant of Mayors For Climate & Energy

The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM or Global Covenant), is a global coalition of cities and local governments with a shared long-term vision of promoting and supporting voluntary action to combat climate change and move to a low-carbon, resilient society. The alliance unites and inspires its stakeholders to strengthen global climate coherence, accelerate the energy transition, and generate locally-tailored solutions for a common purpose: creating an inclusive, just, low-emission, and climate-resilient future for all.

Co-chaired by former New York City Mayor and UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Ambition and Solutions, Michael R. Bloomberg, and European Commission Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, and with the support of global and regional city networks, the Global Covenant of Mayors represents the strongest and clearest signal to national governments that cities are not only acting to stop the effects of climate change, they are leading and leading together. Mayors from across all global regions serve on the Board, and represent city networks, Regional Covenants and bring locally specific perspectives – ensuring that the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy is truly led by mayors.

C40 Cities is the fiscal sponsor of the Bloomberg Philanthropies funded parts of the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM). As the host organisation, C40 provides financial, administrative, and operational services to GCoM. C40 and GCoM are working closely together on aligned programmes and areas of activity.

About C40

C40 is a network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities, who are working to deliver the urgent action needed right now to confront the climate crisis, and create a future where everyone, everywhere can thrive. Mayors of C40 cities are committed to using a science-based and people-focused approach to help the world limit global heating to 1.5°C and build healthy, equitable and resilient communities. Through a Global Green New Deal, mayors are working alongside a broad coalition of representatives from labour, business, the youth climate movement and civil society to go further and faster than ever before.

C40’s team of 400+ staff is based in offices in London, in New York, Johannesburg, Singapore, Delhi, Rio de Janeiro, Copenhagen, Beijing and Paris, and individual staff based across 25+ different locations.

The strategic direction of the organisation is determined by an elected Steering Committee of C40 mayors, which is chaired by Mayor Sadiq Khan of London and Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr of Freetown. Three-term Mayor of New York City Michael R. Bloomberg serves as President of the C40 Board of Directors, responsible for operational oversight. A regionally diverse management team, led by Executive Director Mark Watts, leads the day-to-day management of C40. C40’s three core strategic funders are Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and Realdania.

Our international staff work with the C40 network under the leadership of city governments to deliver this mission. Using a data-driven approach, our team identifies and promotes the exchange of proven programmes and policies developed by cities; provides world-class research, technical expertise and access to key partners to deliver new programmes and policies with cities; and communicates cities’ individual achievements and collective leadership.

Diversity Statement

C40 is committed to supporting and promoting equity and diversity and creating an inclusive working environment for everyone. We believe that when people with different life experiences are involved in decision-making, we deliver better.

We believe having a diverse workforce ensures we connect better with all the different communities and people affected by the climate crisis. This enables us to make better decisions which lead to better outcomes in the work we do through increased creativity, productivity, greater global impact alongside a broader perspective and approach to our work.

We welcome applicants that are diverse in terms of age, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity and perspective. Our goal is for C40 to be an environment where everyone, from any background, can flourish and can be themselves whilst contributing to our mission. If you identify as a person with a disability, we work to provide reasonable appropriate measures and any additional support needed to provide an equitable working experience. If you are living with a disability, chronic illness or neurodiversity please inform us, to provide you with the proper assistance in the application process.

C40 promotes a work culture where staff can input to improve equity, diversity and inclusion through staff-led groups and formal forums. We know that creating our ideal working environment is a learning process and we are committed to the ongoing effort.

Position Description and Responsibilities:

The Events Assistant provides planning, delivery and logistical events support across the GCoM Secretariat Team to deliver against a busy international, multi-partner programme of activities and engagements. Detailed responsibilities include:

• Detailed event delivery planning, with oversight of timeline and critical tasks/path, registration, consent, agenda and speaker management, A/V and catering liaison and team roles and responsibilities.
• Venue booking and liaison, and alongside the GCoM Operations Team, oversight of contractual deliverables and payment for events related expenditure.
• Preparation of Mayoral logistical briefings and alongside the City Diplomacy and Governance Manager, briefing for Mayoral speakers as needed.
• Responsibility for ensuring that briefing books, speaking notes, agendas are completed, up to date and easily accessible for the GCoM team and Mayors. Support on-site teams with updating and managing these.
• Work closely with the Team to ensure a smooth flow of information and alongside the Communications Team, help to plan social and media calendars, news releases and promotional opportunities.
• Coordinate logistics of planned travel of staff and partners and ensure effective follow up on expense reporting.
• Gather lessons learned and plan event readouts to enable continuous improvement.

Person Specification:

• Excellent organisational and interpersonal skills, including ability to proactively plan ahead, to identify risks and issues and mitigation measures in relation to events and associated activities.
• Event management experience and process planning, with ideally experience of dealing with elected officials or other similar high level delegates
• Ability to meet deadlines; accomplish work in order of priority; professionally maintain composure and effectiveness under pressure and changing conditions.
• Ability to work across multiple stakeholders and time zones, and proven experience managing multiple scheduling requests.
• Decisiveness in order to tackle and resolve difficult issues and to meet the Global Covenant of Mayors’ mission.
• Commitment and ability to work in a networked organisation, with multiple stakeholders at different levels
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to convey key information concisely and succinctly.
• Foundational professional experience, ideally including direct experience of events/conference planning and delivery in an international context.
• Experience working in an international environment, particularly working across different cultures, languages and time zones.
• The official language of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy is English; adequate knowledge of another of the official languages of the European Union preferred.

Other Requirements:

Applicants must already have the right to work in the location they're applying for. Some travel will be required as part of the role.

Reporting To: Head of Leadership Support and Strategy, GCoM

Term: Fixed term until 31st December 2025

Location: Brussels

Salary: (Grade 6)  EUR 44,970

Application Process:

Closing date for applications is Wednesday 17th July 2024 at 5.00pm BST. C40 reserves the right to close this job opening before the closing date for applications so please do submit applications early.

To learn more about the work of C40 and our cities, please visit www.c40.org, follow us on Twitter @c40cities and like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/C40Cities.

For any queries about the role, please contact careers@C40.org

C40 is an equal opportunities employer.