The Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences is the national centre for geosphere research. As a member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres we are part of the largest scientific organization in Germany. With approximately 1,300 employees our key mission is to secure a profound understanding of the systems and processes of solid Earth, to develop strategies and options for action in addressing global change and its impacts on a regional level, to understand natural hazards and to minimize associated risks, to ensure the sustainable provision of energy and raw materials for a high-tech society and to evaluate the influence of human activity on system Earth.

The following position in support of our Executive Board is currently available at the GFZ:

Foreign Language Assistant (f/m/x)

Reference Number 5173

Your responsibilities:

• Organisation, coordination and implementation of administrative work processes and procedures as an integral member of the Assistance Team supporting the Scientific and Administrative Executive Directors of the GFZ, e.g. coordination of appointments, processing of postal and electronic correspondence, filing and file management, information search tasks
• Planning and organization of internal and external business meetings, events, telephone and video conferences with emphasis on logistics and guest hospitality both in virtual and presence mode
• Active support work in preparation for GFZ Council and other governance activities externally and internally
• Handling of all spoken and written communication and correspondence with internal staff members and external partners and contact persons in both German and English and preferably also in a third language
• Preparation of decision papers and presentation templates
• Preparation and post-processing of Executive Board Meetings and events, including the preparation and revision of meeting minutes
• Translation and proofreading of texts, presentations, websites (German-English, English-German)
• Editing of Internet and Intranet websites in German and English
• Planning and organization of national and international business trips for the Executive Board

Your qualifications:

• Qualification as a Foreign Language Secretary or similar, i.e. commercial or administrative training with a proven track record of written and oral secretarial and office work in English (level B2 or C1), or a successfully concluded education including these qualifications; ideally bilingual or multilingual background
• Several years of professional experience in executive assistance or comparable
• A proven record of international professional experience would be an advantage
• Proficient handling of MS Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Adobe tools; knowledge in content management systems (e.g. TYPO3); eager to learn new systems and tools to improve the quality and efficiency of work processes and results
• Excellent coordinating skills and a strong ability to deal with complex situations in a professional and focussed manner
• Particularly high level of communication and cooperative skills as well as pronounced integrity and service orientation
• Independent and result-oriented work approach, high flexibility, ability to work effectively under pressure, self-starter and quick learner
• Discrete handling of information and sensitivity in dealing with contacts at all levels, in all situations and on all topics
• Professional experience in Public Administration, Corporations under Public Law or Foundations is an advantage

Start date: As soon as possible
Fixed-term: 24 months with possibility of extension (Permanent contract for applicants currently working in a permanent position)
Salary: The salary grouping is determined by the conditions of the Collective Wage Agreement “TVöD Bund (Tarifgebiet Ost)” and the appropriate personal qualifications.
Working hours: Full-time (currently 39 h/week); The position is not suitable for part-time employment.
Place of work: Potsdam

What we offer:

• Ambitious and varied tasks in a dynamic and international research environment
• State-of-the-art equipment
• Public service benefits
• Extensive training opportunities
• Professional career advice offered by our in-house Career-Centre
• Flexible working hours and conditions
• Support with finding a good work-life balance offered by benefit@work
• Institute day-care centre on site 
• Working at the Albert Einstein Science Park on the Telegrafenberg in Potsdam
• Work place within walking distance of Potsdam main railway station, or just a short ride on the shuttle bus

Have we piqued your interest?

If so, we look forward to receiving your application in English by 13th June 2021 (verlängert). Please use our online application form only.

Diversity and equal opportunities are integral components of our human resources policy. The GFZ actively promotes diversity and explicitly welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of ethnic and social origin, nationality, gender, sexual orientation and identity, religion/belief, age and physical characteristics. Anyone who has been recognized as severely disabled, will be given preferential consideration in the event of equal suitability and qualification in accordance with the provisions of the German Social Code IX. If you have any questions, please contact our representative for the severely disabled at sbv@gfz-potsdam.de, who will be happy to assist you in the further application process. In case of further queries regarding gender equality, please do not hesitate to contact our Equal Opportunities Officer at gba@gfz-potsdam.de.

Your personal data will be processed for the purpose of conducting the selection procedure on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 b, Art. 88 GDPR in conjunction with Art. 26 of the Data Protection Act for the State of Brandenburg. After completion of the procedure, application documents will be deleted in compliance with data protection regulations.

In case of any further queries relating to the field of activity, please contact Mary Teresa Lavin-Zimmer either via email at Mary-Teresa.Lavin-Zimmer@gfz-potsdam.de or under +49 (0)331-288-1024. If you have any general questions about the application process, please contact Ms Buge under +49 (0)331-288-28787.