Secretaries for community-led environmental charity

East London Waterworks Park is looking for administrative support in creating our community-owned park with natural swimming ponds and forest schools

What difference will you make?

You will have a significant impact on the creation of a new biodiverse community-owned park with free access natural swimming ponds. By leading in the cohesion of how diverse professionals collaborate to shape community infrastructure, volunteers will directly contribute to the development of a park that truly reflects the needs and desires of the local community and wider public. Your input will help us craft volunteer experiences that inspire, educate, and engage our service users, stakeholders, funders, and the general public, ultimately driving support for the park's mission and ensuring its long-term sustainability.

What are we looking for?

• Organisational & Planning

• Excellent time management and organisational skills

• Ability to prioritise tasks and meet deadlines

• Experience in planning and coordinating events (online and potentially in-person)

• Communication & Interpersonal Skills

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse range of people (team members, volunteers, external stakeholders)

• Excellent interpersonal skills with a focus on active listening and building rapport

• Technical Proficiency

• Proficiency in using online communication and collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Google Workspace, Zoom)

• Basic experience with project management software.

• Attention to Detail

• Meticulous attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in all administrative tasks

• Proactive & Independent

• Ability to work independently and proactively identify and address potential issues

• Commitment & Reliability

• Consistent and reliable attendance at online gatherings

• Commitment to the long-term success of the project

Desirable Skills & Experiences

• Experience with volunteer management
• Experience with taking and distributing meeting minutes
• Experience with basic graphic design or web design
• Interest in environmental sustainability and community development

Key Qualities

• Team player A collaborative and supportive team member who can work effectively with diverse personalities and skill sets.
• Positive and enthusiastic A positive and enthusiastic attitude towards the project and its goals.
• Flexible and adaptable Ability to adapt to changing circumstances and priorities.
• Patient and understanding Patience and understanding when dealing with challenges and delays.
• A strong sense of ownership A sense of ownership and responsibility for their role in supporting the project.

What will you be doing?

East London Waterworks Park is a volunteer-led charity that won a 2024 New London Architecture award and has raised £2m towards buying land from the Department for Education to transform the 14-acre Thames Water Depot on Lea Bridge Road on the border of Waltham Forest and Hackney, into a new biodiverse park with natural swimming ponds, forest schools and community spaces.

We are looking for secretaries and administrative support to participate in our community-led working groups who are enhancing community cohesion, growing support of the project and co-designing the park with the wider public.

You can choose one of our working groups (circles) and come to online gatherings for their chosen circle. You will help organise, take minutes and ensure actions are carried out by teams of architects, ecologists, community researchers, political campaigners, web developers, illustrators, fundraisers and communications professions

The circles meet every 2 or 4 weeks in the evenings online. Design, comms, and governance all meet every 2 weeks and inclusivity, learning and fundraising meet every 4 weeks. Time outside of the meetings are spent completing agreed tasks remotely.