Associate, Planning, Innovation & Evaluation

About the Position

The Associate for Planning should be highly organized, energetic, and excited about supporting the development of systems and protocols to propel Ceres’ programmatic work and operational effectiveness.

This full-time role is based either in Boston or remote, will report to the Director, Planning and sits within the Innovation and Evaluation Department.

The Associate role supports the development and management of annual and strategic planning and evaluation systems. This position also supports the monitoring and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data to assess progress against the organization’s goals and priorities.

In addition, the Associate will support department leaders in identifying and implementing efficiencies in existing cross-organizational systems such as annual planning, strategic deployment of Ceres’ CRM (constituent relationship management) database, and overall knowledge management.

Planning

• Supports the Director, Planning and Evaluation, in managing the internal annual planning and strategic planning processes, including the development and tracking of relevant planning materials and processes, and execution of internal training materials and content.
• Assist in the review of Annual Planning materials. This work includes supporting the Innovation and Evaluation Team’s initial review of work plan materials for completion and revisions, as well as supporting the organization’s internal review and approval process for new and expanded scopes of work, and communication of recommendations based on strategic review and Ceres’ management decisions related to this work.
• Ensure ongoing management of program support systems, including organization-wide tools and resources for annual planning, database tracking, and calendars.
• Support internal processes that enhance the use of Ceres’ CRM (Salesforce) to facilitate ongoing organization and updates to annual workplans that integrate emerging work and new grant deliverables.
• Provide meeting support in relevant areas, including scheduling, taking minutes and ensuring appropriate and timely meeting follow up.
• Collaborate with Director of Planning and other members of I&E Team, Information Systems and other relevant staff to develop process documents / SOPs that support these systems and future system improvement projects.

Monitoring, Evaluation, & Learning

• Support the organization’s quarterly reporting process to ensure effective tracking, and monitoring of annual work plans, including distributing guidance, setting up training sessions for new and existing staff, reviewing submissions / updates, etc.
• Support quarterly progress evaluation through tracking, collating, and assessing relevant metrics, data, and trends from quarterly organizational reporting.
• Contribute to the development of Ceres annual internal performance assessment and progress reports to the Board of Directors.

Partner Engagement Management

• Support ongoing implementation and staff uptake of Ceres’ Partner Engagement Management System (PEMS).
• Monitor KPI Dashboards and report on quarterly usage data for Ceres internal Quarterly Performance Dashboard.
• Conduct occasional data analysis to identify usage trends and opportunities to prioritize organizational relationships for annual planning.
• Assist in developing PEMS training materials for new and existing staff and maintain PEMS resources on SharePoint.

Specific additional duties include, but are not limited to the following :

• As part of the Innovation and Evaluation Department, support integration of programmatic and operational improvement priorities across the organization.
• Assist with special projects as assigned.
• Bachelor's degree or commensurate experience required.
• Minimum of one year of relevant, full-time work experience required.
• Professional demeanor and strong communications skills.
• Highly proficient with word-processing, spreadsheet, presentation, database, and e-mail computer applications, familiarity with Salesforce or other CRM a plus.
• Knowledge of or willingness to be trained on specific Ceres’ applications necessary for success : Salesforce, Bloomberg, and others as needed.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with a successful record of organizing and advancing multiple projects and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated high level of understanding and ability to communicate Ceres’ program work and Ceres’ Theory of Change and demonstrated understanding of environmental and sustainability issues.
• Sound judgment, sensitivity to diverse constituencies, excellent interpersonal skills, strong initiative and motivation.
• Excellent research and problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to synthesize information and communicate findings in various situations.
• Knowledge or experience with environment, climate change or sustainability issues preferred understanding of the role of business, the investment community, or NGOs a plus.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Maturity to manage confidential information.
• Ability to travel as needed.

Compensation and Benefits

• The hiring salary is $52,183 to $58,000 and is paired with competitive benefits. Ceres offers fantastic benefits including opportunities for hybrid and remote work;
• 82% or 85% (depending on your coverage election) employer paid health insurance and 90% employer paid dental insurance; a 403(b) retirement plan with a generous match that starts on day one;
• generous allowances for professional development, commuter, and work from home expenses; flexible spending accounts to set aside money on a pre-tax basis for eligible expenses;

10 holidays, generous vacation, and additional paid time off including a week-long winter break, summer Fridays, and sick, personal, and parental leave.

Ceres Culture

Everyone has a role to play in the movement towards a more just and sustainable world.

At Ceres, we are committed to intentionally and carefully curating, engaging, and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce.

We endeavor to create a supportive environment that sparks innovation, fosters respect, and allows Ceres employees, in all roles at all levels, to come together equally to be fulfilled, successful, and to thrive.

Ceres is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We strongly encourage applications from all qualified candidates, and we do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, age, religion, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military or veteran status, disability, or any factors prohibited by applicable law.

If you have questions related to the above statement or need a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact our ADA Coordinator at ADArequest@ceres.

org. Please note, this email address is for ADA inquiries only.

To Apply

We encourage all applicants to check out our website to familiarize themselves with Ceres before applying : . Please submit a resume, cover letter, and a list of three references through our online application.