SUMMARY
* Only open to LOCAL candidates in the Washington, DC Metro area (Arlington/Falls Church/McLean ideal, or willing to commute there). The work is hybrid and part-time; physical presence is needed at times.*
*Application must include a COVER LETTER.*
Regular office hours are 9AM - 6 PM. Workload varies -- busier in the first week of the month with time-critical tasks, can be slower in later weeks. Commitment required for regular and predictable availability for 10-20 hours/week (40-80 hours month). Hours may increase if workload increases (we are growing), or if you are able to take more off our plates by delivering quality work and earning trust.
Must be able to meet in-person once a week. Because we are a small business, the work can involve doing an odd assortment of jobs described below in ‘About the Job’.
We are looking for someone exceptionally good. The ideal candidate is someone smart (and scrappy) and reliable, with experience in a professional consulting environment, who is looking for part-time work. Because the work is sporadic, you need a good working memory or be in the habit of taking notes.
Pay: $25-$35/hour depending on experience and abilities.
Schedule: Part-time during normal business hours
Work Location: Hybrid with at least one day/week in person
*This is not an internship. We are looking for long-term commitment.*
ABOUT THE JOB
Office Administration at Energy Shrink involves two main roles: (1) maintain daily office operations, and (2) support business development. We call these the wheels of the Energy Shrink bus that must keep turning regardless of what projects we are working on. Your job is to keep the wheels on and turning!
You will get exposure to many facets of small business operations in a collaborative environment and work with seasoned consultants. However, this is a small business which requires a willingness to work on an odd assortment of jobs. Depending on the day, you may be wearing an office admin or executive assistant hat.
Some examples of tasks an office administrator regularly performs at Energy Shrink include scheduling, vendor research, event planning, note-taking in meetings, interacting with clients and contract officers, to managing the team’s timesheets, depositing a check, picking up a package, and recording business cards. If you have unique skills that allow you to take on other tasks, your role may expand (e.g., you may be good at social media, or helping with MS Word reports).
EXAMPLES OF TASKS
1. Daily office operations include administrative tasks such as monitoring expenses, contractor payments and rent, creating and maintaining SOPs, and maintaining certifications unique to a women-owned small business. These tasks require attention to deadlines, agile thinking, and dogged follow-ups to stay on top of.
2. Business development tasks include tracking and maintaining relationships and monitoring numerous websites for relevant opportunities, and managing newsletter distribution list. You may also be asked to manage the Inbox emails, and input new contacts in Outlook and HubSpot.
You will be asked to use
- Slack and MS Outlook to communicate and manage tasks
- MS Word and Excel to manage certifications, projects, and budgets
ABOUT THE CANDIDATE
Desired Personal Qualities
- Trustworthy and discrete person to handle sensitive business information
- Dependable about managing repetitive tasks that are important for company operations
- Happy to take charge of the routine tasks and deliver them well -- on time and with high quality
- High integrity and work ethic to deliver work responsibly in the time billed
- Highly organized with the ability to multi-task and take initiative
- Ability to figure things out independently and keep notes for future use
- Ability to take direction
- Unfazed by the occasional quick turnaround
Preference will be given to candidates with a quick and calm mind, a mature and positive attitude, discretion and social skills, and the likelihood of a long-term commitment. Does this sound like you?
Required Qualifications
- Must be local to the DC Metro area (see opening lines of job ad)
- Must be legally authorized to work in the US
- College graduate
- Must have 3+ years of work experience in a professional consulting environment
- Fluency with MS Office products, including Outlook, Excel, and Word
- Professional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills to represent the company in front of external clients and business partners
Nice to have
- Analytical mindset is a plus
- Excellent command of the English language
Ideally, also able to contribute to marketing on some of these platforms
- Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram
- HubSpot, WordPress
- Paint, Canva, Photoshop or similar image editing software
HIRING PROCESS
- A cover letter is required along with the resume.
- The candidate will clear verbal interviews and a sample task.
- References are required. At least one reference is required from a colleague in a consulting environment.
- A background check will be conducted.
- There will be a trial period before regular employment is offered.
Note: In a small company experiencing growth, a good fit with the team work culture is a must (as described in the desired personal qualities). There will be a 60-day probation period during which we will mutually determine whether this is a good fit.
Energy Shrink, LLC is an equal opportunity employer.
ABOUT ENERGY SHRINK
Energy Shrink is a boutique consulting practice focused on the decarbonization of buildings. Combining decades of US and international experience at reputed consulting firms with the flexibility of a small business, Energy Shrink offers high-quality consulting that bridges the gap between building science knowledge and the global marketplace. We are a certified woman-owned small business based in the Washington, DC metro area, celebrating a decade in business this year. See more about us on our website at www.energyshrink.com.
