Executive Assistant, Reparations

About Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT)

JRCT is a grant-making Quaker Trust that supports people who are passionate about making a positive difference; whether they are advocating for some of the most vulnerable people in our society, promoting nonviolent responses to conflict, or taking steps towards an environmentally sustainable future.

Every year JRCT makes grants for all kinds of charitable work, from grassroots community groups to well-established charities working to build a peaceful and just world. We aim to be a responsive and supportive funder, working to strengthen the hands of people who are tackling the root causes of conflict and injustice.

In 2019, the Trust announced plans to significantly increase annual grant spending to over £10 million per year for the next ten years. The Trust further increased its grant-making in response to the Covid-19 crisis. Since then, we have grown our programme staff team in order to better support increased grant portfolios.

Having publicly recognised the ways in which the Trust benefited from or contributed to oppressive practices including enslavement, indenture, colonialism, and Apartheid, JRCT has hired a Head of Reparations and made a commitment to a multi-million programme of reparative justice, the first phase of which will take place between 2026 and 2029.

Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust currently runs five grant programmes: Peace and Security, Rights and Justice, Power and Accountability, Sustainable Future, and Northern Ireland as well as a Grassroots Movements pilot fund.

About the Role

As Executive Assistant, Reparations, this role supports the Head of Reparations and enables the smooth administrative and support aspects of the Head of Reparations affairs.

You will support the Head of Reparations in the effective execution of the reparations projects, which will include coordinating project activities, maintaining meticulous project and workplan documentation, managing communication within the reparations team, with the wider JRCT team, and with external stakeholders. Your role will also extend to scheduling and organising meetings, maintaining clear records, and aiding in the organisation of project tasks. You will work in an administrative capacity to ensure that project deadlines are kept and deliverables are met. As the reparations projects will involve extensive work with stakeholders in Africa and thew Caribbean, familiarity with African and Caribbean cultures, as well as relevant multi-lingual and / or multi-cultural competencies will be essential.

This is a hybrid role requiring in-office attendance once or twice a week. The position is fixed-term until April 2029, with a salary of £47,814 per annum.

The role is for 35 hours a week, and we are open to flexible working patterns. We try to schedule meetings to accommodate caring responsibilities. Someone working remotely would be required to come to the York office for up to four days per month and also travel to meetings with some occasional overnight stays.