Program Coordinator - Temporary Cover

Mission to Metrics

The Ocean Cleanup is a global nonprofit that develops and scales solutions to rid the world’s oceans of plastic, driving systemic change, and creating a lasting positive impact for people, wildlife, and the planet.

In this mission, The Ocean Cleanup relies on a thorough understanding of the aquatic environment’s plastic pollution problem. For this reason the research team at The Ocean Cleanup aims at refining the understanding of the sources, transport, and fate of ocean plastics from land to sea. The scientific findings help steer the organization's strategy to maximize its impact.

The Assignment

The Program Coordinator Research provides all around support for the Head of Research and the individual Researchers with their projects and acts as a liaison with internal and external stakeholders. As Program Coordinator Research, you will be responsible for the project control management of the Research team, with a strong focus on planning, progress monitoring, forecasting, and implementation of effective work processes. You will report to the Head of Research and work closely together with the project leads to achieve your objectives.

Responsibilities

The Program Coordinator Research will support the project teams by proactively collecting information and translating it into plans and forecasts; monitor their progress and financial impact; and support the overall project by enacting processes to ensure we achieve our objectives.

• Program monitoring, controlling and forecasting of progress (including planning, risks and finance) as well as tracking and reporting of main research KPIs and OKRs.
• Preparatory work such as communication with all stakeholders, internal and external, planning of personnel and logistics, and design of work procedures.
• Maintain a strong understanding of the team’s goals and priorities, as well as drive continuous learning in the Research team.
• Centralized creation of all Purchase Requisitions for the team to ensure that POs are raised correctly, including approval or rejection of purchase requisitions.
• Office management support: administer efficient working habits, support knowledge sharing, document control, filing and signing of contracts, encourage the team to follow organizational procedures and policies, support travel preparation, contact with suppliers, and maintain a happy and effective working atmosphere.
• Ensure that all work methods meet quality and legal standards and are based on a safety and environmentally friendly design approach.
• Prepare and follow up on periodic research team meetings.
• Be the first point of contact for, and continuously support, the Research team lead and act as deputy in their absence, representing the Research team with all stakeholders, internal and external.

Professional Qualifications

Even if you don’t meet every professional qualification listed, we strongly encourage you to apply if you believe you have the right skills, experience, and motivation to contribute to our mission. We recognize that talent and potential come in many forms, and we value diverse perspectives and unconventional career paths. If you’re passionate about the work we do and confident in your ability to make an impact, don’t hesitate to submit your application—we’d love to hear from you.

• At least 4 years of relevant work experience in project control and/or project management roles, preferably in a scientific research environment
• Experience with stakeholder management
• Internationally oriented and fluent in English
• Experience and/or affinity with accounting and budgeting
• Experience with Salesforce, MS Office, and general office tools
• Affinity with technical and scientific aspects of our mission

While possessing a degree or higher-level qualification is advantageous, our primary focus is on individuals with strong intellectual capacity and quick thinking.

Personal Qualifications

• Able to perform well in a fast-paced and highly challenging environment
• Can find structure in complex situations by utilizing strong communication skills to guide the team through your planning
• Meticulous, detail-oriented, and structured
• An empathic people person who can sense a team's obstacles and happenings
• Service-minded and a team player
• Comfortable working in a multidisciplinary, international team
• Good and effective communication skills
• Above all, you have an intrinsic motivation to work on our ambitious and meaningful goal

Additional Details

• This role is a temporary absence cover role. We cannot guarantee an extension beyond the initial 3 months.
• Conducting a pre-employment check may be part of this recruitment process.