Student Assistant, Finance & Operations (Zurich; hourly)

About CSP

The Center for Sustainable Finance and Private Wealth (CSP) was initiated at the first, 2015 iteration of the Impact Investing for the Next Generation training program at the Initiative for Responsible Investment (IRI) at Harvard Kennedy School. Since then, CSP has grown into a global platform with entities in EMEA (Zurich), Asia-Pacific (Singapore), and the Americas (US), and academic home at the University of St.Gallen (HSG), working to advance impact investing in private wealth as a key lever for social and environmental sustainability.

In 2025, CSP spun out of the University of Zurich and established the CSP Foundation as the global coordinating node, bringing together our various entities under a unified strategy to maximize impact.

Position Overview

Support the accuracy and smooth running of CSPF's finance and operations administration. This role handles recurring data-entry, documentation, and bookkeeping tasks, as well as providing flexible support for ad hoc operational, foundation, and board administration needs, office management, and event logistics as they arise. It's a great fit for a student who wants hands-on exposure to how a global impact-oriented organization runs - finance, governance, and operations all in one seat.

Tasks

Key Responsibilities

Finance Support (45%)

• Ensure timely execution and review of financial transactions, including reconciliations of credit card charges, bank statements, and expense reports, to maintain accuracy and compliance.
• Lead and manage the full invoicing process, including the preparation, issuance, and follow-up of invoices.
• Handle key payment activities, ensuring proper recording, timely payments, and accurate tracking of outstanding payables.
• Organize and maintain financial documentation and filing (digital and physical) to support audit-readiness.
• Support ad hoc financial tasks and projects.

Donor Administration (15%)

• Maintain and update donor records in the CRM, ensuring accuracy and timely data entry.
• Track donations, pledges, reporting and related timelines.

Office Management & Event Support (15%)

• Provide light-touch office management support: supplies ordering, coordination with IT/building management on repairs, and managing office access as needed.
• Assist with event and training logistics on an as-needed basis - registration page support, materials preparation, and on-site set-up assistance.

Ad Hoc Operational Support (25%)

• Support foundation and board administration tasks (e.g., preparing materials, filing, scheduling support, record-keeping) as needed.
• Provide flexible support for ad hoc operational tasks and projects as they arise.
• Assist other Operations team members with short-term, time-bound tasks during peak periods (e.g., event crunch weeks, month-end close, audit prep).

Requirements

Required

• Currently enrolled in a Bachelor's or Master's program (business administration, finance, economics, or a related field preferred), with the ability to commit to the role for ideally 24 months.
• Strong attention to detail and comfort working with numbers, records, and recurring administrative processes.
• Solid working knowledge of Excel/Google Sheets; comfortable learning new systems and CRM/finance tools quickly.
• Well organized and reliable, with the discretion needed to handle confidential donor and financial information.
• Able to work independently on routine and ad hoc tasks.
• Professional written and spoken German and English.

Nice to Have

• Prior exposure to bookkeeping, invoicing, or nonprofit/foundation administration.
• Familiarity with tools such as Zoho, Airtable, Asana, or a similar CRM/project management platform.
• An interest in impact investing or the nonprofit sector.

You'll Thrive in This Role If You...

• Enjoy variety - moving between finance admin, donor tracking, and event support without losing precision.
• Take ownership of recurring processes and look for small ways to make them more efficient.
• Are a clear, proactive communicator who's comfortable asking questions and surfacing problems early.
• Want practical, close-up experience with how a foundation's operations, finance, and governance work fit together.

Benefits

• Hands-on experience across finance, donor operations, and event/foundation administration at a global impact-focused nonprofit
• Flexible part-time working arrangements with potential for hybrid work, designed to work around your studies
• Being part of a dynamic, mission-driven team committed to global sustainability

Application Process

Please submit:

1. Your CV highlighting relevant achievements
2. A cover letter (1 page max) explaining your interest, relevant experience, and fit for this role.

Application Timeline
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Due to the volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.

Equal Opportunity Statement

CSP Foundation is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives who are passionate about impact and advancing our mission.

We look forward to hearing from you!

The Center for Sustainable Finance and Private Wealth (CSP) was initiated at the first, 2015 iteration of the Impact Investing for the Next Generation training program at the Initiative for Responsible Investment (IRI) at Harvard Kennedy School. Since then, CSP has grown into a global platform with entities in EMEA (Zurich), Asia-Pacific (Singapore), and the Americas (US; with close collaborators at MIT Sloan and Stanford PACS), and academic home at the University of St.Gallen (HSG), working to advance impact investing in private wealth as a key lever for social and environmental sustainability.

In 2025, CSP established the CSP Foundation in Zurich as the global coordinating node, bringing together our various entities under a unified strategy to maximize impact in sustainable finance education and research.