Salary: £28,498 per annum

Hours: Full time or Part time (minimum 25 hours per week)

Contract Type: Open Ended

Location: Science and Technology Facilities Council, Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire

Come and discover how much you can achieve when you’re surrounded by world-leading experts, encouraged to constantly learn and empowered to explore your curiosity.

As part of Science Technology Facilities Council (STFC), the Strategy, Planning and Communications (SPC) Directorate and the Programmes Directorate (PD) bring together the essential functions that are needed to help shape, communicate and monitor progress against STFC’s strategic plans. Our role is to enable the organisation to determine its strategic direction and turn its strategy into detailed programme delivery plans.

About the role

This role is based across both the SPC Directorate Office and the Programmes Support Group. Both teams manage and coordinate administrative activities across their respective Directorates by providing vital support, outstanding administration, tailored PA roles, and proactive problem solving.

Duties will include but are not limited to:-

• coordinating travel arrangements including flights, hotels and transport etc including collaborating closely with meeting organisers and using initiative to make judgements on the most efficient and safe way for individuals to travel both within the UK and internationally

• event management - working with the Associate Directors and team leaders to coordinate events, owning the organisation of events both on and off site, sourcing locations, handling costs and packages, and all associated logistics

• provide secretariat support at meetings including advisory boards. This includes drafting agendas, supporting drafting of papers where appropriate, taking minutes, producing actions logs and following up on action completion with action owners

• responsibility for the setup, maintenance and development of records as needed. Maintaining SharePoint sites, web pages and extranet sites

• budgeting for and recording costs of meetings and payment of committee, ensuring costs throughout the year remain within agreed budgets

• providing professional advice and guidance on standard process to the senior leadership team and members of the Directorate

• establishing relationships at all levels both internally and externally including working with international stakeholders

• supporting the management of department finances including full requisition management, independently dealing with issues and queries through to resolution

• play an active and flexible role as a member of the Directorate Office team and the Programmes Support Group - proactively looking at where additional support is needed, re-prioritising other activities ensuring all deadlines are kept to

• management of other administrative support as required

Person Specification

The criteria below will be assessed at Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I)

• experience of working in a similar administration environment (S&I)

• clear verbal communication skills and strong writing skills to create clear, concise and professional written communications including emails, reports, memos and other business documents (S&I)

• the ability to be proactive and make necessary decisions under guidance as well as knowing the opportunities to raise tasks to senior staff (S&I)

• demonstrate capability to make informed, timely decisions and the willingness to lead on work that falls under your scope (S&I)

• strong planning and organisational skills, including an ability to prioritise at short notice to deliver tasks to agreed timelines (S&I)

• teamworking & collaboration - the ability to work collaboratively and show a strong commitment to working effectively with others towards a shared goal (S&I)

Additional Information

As this job does not fulfil the UK Government minimum criterion for obtaining sponsored migrant worker status we will be unable to apply for sponsorship for anyone not eligible to work in the UK. At interview, all shortlisted candidates are required to bring with them identification documents and original documents that prove they hold or can obtain the right to work in the UK.

Candidates may have backgrounds in research, industry, or the third sector, including those considering returning to work from a career break, health change or caring responsibility.

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community.

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

How to apply

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the 'experience’ section of the application.