Centre Administrator

Key Accountabilities

Provide administrative support to the Director and Deputy Director of the Centre, Chief Operating Officer and Centre team as required, including (but not exclusively) diary support, meeting coordination, travel arrangements and booking accommodation to ensure that the Centre runs smoothly. This may also include collating information and drafting correspondence which may be incorporated in reports, letters, proposals, or presentations

Co-ordinate and support Centre meetings and working groups including arranging meetings, coordinating papers, drafting agendas, taking minutes, maintaining and proactively managing actions

Provide administrative support to the Centre’s Pre-Award Research Design Advice Team to ensure the timely provision of research advice. Administer appropriate systems for triage; response to clients; and the allocation of workload across the Centre and Satellites’ methodological expertise, including inputting and capturing information on the Centre database in accordance with research governance and data protection legislation, and funder (NIHR) reporting requirements

Lead the administration of designated processes within the Centre, including receiving initial enquiries; application of standard operating procedures (escalating as appropriate) and monitoring of progress

Be the first point of contact for the Centre communicating clearly with the Centre team, Satellites, collaborators and stakeholders and University professional services staff

Support the reporting of management information including taking responsibility for maintaining database(s) of information; gathering data from multiple sources, extracting reports as required and ensuring the integrity of data entered / recorded and that data is managed in accordance with data protection legislation and funder guidelines

Manage the procurement of consumables and equipment and ensure efficient distribution of items

Process and monitor payments including invoices and expense claims ensuring that all expenditure is against the correct budget sub-headings. Ensure that the receipt of goods and/or services is confirmed, and assist in the resolution of invoicing, coding or expenses queries, to provide an efficient service and assist the Centre in adhering to the University’s Procurement Regulations. Early escalation of all financial queries to the Senior Research Administrator

Organise meetings, conferences and other stakeholder engagement events e.g. Public Involvement and Community Engagement (PICE) events led by the Centre team

Develop, implement and maintain effective office procedures and systems to ensure that support is efficient, timely and accurate

Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and participate in Professional Support Staff working groups as required

The Person (Essential)

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Relevant recent administrative experience in a large organisation

Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to communicate clearly and concisely in writing and verbally

Excellent administrative skills, including experience of setting up filing systems, preparing agendas and taking minutes of meetings

Ability to work quickly and accurately to deadlines, paying attention to detail

Experience of budgetary monitoring including use of financial management systems

Experience of working with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders

Excellent IT skills, including competent use of Microsoft Office

Experience of developing and operationalising administrative systems

Experience of drafting reports and promotional materials

Attributes and Behaviours

Good team working abilities

Ability to prioritise own workload and manage conflicting priorities

Attention to detail

Ability to act with sensitivity in dealing with stakeholders

Ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships with the Centre team and its Satellites

Ability to deal appropriately with confidential information

A positive and supportive attitude; ability to work flexibly and cooperatively with others

Evidence of a commitment to continuing professional development

Qualifications

Grades A-C in English Language and Mathematics GCSE (or equivalent) or vocational qualifications

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.

Requisition ID: 29747