Description
Senior Administrator – Centre‑UB
Position Details
College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full‑time, fixed‑term contract up to September 2027.
Salary: £29,647 to £31,460 per year, with potential progression to £35,388.
Grade: 5.
Closing date: 10th May 2026. This role is also open as an internal secondment opportunity, subject to agreement with the current line manager.
Our offer to you
Benefits and working‑time arrangements include:
- 40 days paid holiday per year.
- One paid day a year for volunteering.
- Occupational sick pay.
- Pension scheme.
- Three high‑quality subsidised day nurseries.
- Flexible working arrangements on a case‑by‑case basis.
Background
Centre‑UB is an ESRC‑funded Centre for Doctoral Training Plus that provides national training and research opportunities for postdoctoral fellows, postgraduate researchers, and employees of external private and public sector organisations. It focuses on understanding behaviour and its role in solving pressing societal challenges, adopting a multidisciplinary approach.
Role Summary
You will provide support for a broad range of administrative duties, some of which may be complex. You will also promote the Centre to external audiences through events, social media, and website updates. Depending on the position, you may manage other staff or share knowledge with colleagues, leading specific tasks within a team and possibly working in different areas of the department or wider University.
Main Duties
- Deal with complex systems and procedures, offer advice and decide on responses to complex queries.
- Exercise judgment on query answers and work direction within parameters set by management; resolve complex queries independently.
- Line‑manage staff if in a supervisory role, otherwise act as a role model and coach team members.
- Maintain high‑profile working relationships with key stakeholders, field enquiries, and disseminate appropriate information.
- Organise events: book venues, send invitations, arrange refreshments, liaise with speakers, manage bookings, coordinate colleagues, advertise, collate feedback, and report back.
- Support external presentation of Centre‑UB via online communications and website updates.
- Manage smaller projects on own initiative; conduct desk research and source data from internal and external sources to contribute to wider projects.
- Use complex University systems and processes to research, analyse, and interpret data; produce bespoke reports as required.
- Support the development and implementation of operational processes and systems.
- Process complex data, monitor accuracy, chase missing information, and resolve issues as appropriate.
- Provide specialist advice and training to colleagues in the area of activity.
- Deliver professional secretarial services to relevant committees and meetings as required.
- Responsible for one or more of the following:
- Monitoring budgets, processing payments, authorising expenditure, raising concerns where finances are not in line with the budget.
- Procuring goods and services through the University system.
- Updating and writing content for department communications such as intranet pages.
- Dealing with health and safety and facilities issues.
- Managing staff absence, induction, or leavers as part of HR tasks.
- Arranging international visitors.
- Monitoring internal procedures and compliance, ensuring these are followed and disseminated.
- Support equality and diversity, moderating behaviour to avoid unfair discriminatory impact or bias.
Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience
- Educated to A Level standard or equivalent Level 3 qualification, or relevant work experience evidence to undertake the role.
- Minimum GCSE/level 3 grade C/4 in Mathematics and English.
- Significant practical experience in a similar administrative role, supporting projects and online/virtual teaching environments.
- Highly proficient IT skills: complex electronic diary and email handling, advanced use of MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word), and some experience with an enterprise resource planning package.
- Proven ability to plan ahead, anticipate requirements, manage own and others’ workloads, work to deadlines, and progress tasks concurrently.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including writing for different audiences and meeting deadlines.
- Excellent interpersonal skills; able to inspire confidence, command authority with a range of colleagues, and deliver customer service at all times.
- High degree of professionalism, tact, diplomacy, and discretion with sensitive information.
- High degree of initiative, personal judgment, resourcefulness, flexibility, and a self‑motivation approach.
- Experience of working effectively in a large, complex organisation, and understanding of how higher‑education institutions operate.
- Understanding of policy and procedures and ability to apply them.
- Understanding of the importance of equality and diversity in the workplace.
- Ability to identify and respond to equality and diversity issues in line with relevant policies and procedures.
- Desirable: experience producing engaging communications for social media, email, and the website.
Dimensions
The role requires personal initiative, may involve managing a team or budgets.
Planning and Organising
Work independently on daily, weekly, and monthly tasks, as well as medium‑ to longer‑term projects without daily supervision; may manage others’ workloads.
Problem Solving and Decision Making
Work with direction from management but with significant autonomy; resolve complex queries and problems; may manage or coach others to achieve results.
Internal and External Relationships
Liaise with internal colleagues and stakeholders university‑wide and external stakeholders.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
The University is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, holding a range of accreditations including Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter, and Disability Confident. We continuously refine policies and support training to promote a fair and inclusive workplace.
Contact
Informal enquiries to Tamara Jordan – email: t.c.jordan@bham.ac.uk
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