Administrative Assistant (Hodge, Postgraduate and Research)

Advert

Administrative Assistant, (Hodge Centre)
Neuroscience and Mental Health Innovation Institute
Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences
School of Medicine
College of Biomedical and Life Sciences

The Neuroscience and Mental Health Innovation Institute is seeking to recruit an Administrative Assistant to work within the Hodge Centre for Translational Neuroscience located in the Hadyn Ellis Building on Cathays Campus.

In this role, you will:

• Work with members of the Hodge Centre for Translational Neuroscience team to assist with the effective running of the research centre office and front of house, ensuring an excellent level of customer service.
• Support the management of the Hodge Centre for Translational Neuroscience inbox and calendar, responding to administrative tasks, internal and external queries, and escalating queries where necessary.
• Assist with the administration of the Hodge PhD programme and with organising events and visits, booking venues and organising catering and hospitality arrangements both within and external to the University.

We’d like to hear from you if you:

• Proven experience of working to a high standard in an administrative or office setting in a financial capacity.
• Ability to communicate with a wide range of people effectively and courteously whilst maintaining professional standards, adapting your language and style of communication depending on who you are communicating with.
• Ability to plan and organise your own workload within agreed timelines as set by your Line Manager.

This post is full-time (35 hours per week), is fixed term until 31st March 2028 and is available immediately.

Salary: £23,700 per annum, with annual increments up to £24,533 per annum (Grade 3)

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Julie Cleaver [email protected]

The majority of roles at Cardiff University are currently operating under “blended working” arrangements, with staff having the flexibility to work partly from home and partly from the University campus depending on specific business requirements. Discussions around these arrangements can take place after the successful candidate has been appointed.

Cardiff University offers many excellent benefits, including 40 days annual leave (incl bank holidays), local pension scheme, a cycle to work scheme and other travel initiatives, annual increments within the pay scale, and more. It is an exciting and vibrant place to work, with many different challenges and is a proud Living Wage supporter.

How we will support you in performing in this role – 

There are some things that you must have before you can start this role (see ‘Essential Criteria’), but other things can be developed either through training, or just by general on-the-job experience.  We want to support and develop you once you have started in the role using a combination of the following to get the best out of you:

1.    Regular one-to-ones with your manager
2.    An experienced and supportive team around you
3.    Supporting you through job-relevant training and development that you may require
4.    A mentoring scheme

Date advert posted: Tuesday, 12 December 2023

Closing date: Friday, 19 January 2024

Please be aware that Cardiff University reserves the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds.  We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age.  In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Job Description

Job Purpose

Provide an administrative service to Hodge Centre and PhD programme and engage in and complete a range of routine tasks to meet operational and customer service requirements. Provide support and guidance for research administration and general administrative processes and procedures, as well as pre-event administration support, to support the Hodge team and undertake key duties.  

Duties and Responsibilities

Key Duties

• Deal with a range of enquires from internal (staff & students) and external (members of the public) customers in a professional manner, establishing their needs and adapting the standard responses accordingly.
• Collaborate with others to make recommendations for the development and improvement of current University processes and procedures.
• Create good working relationships with key contacts to help improve service levels.
• Undertake a variety of general and research administrative duties to support the team and the Neuroscience and Mental Health Innovation Institute

Specific Duties

• Work with other members of the Hodge Centre for Translational Neuroscience team to assist with the effective running of the research centre office and front of house, ensuring an excellent level of customer service.
• Support the management of the Hodge Centre for Translational Neuroscience inbox and calendar, responding to administrative tasks, internal and external queries, and escalating queries where necessary.
• Gather and review data to update administrative systems such as databases and spreadsheets, making sure the information is accurate, and highlighting to your line manager basic trends and patterns.
• Produce documentation, plan and organise meetings, take minutes/notes and ensure any travel arrangements are made.
• Assist with the administration of the Hodge PhD programme.
• Assist with organising events and visits, booking venues and organising catering and hospitality arrangements both within and external to the University.
• Assist the Hodge Administrator with the procurement and other financial processes related to the PhD programme.

General Duties

• Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties
• Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role.
• Uphold the Professional Services Values & Behaviours or local equivalent.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Ability to carry out a variety of administrative tasks, including writing clearly and concisely.

Proven experience of working to a high standard in an administrative or office setting in a financial capacity.

Experience of using common office IT packages (e.g. MS Office, e-mail etc.).

Ability to set up and maintain standard administrative systems and procedures, including using University systems to collate and record data online and in hard copy. (Training will be provided where required).

Ability to communicate with a wide range of people effectively and courteously whilst maintaining professional standards, adapting your language and style of communication depending on who you are communicating with.

Ability to work well with your team, knowing how to give advice, guidance and feedback (to colleagues and members of the public) as appropriate.

Ability to deal with requests for information or service, resolving customer issues where appropriate, or being able to escalate where necessary.

Ability to plan and organise your own workload within agreed timelines as set by your Line Manager.

Ability to use your initiative to solve problems and respond to queries, finding and proposing the best solution.

A willingness to undertake further training and development.

Desirable Criteria

Experience of working in a Higher Education environment.

Ability to speak/understand Welsh or a willingness to learn.

Additional Information

IMPORTANT: Evidencing Criteria
Candidates should evidence that they meet ALL of the essential criteria as well as, where relevant, the desirable criteria.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide this evidence via a supporting statement. Please ensure when submitting this document / attaching it to you application profile you name it with the vacancy reference number, in this instance, 17802BR

Job Category

Admin / Clerical