We are looking for an experienced and motivated administrator to play a pivotal role in the success of our education and research programmes. Based at the Civil Engineering Building in West Cambridge, this varied position will see you at the heart of the Cambridge Laing O'Rourke Centre's activities, working closely with academics, researchers and senior figures from industry.
As the first point of contact for the Centre, you will be trusted to manage sensitive information, support the administration of the Centre and coordinate travel and events. You will also help deliver the Centre's activities by building strong relationships with industry partners, liaising with national bodies, and ensuring the smooth running of meetings, projects, and strategic initiatives.
This is a great opportunity for a proactive, highly organised individual with excellent communication and administration skills who enjoys working with a wide range of people.
If you are looking to make a real impact in a collaborative environment that bridges academia and industry, we would love to hear from you.
Key responsibilities
- Develop and maintain office procedures and systems for effective administration of the Centre.
- Undertake financial administration, including processing invoices, expenses, credit card reconciliations, and travel bookings.
- Act as secretary to committees and meetings, including preparing agendas, drafting minutes, and supporting policy and procedure discussions.
- Provide administrative support for research activities, setting deadlines and ensuring the timely completion of tasks.
- Support HR-related processes such as holiday and sickness records, recruitment, and staff review and development.
- Liaise with Centre staff, the wider Department, students, and visitors, ensuring clear communication and effective coordination.
- Gather, analyse, and report data relating to Centre activities.
The successful candidate will have:
- Experience of working in an administrative role, preferably within a higher education environment.
- Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise workloads and meet competing deadlines.
- Strong IT skills, including proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams).
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, with strong attention to detail.
- The ability to work flexibly and effectively with a wide range of people.
You will enjoy a welcoming work environment where your contributions are valued, along with opportunities for professional development and personal growth. This is a full-time position requiring on-site work but with some flexibility from Monday to Friday. As part of the University of Cambridge, you will have access to excellent benefits, including a generous holiday allowance, comprehensive maternity, adoption, shared parental leave entitlements, and family-friendly schemes like workplace nurseries. You will also benefit from an auto-enrolment pension scheme with a substantial employer contribution, shopping discounts at over 2,000 local and national stores, the chance to participate in the cycle-to-work scheme, and access to university training programmes.
Our Centre is based in a new building in West Cambridge, close to the new West Cambridge Hub, and has good transport links and parking in the nearby Park and Ride.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 years in the first instance.
Applications are welcome from internal candidates who would like to apply for the role on the basis of a secondment from their current role in the University.