Personal Assistant to School Executive Team in Sheffield

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university. We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more.

Overview

You will be responsible for providing comprehensive, high-level personal assistant support to the School Directors of Research & Innovation, Education and One University (the School Executive Board). This includes diary management, handling correspondence, committee servicing and making travel arrangements. In addition, you will support the Executive Assistant to the Head of School in the delivery of key School processes.

Main duties and responsibilities:

• Provide professional and confidential P.A. support to the School Directors of Research & Innovation, Education and One University.
• Effective management of the School Directors diaries, working with a high degree of autonomy to scheduling meetings and appointments and handling incoming meeting requests.
• Sort, distribute and respond (or draft responses) to incoming correspondence for the School Directors in a timely and efficient manner.
• Provide administrative support necessary to administer academic line management/ leadership structures.
• Service School committee meetings and any other meetings as required. Request agenda items, prepare and circulate the agenda and papers, prepare and circulate minutes and provide follow up on actions.
• Assist the organisation of School events involving staff, students and visitors, including annual summer/end of year events and graduation receptions.
• Act as a Recruiter in the School, providing a point of contact for recruitment issues, liaising with departmental staff and Human Resources.
• Coordinate the progression of recruitment activities through the SuccessFactors system from requisition through to appointment.
• Maintain records of documentation relating to staff, including recording of sickness/annual leave.
• Maintain information related to committee members and academic administration responsibilities, including updating relevant School web pages.
• Under the direction of the Executive Assistant to the Head of School, work to introduce new procedures, and review and enhance existing procedures.
• Undertake other activities as required to ensure that all administrative activities within the department are carried out in a timely and efficient manner, providing cover for colleagues in the administrative team.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Essential criteria:

• Experience of working in a secretarial/clerical/PA capacity.
• Ability to manage and prioritise (and reprioritise as necessary) your own work, and manage conflicting demands, requests and deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, report writing skills and ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of internal and external contacts.
• Excellent customer service skills, with experience of responding efficiently and effectively to phone, email and in person enquiries.
• Excellent team working skills, with the ability to work collaboratively and cooperatively with colleagues.
• Excellent IT skills, with strong experience in using Microsoft Office and/or Google drive packages.
• Ability to develop creative approaches to problem solving, with an ability to analyse and solve problems, appreciating longer-term implications.
• Ability to assess and organise resources, plan and progress work activities.
• Ability to work to a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Confident and professional manner, and ability to act with discretion and diplomacy, whilst maintaining confidentiality.

Desirable criteria:

• Experience of minuting meetings.

Further Information

Grade: 5
Salary: £27,319 - £31,236 per annum (pro-rata). Potential to progress to £33,951 through sustained exceptional contribution.
Work arrangement: Part Time (0.8 FTE)
Duration: Fixed Term until 30.09.2027
Line manager: Executive Assistant to Head of School
Direct reports: N/A

Next steps in the recruitment process: It is anticipated that the selection process will take place in August 2026. This will consist of an Interview and Test. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage within two weeks of the closing date.

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process. Possession of a criminal record is not an automatic bar to employment at the University of Sheffield. We recognise the value of steady employment in the rehabilitation process and examine each case in its own right.