Personal Assistant in Southampton

The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) is the UK’s leading institution for integrated coastal and deep ocean research. We work to gain a deeper understanding of our ocean, helping every living thing on our planet flourish. Our dynamic community focuses on solving challenging long-term marine science problems, underpinning international and UK public policy, business and societal outcomes.

The Executive Support team forms part of the wider Business Support Team within the Operations Function. The team plays a pivotal role in enabling NOC’s leadership to operate effectively and deliver the organisation’s strategic ambitions through the provision of exceptional executive support. We are seeking an outstanding and highly professional Personal Assistant to provide dedicated support to the Director of Operations who is a member of NOC Executive.

This role demands an experienced and skilled PA who can seamlessly manage complex schedules, anticipate needs, and deliver proactive support, enabling senior leaders to focus on strategic priorities, lead their teams effectively, and fulfil their responsibilities with confidence. The role requires independent working (including report and paper writing), decision making and stakeholder engagement on behalf of the Director, requiring a highly proactive and competent individual. In addition, the role provides support to the Deputy Director of Research Infrastructure, whose responsibilities include the safe and efficient operation of NOC’s research ships and equipment, overseeing ship engineering and operations.

Key responsibilities include:

• Comprehensive and proactive PA support, including full diary and inbox management and preparation of briefings, reports and meeting papers.
• Secretariat and governance support, including agenda preparation, accurate minute-taking, and tracking follow-up actions.
• Internal communications, maintaining relationships and multiple stakeholder engagement.
• Meeting coordination and logistical support.
• General administrative duties, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an individual who has extensive experience of providing senior PA support to senior leaders. You will be someone with a high level of professionalism, discretion, and organisational acumen. You will have the ability to manage multiple priorities and exercise sound judgment ensuring that senior leaders and their teams receive the proactive support they need to drive strategic initiatives forward.

We offer a generous set of benefits, including:

• 30 days contractual annual leave, plus 3.5 extra closure days and bank holidays
• a 10% employer contribution pension scheme
• access to our Employee Assistance Programme, offering free and anonymous support on mental, physical, emotional, health and financial issues
• access to a flexible benefits portal offering online discounts, cashback and eGift cards
• a Cycle2Work scheme allowing employees to acquire bikes and accessories
• a great working environment with a number of social events, including summer and Christmas celebrations
• we are proud to be a Living Wage Employer

This position will be based in Southampton. The centre is well connected by public transport and has ample cycle parking in addition to free onsite car-parking with over 40 EV charging points. The NOC has a hybrid working approach where for most positions staff can work from home up to 2 days per week.

If you are interested in this position, but require a more flexible working arrangement, please contact the recruitment team. We can support visa applications where required. We may be able to offer financial support for applicants who will need to relocate for this position.

Please click ‘Apply for this job’ and submit an up-to-date CV and cover letter. If you are unable to apply online, please contact the NOC recruitment team at careers@noc.ac.uk / 07355 676794. We are committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in our workplace. We actively encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply for this position, as we strive to create a supportive and equitable environment where all voices are valued and heard.

Those seeking employment at NOC are considered solely on their qualifications, skills and experience, without regard to gender, gender identity, age, race, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, relationship status, family status (including pregnancy / maternity leave) or any other protected characteristic. There is a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the position and declare a disability. NOC is an Investors in People organisation.

Date advert posted: 14/05/2026 Closing date: 25/05/2026. This vacancy may close earlier depending on the number of applicants. Please note we are not accepting applications via recruitment agencies for this position.