Operations Assistant

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. Find out more about our benefits page and join us to become part of something special.

Overview

The post holder will provide general administrative support for the School as part of the wider administration team, often as a first point of contact for queries which they will direct as necessary. Providing assistance across a number of administrative functions, you will work in support of more senior staff in order to ensure the smooth running of the School. In addition, you will provide administrative support to school staff, for example in booking travel and making purchases. The Operations Assistant will undertake a range of tasks in a range of areas including support for staff recruitment, financial administration tasks, and organising and supporting School events and meetings and keeping School information up to date. You will also play a key role in supporting senior staff in their work, for example by generating reports, inputting information and following up where needed.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Act as a point of contact for School enquiries and provide guidance to students, staff, and visitors, directing them as needed. Handle non-standard queries by collecting and assessing information to provide effective solutions.
• Provide general admin support by maintaining and updating records, databases, filing systems, phone/email lists and committee terms of reference and membership lists and assist with the organisation of the school\’s annual calendar of meetings and events.
• Carry out travel and accommodation bookings for the School, ensuring that the University financial regulations are adhered to.
• Perform a variety of financial administrative tasks, including creating requisitions where appropriate, goods receipting, and coding purchasing cards.
• Provide administrative support for recruitment activities, including job postings, application processing, interview coordination, pre-employment checks, onboarding, and maintaining recruitment records.
• In collaboration with colleagues, plan and coordinate School events, workshops, and meetings to a high standard. Manage logistical preparations, including booking rooms, catering, taking minutes or notes, organising parking and booking accommodations.
• Maintain the School\’s Staff Handbook and externally facing web pages, creating pages and layouts, monitoring information, and liaising with staff to ensure information is accurate and up to date.
• Act as the departmental contact for building maintenance, liaising with Estates and Facilities Management, reporting faults using the EFM Self Service. Provide support to office moves as required, including arranging any maintenance required, updating door plates, and ordering keys.
• Support senior staff in ensuring the School\’s compliance with Health and Safety, Information Management, and Security requirements. Responsibilities include monitoring training records, sending reminders, generating reports, and distributing relevant information.
• Provide support as required across the Professional Services team in key operational areas in the event of absence/peaks in workload, including providing administrative support for events, conferences and seminars.
• Proactively identify areas requiring further action to maintain excellent service delivery, ensuring adherence to quality standards, guidelines, and procedures. Raise issues with senior colleagues when necessary and contribute solutions to prevent recurrence.
• 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. Kirsty Wallace, Staffing and Contracts Officer

• Five GCSEs at Grade C or above including Maths and English (or equivalent qualifications/experience).
• Experience of providing high quality administrative and business support within a complex organisation.
• Excellent IT skills including knowledge of Microsoft Office and/or Google drive.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to deal with difficult situations and conversations in a sensitive and confidential manner.
• Ability to work flexibly as part of a team, and to show own initiative.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Ability to work effectively and accurately to deadlines.
• Ability to produce work to a high standard with attention to detail.
• Ability to remain calm and maintain high service standards whilst under pressure.
• Excellent customer service skills.

Desirable criteria

• Awareness of higher education and the student journey.

Application / Interview

Next steps in the recruitment process: It is anticipated that the selection process will take place at the beginning of May. This will consist of an interview. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage no later than two weeks after the closing date. Contact if you require any reasonable adjustments.

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: (opens in new window).

Additional Information

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. More information can be found on our Information for candidates page: (opens in new window).

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.