CSF-1126-25-R - Centre Support Officer

University of Kent; Canterbury; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK university in Canterbury is seeking a Centre Support Officer to provide coordination and operational support for research and innovation projects. The role requires strong administrative skills and the ability to monitor workloads effectively. Candidates should have substantial experience in administrative roles, excellent IT skills, and organisational abilities. The position offers hybrid working options and extensive leave benefits, making it an attractive opportunity for those looking to contribute to academic operations.

Benefits

Hybrid working options

43 days' leave per year

Excellent pension scheme

Corporate healthcare plan

Qualifications

• Substantial experience in a similar role providing administrative support and coordination.
• Experience of setting up administrative systems and procedures.
• Experience of project management demonstrating excellent organisational skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement processes to effectively monitor workloads and project requirements.
• Act as a key point of contact for staffing requirements across the research centres.
• Provide regular reporting to the Research Centre Directors on staffing levels.

Skills

Administrative support

Project management

Excellent IT skills

Organizational skills

Education

A-Level or equivalent with GCSE in English and Maths (Grade C/4 or above)

Tools

MS Office packages

Project management tools

Job description

Working with the Academic Operations team and the School of Social Sciences’ Research Centres, the Centre Support Officer will provide effective and comprehensive coordination and operational support, overseeing the resourcing for the centres' research and innovation projects and other activities, with a particular focus on staffing requirements.

The centres operate in a rapidly changing environment and the role-holder will need to be able to work flexibly and proactively to respond to changing priorities. The Centre Support Officer will support the leadership teams within each Centre and provide advice and guidance on resourcing issues.

The Centre Support Officer will provide a co‑ordinating function, working with other Professional Services Departments to ensure that the Centres' activities are supported.

As a Centre Support Officer you can expect to be involved in :

• Develop and implement processes to effectively and accurately monitor workloads and project requirements so that workloads are appropriate and funder commitments are met
• Develop and implement processes to adjust project staffing where required.
• Act as a key point of contact for all staffing requirements across the research centres, responding proactively to all enquiries.
• Develop and maintain knowledge of individual researchers' skills and experience in order to allocate them to appropriate projects .
• Monitor staffing levels and commitments to funders and provide regular reporting to the Research Centre Directors. Highlight if additional resources or contraction are required.

What will you bring to the role ?

• Educated to A-Level or equivalent with GCSE in English and Maths (Grade C/4 or above) or equivalent
• Substantial experience in a similar role providing administrative support and coordination.
• Experience of setting up administrative systems and procedures
• Excellent IT skills, particularly in the use of MS Office packages and project management tools
• Experience of project management demonstrating excellent organisational skills

What we can offer in return:

As a member of our team, you can expect a friendly, open and collaborative working environment and support in your development and wellbeing. You'll enjoy a range of great staff benefits including:

• Hybrid working options allowing a flexible blend of office and home working (to be agreed in line with business needs)
• 43 days' leave per year (personal leave, bank holidays and additional days allocated for the Christmas period, pro rata for part‑time staff)
• Excellent pension scheme with generous employer contributions
• Corporate employee‑funded healthcare plan, in partnership with Benenden Health

For more information about what you can look forward to if you join us, visit our dedicated webpage: Working at Kent

We are ambitious for our people, our communities and the region we serve – join us in making the world a better place. Visit our website for more on who we are: http://www.kent.ac.uk/about/

Please see the links below to view the full job description and to apply for this post. For further information regarding the application process, please contact [e-mail] quoting reference number CSF-1126-25

*Occasionally we may need to close a vacancy before the published deadline due to a high number of applications being received, therefore we strongly advise you to submit your application as soon as possible. (All vacancies will be open for at least one week.)

PLEASE NOTE: We prioritise applications from current University of Kent redeployees. We will let you know if this post is to be filled by a redeployee as, in this instance, your application will unfortunately not be taken forward.

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Applications must be made via the University’s online application system; CVs or details sent directly to the department or via email cannot be considered.

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