Deputy Department Administrator (Fixed Term)

Are you looking for an exciting, challenging and varied role to advance your career in Higher Education administration at Cambridge University? 

An excellent opportunity has arisen for a two-year Deputy Departmental Administrator to join our amazing team at the Department of Zoology. If you are looking to support teaching and research, seize new opportunities and prepare for future challenges, then Zoology is the place for you. 

We are looking for an experienced administrator who can make a significant contribution and is willing to muck in, across a broad range of activities. This is a hands-on role which involves the delivery and development of operational and strategic priorities, in close collaboration with the Departmental Administrator, developing local policies and procedures and leading projects. 

Key responsibilities 

• Oversee research grant activity in the department, including donations for research and other philanthropic giving. The successful candidate will play an active role in the management of research grant funding and will oversee research grant related HR administration, including the recruitment, induction and mentoring processes. 
• Oversee the return to full IT services in Zoology. Manage the new IT support agreement to ensure that the provision of IT support is meeting departmental needs. 
• Be responsible for some day-to-day administrative activities and processes as agreed with the Departmental Administrator and Head of Department. We are looking for someone to work with us to develop, review and implement improved administrative structures and systems and to actively manage the impact of various transformation programmes. 
• Lead on communications and alumni activities. Provide help as required to support excellence in teaching, working closely with the Teaching Manager and Deputy Heads of Department for undergraduate and postgraduate education. Support several departmental committees and work on various ad hoc projects as required. 

About you 

The successful candidate will be a great team player, with superb interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, at all levels of seniority. You will have excellent planning and organisational skills, combined with an attention to detail, a capacity to initiate work independently and a willingness to problem solve and engage directly with specific tasks. 

The role holder will be educated to at least degree level (or have equivalent experience). You will need to be flexible, well organised and able to handle new and unusual situations as they arise. Applicants will be required to demonstrate the ability to meet deadlines, to forward plan, to prioritise and organise tasks successfully. You should have experience in management and administration in a complex organisation and skills in team leadership, resource management, problem-solving and planning. 

This role is based in central Cambridge and the successful candidate will be expected to be based on site every day. 

If you are interested in this role please contact Louise Balshaw, Departmental Administrator da@zoo.cam.ac.uk. 

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for a two year period 

Flexible working requests will be considered. 

We particularly welcome applications from candidates from a BME background for this vacancy as they are currently under-represented at this level in our University. 

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click on the apply button above.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society. 

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