Directorate Operations Officer

Job Details

We invite applications for the role of Directorate Operations Officer within our Education & Library Services department, which plays a vital role in supporting students and education at the ICR. The directorate oversees the whole student lifecycle – from recruitment to award – while also providing essential services to the broader organisation, including the library and information governance.

This pivotal full-time role supports both academic governance and broader directorate coordination, ensuring the smooth operation of essential processes that underpin education at the ICR.

Working closely with the Academic Governance & Quality Manager (AGQM) and reporting indirectly to the Director of Education & Library Services, you will play a key role in supporting academic committees, coordinating directorate-wide processes, and providing executive support. Your responsibilities will include scheduling meetings, preparing committee papers, tracking actions, and maintaining key governance and operational records.

You will also act as a key administrative and organisational support to the Director of Education & Library Services, assisting with diary management, meeting coordination, task delegation, and directorate-wide initiatives. You will be central to keeping processes running efficiently across our team, ensuring deadlines are met and actions are followed up.

We are looking for an experienced and highly organised administrator, ideally with experience in a higher education or professional services environment. A confident communicator with excellent written and spoken English, and the ability to engage effectively with people at all levels. Someone with strong diary and workflow management skills, able to assist in the coordination of key meetings, track deadlines, and support task delegation. A detail-oriented individual with the ability to handle confidential information with discretion, a proactive problem-solver, comfortable using digital tools (including AI-assisted drafting tools where appropriate) to enhance efficiency, whilst adhering to information governance policies. A flexible team player who is happy to provide occasional in-person support at key events (e.g., Award Ceremony, student recruitment events) and assist across the directorate at busy times (such as student enrolment and staff recruitment processes, including scheduling interviews and posting job adverts).

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who thrives in a structured but varied role, balancing academic governance responsibilities with directorate-wide administrative coordination. If you enjoy keeping things running smoothly, supporting senior colleagues, and working in a team that values efficiency and innovation, we would love to hear from you.

The position is primarily based at our Chelsea site, with the opportunity for home working on up to three days per week.

In your application, please explain carefully how your experience matches the requirements of the person specification. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview in Chelsea on 24th April. Informal enquiries may be sent to the Academic Governance & Quality Manager, Yvonne Corcoran, at yvonne.corcoran@icr.ac.uk.

At the Institute of Cancer Research, we champion diversity as we believe it fuels innovation and drives impactful research. We welcome applicants from all walks of life, valuing diverse perspectives that enrich our work.

Don't let a checklist of qualifications hold you back – if you're passionate about the role, we want to hear from you. Your unique experiences and backgrounds contribute to the richness of our team. We are committed to being an equal opportunity for all, regardless of ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other dimension of diversity. Join us in creating an inclusive environment where everyone's voice is heard and valued. 

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