Administration Assistant

O'Connor Law; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 82,000 - 92,000; Part time

Job summary

Griffith University’s ARC Centre of Excellence for Transforming Human Origins Research seeks an Executive Assistant to support the Director and help deliver governance, engagement and operational success. The role is a 60% part-time fixed-term position based at Griffith University Brisbane South (Nathan).

You will provide high-level administrative support, manage diaries, coordinate domestic and international travel, assist with financial administration, reporting and stakeholder liaison, and

Qualifications

• Minimum of an associate diploma qualification and demonstrated experience in an executive support or advanced administrative role.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills with attention to detail.
• Proven ability to coordinate secretariat support to committees, boards or working groups.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-level executive support to the Director, including diary management and travel coordination.
• Manage governance, communications, stakeholder engagement, events, reporting and delivery monitoring.
• Coordinate Centre events, workshops, conferences and visitor programs.
• Prepare agendas, papers, minutes and monitor actions for committees.

Skills

Executive support

Diary management

Stakeholder engagement

Events coordination

Governance

Education

Associate Diploma

Tools

Microsoft 365

Job description

Every institution values excellence. What matters most is why.
Griffith was created to be a different type of university. You’ll find we’re about leading research, academic excellence, and the transformative power of education. But what sets us apart is why those things matter and how you’ll achieve them.

Why? Griffith brings together exceptional minds like yours from across the globe and from all walks of life. Here, we do incredible work, questioning and challenging, always in the pursuit of excellence.

Job Description

Research is the beating heart of every great university. It fuels discovery, deepens understanding, informs student experience and drives the innovations that shape a better world. At Griffith University, we are proud to be at the forefront of this global mission, making significant contributions to Queensland, Australia and the world through groundbreaking research and development and nurturing the next generation of visionary research leaders.

The new ARC Centre of Excellence in Transforming Human Origins Research will exemplify this vision by transforming our understanding of why and how our species, Homo sapiens, is the only surviving human on our planet. The Centre will mobilise Indigenous, Global South and Western expertise to examine under‑ researched regions in Africa, Asia, and Australia. This novel synthesis aims to address how we became a versatile, global species, resilient to profound environmental changes over the last 300,000 years. Outcomes will include new scientific models and revisions to public education and policies about our history, our biological, and cultural relationships to one another, and how we have reshaped ecosystems worldwide. Benefits include a transformed, ethically engaged study of human origins for the betterment of society.

Join a globally significant research initiative that is reshaping our understanding of human origins.

As Executive Assistant, you will play a pivotal role in supporting the Director and contributing to the successful delivery of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Transforming Human Origins Research. Working across a diverse portfolio of activities, you will provide high-level project coordination and administrative support, helping drive governance, communications, stakeholder engagement, events, reporting, and the monitoring of key actions and deliverables.

This role is ideal for a proactive and highly organised professional who thrives in a dynamic environment, enjoys building relationships with diverse stakeholders, and takes pride in enabling strategic and operational success through exceptional coordination and support.

Key responsibilities include but not limited to:

• Provide high-level executive support to the Director, including diary management, domestic and international travel coordination, accommodation arrangements and associated financial administration.
• Manage day-to-day administrative operations, including information flow, correspondence, financial and HR processes, and the timely coordination of enquiries and actions.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring clear communication and supporting the achievement of Centre objectives.
• Deliver secretariat support to committees and working groups, including coordinating agendas, preparing documentation, recording minutes and tracking actions.
• Coordinate Centre events, workshops, conferences and visitor programs, ensuring professional delivery and a positive stakeholder experience.

About you
The successful candidate will hold a minimum of an associate diploma qualification plus demonstrated experience in an executive support or advanced administrative role, or an equivalent combination of relevant skills, knowledge and experience.

You will also have:

• Demonstrated experience providing high-level executive support in a complex organisation, including diary management, travel coordination, correspondence management and administrative support to senior leaders.
• Exceptional organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands, manage multiple tasks simultaneously and meet deadlines with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Proven ability to coordinate administrative operations, including the use of financial, human resources and business systems, while maintaining confidential and sensitive information appropriately.
• Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare professional documentation, liaise effectively with diverse stakeholders and foster positive working relationships.
• Demonstrated experience providing secretariat support to committees, boards or working groups, including preparing agendas and papers, recording minutes and monitoring actions.
• Proven ability to coordinate events, workshops, conferences and stakeholder visits, ensuring high‑quality planning, administration and delivery.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and initiative, with the ability to work independently under general direction while contributing effectively as part of a team.
• High level proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications and the ability to quickly learn new systems and processes.
• Experience supporting research, higher education, government or grant‑funded programs.
• An understanding of governance, project coordination and stakeholder engagement within a large, complex organisation.
• Experience coordinating activities involving domestic and international collaborators, visitors or partners.

What we can offer
This is a fixed term (7 years), 60% part‑time position primarily based at Griffith University Brisbane South (Nathan). As Griffith is a multi‑site University you may be required to work across other locations. Griffith University’s campuses are located on the lands of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera, Turrbal, Yugambeh and Kombumerri peoples.

Salary Range
The full‑time equivalent base salary for a HEW Level 5 is in the range $82,415 - $92,456 per annum, plus 17% superannuation. The total FTE package will be in the range $96,426 - $108,174 per annum.

Additional Information