Administrative Assistant

University of Newcastle Employees, Location, Alumni; Newcastle City Council; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Newcastle invites applications for an Administrative Assistant to support the School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences. Based at Callaghan Campus with flexibility to work at Newcastle City Campus as required, this 12-month full-time role focuses on delivering high-quality administrative services and Excel-based reporting.

You will handle correspondence, coordinate meetings, support course administration and ensure excellent customer service to students,

Qualifications

• Demonstrated administrative skills and systems experience to plan, prepare documentation and reports.
• Strong organisational and time management skills to manage priorities.
• High attention to detail with data entry and Excel reporting.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support in a busy, professional environment.
• Manage correspondence, shared inboxes, records and documentation.
• Prepare reports, presentations and Excel-based reporting.
• Coordinate meetings, events, schedules and committee support.
• Deliver exceptional customer service to students, staff and stakeholders.
• Support course administration and quality assurance activities.
• Work collaboratively across multiple projects while managing competing priorities.

Skills

Administrative support

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Time management

Data entry

Tools

Excel

MS Office

Job description

As an Administrative Assistant, you'll play an important role in supporting the day-to‑day operations of the School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences, delivering exceptional service to students, staff, stakeholders and visitors. You are a highly organised and detail-oriented professional with strong communication and Excel skills. Thriving in a busy environment you will manage competing priorities effectively and enjoy working collaboratively to achieve outcomes.

In this role you will:

• Provide administrative support in a busy, professional environment.
• Manage correspondence, shared inboxes, records and documentation.
• Prepare reports, presentations and Excel-based reporting.
• Coordinate meetings, events, schedules and committee support.
• Deliver exceptional customer service to students, staff and stakeholders.
• Support course administration and quality assurance activities.
• Work collaboratively across multiple projects while managing competing priorities.

This full-time, 12-month fixed-term position is primarily based at our Callaghan Campus (Awabakal land) with flexibility to work as required at the Newcastle City Campus in response to team requirements.

How will you inspire us?

• Demonstrated administrative skills and related systems experience, with the ability to plan, prepare documentation and reports, provide advice, and negotiate with a range of people to meet outcomes.
• Demonstrated organisational and time management skills to manage priorities, deliver work objectives accurately and on time, and manage competing demands from a range of stakeholders.
• Exceptional attention to detail and demonstrated expertise in data entry and working with large amounts of data within MS Excel for systems reporting and data integrity.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills including the ability to participate in a team environment demonstrating clear communication and mutual respect.

About our University

The University of Newcastle stands as a global leader distinguished by a commitment to equity and excellence. Our vision is to be a world-leading University for our regions and creating a better future for our regions and the globe. Underpinned by this vision are our values of excellence, equity, engagement and sustainability.

What we offer

The remuneration for this position is Higher Education Worker Level 4 +17% superannuation and is commensurate with skills and experience.

In addition to working for a university that is breaking boundaries, discovering new ways of thinking and cementing a place as a global leader, we offer a range of benefits to our employees to ensure you balance your commitments, stay healthy and work effectively.

These include:

• 17% super and salary packaging.
• Additional University Holiday days, generous personal, life, and parental leave, annual leave loading, and additional purchased leave scheme.
• Discounts on private health insurance, gym memberships, software, travel and more.
• A range of support and wellbeing programs.

Your next steps

Important information before you apply:

• Applications for this position will only be accepted from those with Australian residency or a valid work permit.

Your application must include:

• Your resume.
• A statement addressing each of the 4 essential criteria listed below the ‘how will you inspire us – you will have:’ heading in this advert using an example for each to demonstrate (these may differ slightly from the Position Description).

We value diversity and strive to ensure that our recruitment processes are equitable, inclusive, and barrier-free. If you require an alternative pathway to view the Position Description or to submit an application, please reach out to [e-mail].

We also seek to provide a fair chance to all applicants by providing reasonable adjustments where required during the assessment and interview phases of the recruitment process.

Our assessment process

Typically, candidates that progress beyond the shortlist stage can expect to undertake the following (minimum) assessment activities as part of the recruitment process:

• Interview (an ‘in person’ interview will be conducted as part of the process)
• Referee checks
• Pre-employment checks as appropriate to the role

Our University is committed to creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for every member of our community. This commitment is central to our values and our efforts to build a diverse workforce where everyone can thrive.

As part of this, and in alignment with the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence 2025, from 1 January 2026, the University will also consider gender-based violence risk factors as part of our recruitment processes.

The completion and return of the University's Gender-based Violence Declaration Form will form part of the pre-employment checks for this position and any offer of employment will be conditional upon review by the University.

Our adherence to the Code is about more than compliance – it’s about living our values. Together, we can ensure our University remains a place where respect, safety, and inclusion are non-negotiable.

Contact us

For specific position enquiries, please contact Jason Campbell, Teaching and Learning Advisor on [e-mail] or Miriam Burgess, Team Leader, Operations (HCISS) on [e-mail]

Having technical difficulties? Please reach out to us: [e-mail] Please note, we do not accept email applications.

We are excited to be Looking Ahead with you

We provide opportunities for all people regardless of their background and experience, and this philosophy is reflected across all that we do.

The University of Newcastle is an equal opportunity employer committed to equity, diversity, and social inclusion. Women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are particularly encouraged to apply.