Administration Assistant- Operations

SKA Observatory; Chester; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading international research organization in the UK is looking for a full-time Administrator to support its Operations team. The role involves coordinating meetings, managing calendars, and providing administrative support to senior team members. Candidates should have proven administrative experience, strong organizational skills, and the ability to communicate effectively. A diverse workplace with a commitment to inclusivity is offered.

Benefits

30 days annual leave plus public holidays

Generous pension scheme

Visa and relocation support (if applicable)

Regular social events

Family-friendly environment

Qualifications

• Proven experience in an administrative support role.
• Good organisational and time management skills.
• Good communication skills in English.
• Good interpersonal skills with customer-oriented approach.
• Attention to detail and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and schedule meetings across various time zones.
• Record and edit meeting minutes and actions.
• Maintain shared project calendars.
• Support process improvement activities.
• Manage travel arrangements and expense claims.

Skills

Organisational skills

Time management skills

Oral and written communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Problem-solving

Attention to detail

Adaptability

Customer-oriented approach

Education

Administrative qualification or equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Zoom/Teams

Confluence

Job description

The role will be based at the SKAO Global Headquarters (GHQ) at the iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory, in Cheshire, UK.

At the SKAO we are coordinating a global effort to deliver one of the largest science facilities on the planet. The SKAO telescopes will be next-generation instruments that will help to answer key questions in astrophysics, drive technological innovation and support human capital development.

More than a dozen partner countries and over a thousand scientists and engineers around the world are already on board, making the SKA project an international collaboration like no other, and one of the most ambitious science and engineering endeavours of the 21st century.

Headquartered in the UK, with telescope sites in Australia and South Africa, the SKAO will be one observatory operating two telescopes, an endeavour spanning three continents. Multinational by design, in early 2021 the SKAO became an intergovernmental organisation, one of only a select handful of science infrastructures to do so worldwide.

Our Global HQ is located near the buzzing city of Manchester at the historic Jodrell Bank Observatory, a UNESCO World Heritage site located in the Cheshire countryside. It is home to a rapidly expanding international team of more than a hundred, working in a highly collaborative and inclusive way, in coordination with SKAO teams in Australia and South Africa as part of a global astronomy and engineering community.

Being part of Team SKA means contributing to something extraordinary: a uniquely exciting project to advance human knowledge that will last for decades. In return, we offer a diverse multicultural working environment, 30 days annual leave plus public holidays, a generous pension scheme, visa and support with relocation (if applicable), regular social events, a family-friendly environment and much more. Come and join us!

We are looking for a full-time Administrator to join us to help support a growing Operations group. The Administration Assistant Operations will aid the SKAO Operations team to help align and guide them through their various activities. The postholder will be an individual contributor with supervisory guidance as required.

The Role

The role will be based at the SKAO Global Headquarters (GHQ) at the iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory, in Cheshire, UK.

The role will report to, and assist, the Operations Administrator , in supporting the Director of Operations, Deputy Director of Operations and Chief Scientist, as well as other senior members of the Operations team located at GHQ.

This role will be line managed by the Deputy Director of Operations.

The successful candidate will be a proactive and self-motivated team player with excellent time management and organisational skills, and the ability to work under time pressure.

We welcome applications from candidates of all nationalities, especially those from member countries. However, for this role visa and relocation support will not be available and applicants must be able to comply with the terms of a UK based local contract, details of which may be accessed on SKAO's recruitment portal.

SKAO is committed to providing an inclusive and flexible working environment, meeting the requests of our Colleagues whilst also fulfilling the needs and objectives of the Observatory.

There may be occasions where this role requires the post holder to work across different time zones and, in line with SKAO policy, flexible working hours will be supported in agreement with the line manager.

There may be opportunity for occasional international travel to support Observatory events.

Key Responsibilities, Accountabilities and Duties

• Coordinate and schedule meetings and other events across various timezones. Book rooms and equipment to facilitate those meetings and events.
• Record and edit meeting minutes and actions.
• Track and follow up on meeting action items.
• Maintain shared project calendars.
• Coordinate and maintain shared workspaces in tools such as Confluence, OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive and Jira.
• Format and review documentation and presentations.
• Support process improvement activities.
• Support the Operations Administrator to manage travel arrangements and expense claims.
• Undertake other reasonable duties as assigned by the Line Manager.

These responsibilities are not exhaustive. As well as performing further administrative tasks, it is essential that the post-holder maintains a flexible approach and a willingness to adapt to unexpected and changing needs and priorities.

Mandatory Knowledge, Skills and Experience

To perform this job successfully, the post-holder must be able to perform their duties satisfactorily.

• Proven experience in an administrative support role.
• Good organisational and time management skills.
• Good oral and written communications skills in English to effectively communicate with stakeholders.
• Good interpersonal skills with a friendly and customer-oriented approach.
• Good attention to detail.
• An appetite for problem solving.
• A flexible team player who is adaptable to change and is able to work under their own initiative.
• Ability and willingness to learn new skills.
• Good IT skills, including experience with the suite of software packages such as Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Zoom/Teams, etc.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• An Administrative qualification, or equivalent experience.
• Experience of working in a multicultural environment across different timezones.
• Experience in coordinating events, workshops and/or training sessions.
• Experience of working in a project environment.
• Proficient with software tools that enable collaboration e.g Google Docs, Slack, Confluence.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion Statement

SKA Observatory recognises that our diversity is a strength. We aim to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong, and diverse perspectives and ideas thrive. As such, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion are at the core of SKA Observatory’s agenda.

Our aim is to recruit and retain the most talented individuals, regardless of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, nationality or background.

Women have traditionally been under-represented in the fields of science and engineering; SKA Observatory welcomes and encourages female applicants.

Where applicants with a disability need facilities or adjustments to enable them to participate in the recruitment process, these will be provided.

SKA Observatory welcome all candidates, especially those from member countries.

The “How to Apply” information contained within the SKA Observatory recruitment portal provides more detail regarding our application and selection approach.