Administrator

The Royal College of Art; London Borough of Wandsworth; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

The Royal College of Art is seeking an organised Research and Knowledge Exchange Administrator to join the RKE Office. You will provide comprehensive administrative support across a varied portfolio of research activities and help coordinate committees, agendas and minutes.

You will also assist with ethics processes, internal funding schemes, REF preparations and budget monitoring, while maintaining web content and internal communications. This hybrid role supports two remote days.

Qualifications

• Experience in higher education or a comparable environment.
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities.
• Strong written and numerical skills with experience preparing committee papers, minutes and financial administration.
• Digitally confident, with knowledge of information management, data protection and confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate committee meetings, prepare agendas and minutes.
• Manage research ethics approval processes.
• Administer the College’s internal research funding schemes.
• Support REF submission preparations, data collation and internal communications.
• Maintain research management information, support reporting requirements and budget monitoring.
• Support communications and events, including website content, newsletters and updates.

Skills

Admin skills

Budget monitoring

Data protection

MS Office

Communication

Multi-tasking

Education

HE degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Administrator

Company: The Royal College of Art

Salary: £39,564 to £45,638 a year

Hours: Full-time

Location: Battersea, SW11 4NL

Working pattern: Hybrid - 2 days remote

Job type: Permanent

Posting date: 30 Oct 2026

Closing date: 15 Nov 2026

The Royal College of Art (RCA) is the world’s leading university for art and design, renowned for its postgraduate-only community of artists, designers, architects and creative thinkers. We are a place where curiosity, creativity and collaboration drive innovation and make a positive impact on the world.

We are looking for an organised, proactive and highly capable Research and Knowledge Exchange Administrator to join our Research and Knowledge Exchange (RKE) Office within the Research & Innovation Directorate.

The RKE Office provides central expertise and support for the College’s research, knowledge exchange and executive education activities, as well as its postgraduate research degrees. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in supporting the delivery and development of the College’s research activities, working with academic and professional services colleagues across the RCA.

Key responsibilities

You will provide comprehensive administrative support across a varied portfolio of research and knowledge exchange activities. This will include coordinating committee meetings, preparing agendas and minutes, managing research ethics approval processes and administering the College’s internal research funding schemes.

You will also play an important role in supporting preparations for the College’s Research Excellence Framework (REF) submission, working with senior academic and professional services colleagues on meeting administration, data collation and internal communications. Other responsibilities will include maintaining research management information, supporting reporting requirements, financial administration and budget monitoring.

The role also has a communications and events dimension. You will help maintain the Research & Innovation website and intranet content, coordinate newsletters and departmental updates, and organise meetings, events and the RKE Academy, which provides training and information for academic staff.

Essential requirements

About youYou will have relevant administrative experience, ideally within Higher Education or a comparable environment, and be confident providing high-quality support in a busy and changing environment. You will have excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.You will bring strong written and numerical skills, with proven experience of preparing committee papers, taking minutes and undertaking financial administration. You will be digitally confident, with good knowledge of Microsoft Office or equivalent productivity tools, and an understanding of information management, data protection and confidentiality.A collaborative approach is essential, together with the confidence to use your initiative, solve problems and build effective working relationships with colleagues at all levels. Experience of research funding processes, budget monitoring, maintaining web content or working with university systems would be advantageous.

Why join the RCA?

Joining the Royal College of Art means becoming part of an ambitious, diverse and internationally connected community at the forefront of art, design and research. You will work alongside talented academic and professional services colleagues, contributing to research and knowledge exchange activities that have an impact across disciplines and beyond the College.

If you are an enthusiastic and resourceful administrator who enjoys working collaboratively and would like to contribute to a dynamic research environment, we would love to hear from you.

Join the RCA and help support the research, ideas and innovation shaping the future of art and design.

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