Contracts & Compliance Assistant

Useful Studio; Greater London; On-site; GBP 31,500 - 38,500; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible and hybrid working

25 days annual leave + bank holidays

Private medical insurance for you and/

Company Pension Scheme

Life Assurance

Annual Eyecare Plan

Cycle to Work Scheme

Free access to EAP

Job summary

The Contracts & Compliance Assistant at The Useful Simple Trust in London provides accurate and well-organised administrative support across contracts, compliance and assurance activities. The role maintains records, coordinates routine checks, supports audits and training, and offers guidance to colleagues.

Key responsibilities include compliance administration, contract support, due diligence for subconsultants and suppliers, IR35 & contractor compliance, health & safety administration, and

Qualifications

• Experience in an administrative, compliance or governance support role.
• Excellent organisational skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage confidential information appropriately.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office 365, including Excel, Word, Outlook and Teams.
• Ability to prioritise work and manage multiple tasks effectively.
• Experience maintaining accurate records and document management systems.
• Desirable: experience in engineering, construction, infrastructure or the public sector.

Responsibilities

• Support the Trust in delivering the Trust's compliance responsibilities.
• Accountable for the quality, accuracy and timely maintenance of compliance records, documentation and supporting information within delegated responsibility.
• Assist in monitoring compliance requirements and ensuring information remains current.
• Prepare documentation and reports to support compliance activities.
• Act as a first point of contact for routine compliance enquiries escalating more complex matters where appropriate.
• Identify administrative improvements that increase the accuracy, efficiency and consistency of compliance processes.
• Assist with maintaining records relating to contracts.
• Support the monitoring of contractual compliance requirements across projects by maintaining records, tracking actions and escalating gaps.
• Help ensure key contractual documentation is complete, organised and accessible.
• Assist project teams by coordinating compliance information and documentation.
• Develop a sound working knowledge of core contractual requirements and provide routine guidance to colleagues, escalating more complex or specialist queries where appropriate.
• Coordinate due diligence checks for new subconsultants and suppliers.
• Maintain records of qualifications, professional memberships, insurance certificates and other compliance documentation.
• Monitor renewal dates and request updated information when required.
• Support periodic compliance reviews to ensure records remain up to date
• Assist with the administration of contractor IR35 assessments.
• Maintain accurate records of status determinations and supporting documentation.
• Support on liaison with contractors and internal teams to obtain required information.
• Support on ensuring compliance documentation is complete and auditable.
• Support the administration of Health & Safety documentation as required
• Prepare accurate information and supporting documentation for internal compliance reviews and audits.
• Support on maintaining action trackers and monitor progress against agreed actions.
• Ensure compliance documentation is complete, accurate and easily accessible.
• Prepare and maintain guidance notes, templates and standard documentation.
• Support staff by providing administrative assistance relating to commercial and compliance processes.
• Support the consistent application of compliance procedures by providing accurate information, documentation and administrative support.
• Support onboarding on new beneficiaries on central systems and processes.
• Maintain relevant areas on the Trust’s SharePoint site.

Skills

Administrative experience

Compliance knowledge

Record management

MS Office 365

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Time management

Tools

MS Office 365

Job description

Contracts & Compliance Assistant

Location: London (Hybrid working available)

Salary: £35,000.00

Hours: Part-Time – 4 Days per Week

Contract Type: Permanent

The Role Overview

The Contracts & Compliance Assistant provides accurate and well-organised administrative support across the Trust’s contracts, compliance and assurance activities. The role maintains records and documentation, coordinates routine checks and information requests, supports audits and training, provides meeting support and provides straightforward guidance to colleagues.

Key Responsibilities

Compliance Administration

• Support the Trust in delivering the Trust's compliance responsibilities.
• Accountable for the quality, accuracy and timely maintenance of compliance records, documentation and supporting information within delegated responsibility.
• Assist in monitoring compliance requirements and ensuring information remains current.
• Prepare documentation and reports to support compliance activities.
• Act as a first point of contact for routine compliance enquiries escalating more complex matters where appropriate.
• Identify administrative improvements that increase the accuracy, efficiency and consistency of compliance processes.

Contracts & Commercial Support

• Assist with maintaining records relating to contracts.
• Support the monitoring of contractual compliance requirements across projects by maintaining records, tracking actions and escalating gaps.
• Help ensure key contractual documentation is complete, organised and accessible.
• Assist project teams by coordinating compliance information and documentation.
• Develop a sound working knowledge of core contractual requirements and provide routine guidance to colleagues, escalating more complex or specialist queries where appropriate.

Subconsultant & Supply Chain Assurance

• Coordinate due diligence checks for new subconsultants and suppliers.
• Maintain records of qualifications, professional memberships, insurance certificates and other compliance documentation.
• Monitor renewal dates and request updated information when required.
• Support periodic compliance reviews to ensure records remain up to date

IR35 & Contractor Compliance

• Assist with the administration of contractor IR35 assessments.
• Maintain accurate records of status determinations and supporting documentation.
• Support on liaison with contractors and internal teams to obtain required information.
• Support on ensuring compliance documentation is complete and auditable.

Health & Safety Administration

• Support the administration of Health & Safety documentation as required

Audit & Reporting

• Prepare accurate information and supporting documentation for internal compliance reviews and audits.
• Support on maintaining action trackers and monitor progress against agreed actions.
• Ensure compliance documentation is complete, accurate and easily accessible.

Training & Business Support

• Prepare and maintain guidance notes, templates and standard documentation.
• Support staff by providing administrative assistance relating to commercial and compliance processes.
• Support the consistent application of compliance procedures by providing accurate information, documentation and administrative support.
• Support onboarding on new beneficiaries on central systems and processes.
• Maintain relevant areas on the Trust’s SharePoint site.

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Experience in an administrative, compliance or governance support role.
• Excellent organisational skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage confidential information appropriately.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office 365, including Excel, Word, Outlook and Teams.
• Ability to prioritise work and manage multiple tasks effectively.
• Experience maintaining accurate records and document management systems.
• Ability to effectively communicate their priorities and workload effectively to management.

Desirable

• Experience working within engineering, construction, infrastructure or the public sector.
• Knowledge of NEC contracts or construction documentation.
• Familiarity with Health & Safety administration, including CDM.
• Experience supporting compliance, quality or governance functions.

Personal Approach

• Organised and methodical.
• Reliable with excellent attention to detail.
• Proactive and willing to learn.
• Collaborative and supportive of colleagues.
• Able to work independently while knowing when to seek guidance.
• Committed to maintaining high standards of accuracy and professionalism.
• Takes pride in helping the Trust remain compliant through efficient and well‑organised administration.

Who We Are

The Useful Simple Trust (UST) is an award‑winning group of professional design and consultancy practices driving change in the built environment through our three brands: Expedition Engineering, Useful Projects, and Useful Studio. Certified as a B Corp, Social Enterprise, and Employee Benefit Organisation, we are addressing the significant issues of our time, including Net Zero carbon, circular economy, biodiversity gain, and social impact. We are a certified Carbon Literate Organisation, and are committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

What We Offer

As an employee benefit trust, we offer a comprehensive benefits package, mentoring support to accelerate learning, and plenty of opportunities for advancement.

• Flexible and hybrid working, including the possibility to work a compressed nine‑day fortnight.
• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays.
• Personal development programme including enhanced learning and mentoring, as part of a coaching culture.
• Private medical insurance for you and your family.
• Company Pension Scheme (grade dependent, minimum of 6%).
• Life Assurance, Annual Eyecare Plan, and Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Free access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for you and your family.

Diversity Statement

UST strives to be a diverse and inclusive place where we can all be ourselves. We encourage people from culturally diverse backgrounds, women, people with different abilities, the LGBTIQ+ community, and all age groups to apply. We know that diversity makes us stronger, and we are committed to creating an inclusive working environment.