Executive Assistant Support Administrator

Heriot-Watt University; Kilmarnock; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Part time

Job summary

A prestigious university in the UK is seeking an Executive Support professional to provide high-quality administrative assistance to senior management. The role includes managing diaries, organizing meetings, and ensuring efficient operations within the Centre. Applicants should possess a first degree or equivalent experience, along with strong attention to detail and proficiency in Office 365. This part-time position offers opportunities for skill development within a collaborative team environment.

Benefits

28 days annual leave increasing to 33 days after 5 years

Generous holiday benefits

Qualifications

• Educated to first degree level or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience of working in a fast-paced environment supporting senior management.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality administrative and secretarial support.
• Manage diaries, organize meetings, and assist with communication.
• Support committees and working groups, including minute-taking.

Skills

Attention to detail

Interpersonal skills

Initiative and problem-solving

Confidential information handling

Education

First degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Office 365

Database systems

Job description

Description

• Role: Executive support
• Salary: Grade 5 £26,707 – £31,236
• Contract Type: Part Time 0.60 FTE, Fixed Term for 6 months
• Rewards and Benefits: In Edinburgh this is 28 days annual leave, increasing to 33 days per year after 5 years of service, plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday) for all full‑time staff; other campuses vary.

This role is not eligible for sponsorship. Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK.

Detailed Description

Executive support is provided to the Centre Manager for IDRIC and the Centre for Doctoral Training in Green Industrial Futures (CDT‑GIF). The post holder is responsible for delivering high‑quality administrative and secretarial support, including day‑to‑day operational activities such as diary management, organising meetings, prioritising and managing emails, and assisting with the drafting of email communications. The role also involves scoping and booking travel for meetings, as well as providing administrative support to service delivery projects within the remit of IDRIC and CDT‑GIF. In addition, the post holder will support committees, working groups, away days and ad‑hoc meetings as required, including taking minutes and following up on agreed actions. Responsibilities include organising meetings by booking rooms and liaising with relevant School teams (such as Finance) to ensure appropriate facilities are arranged, supporting events, booking travel, contributing to the development of IDRIC and CDT‑GIF procedures, and fostering a productive and cooperative team ethos by building strong working relationships across projects and the wider University. The role also requires working with the projects’ Monday.com platform for project management, team engagement, project reporting, CRM database management and student recruitment activities, including adding and updating content to track events, projects and goals.

Project web links: https://idric.org/, https://greenindustrialfutures.site.hw.ac.uk/

Essential Criteria

• Educated to first degree level or equivalent practical experience in the workplace
• Experience of working in a fast‑paced environment, with a proven track record of supporting senior‑level management
• High level of attention to detail and accuracy, including the ability to handle sensitive and confidential information in line with the University’s Data Management Policy
• Well‑developed interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively as part of a team, using tact and diplomacy in sensitive situations
• Confidence in using initiative and problem‑solving skills
• Experience of using large database systems (e.g. HR systems) and competent, proficient use of Office 365 and other standard IT packages

How To Apply

Please submit via the Heriot‑Watt on‑line recruitment system: (1) Cover letter describing your interest and suitability for the post; (2) Full CV.

Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on Thursday 08 January 2026.

Equality and Diversity

Heriot‑Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot‑Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from under‑represented groups.

For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award‑winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/.

Use our total rewards calculator https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot‑Watt University.