Global Opportunities Administrative Assistant

Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

Cardiff University is seeking a Global Opportunities Administrative Assistant to support international and European students undergoing study abroad placements. This role entails comprehensive administrative duties within a vibrant team, focusing on customer service and partnership administration in a blended working environment. With a fixed term of 18 months, the position offers competitive salary and benefits including 32 days annual leave and a commitment to work-life balance.

Benefits

32 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Local pension scheme

Cycle to work scheme

Annual increments up the pay scale

Qualifications

• Significant experience in an administrative or office environment.
• Ability to accurately record, store and retrieve data.
• Experience adapting communication style for varied audiences.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support to the Global Opportunities Team.
• Respond effectively to enquiries from students and partners.
• Gather and review data to update administrative systems.

Skills

Customer Service

Communication

Team Work

Problem Solving

Attention to Detail

Education

NVQ 2/GCSE level A-C or equivalent

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Advert

Global Opportunities Administrative Assistant

The Global Opportunities team provides support and guidance on all activities related to international mobility opportunities for students.

You will provide an administrative service to the Global Opportunities Team, primarily focussing on the administration of, and support for, international and European students who undertake a study abroad placement at Cardiff University. The role will additionally support work related to student exchange partnerships.

If you have administrative experience, strong communication skills and an interest in working with people from around the world, we look forward to hearing from you.

This role is eligible to be offered on a blended working basis, meaning that as well as spending time working on campus you can also choose to spend some time working from another location, e.g. your home. The University is committed to offering this flexibility, wherever the role and business need allows, supporting work-life balance.

The post is full time (35 hours per week) and fixed term for 18 months.

Salary: £24,900 - £25,733 per annum (Grade 3)

Cardiff University offers many excellent benefits, including 32 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), pro rata for part time staff, local pension scheme, a cycle to work scheme and other travel initiatives, annual increments up the pay scale, and more. It is an exciting and vibrant place to work, with many different challenges and is a proud Living Wage supporter.

Date advert posted: Friday, 6 June 2025

Closing date: Friday, 20 June 2025

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds who have the ambition to create a University which seeks to fulfil our social, cultural and economic obligation to Cardiff, Wales, and the world. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.

Job Description

Key Duties

• Deal with a range of enquires from internal and external customers in a professional manner, establishing their requirements and adapting the standard responses accordingly
• Collaborate with others in the Global Opportunities Team in order to make recommendations for the development of established processes and procedures
• Establish working relationships with key contacts to help improve service levels. These could include colleagues in the Division, in Schools or relationships with European and international partners. Undertake a variety of administrative duties to support the team and department with a particular focus on incoming students and partnership administration.
• Gather and review data to update administrative systems such as databases and spreadsheets, making sure the information is accurate, and highlighting to your line manager basic trends and patterns.
• Actively contribute to the success of the team.
  
  

Specific Duties

• Respond effectively to enquiries from students, prospective applicants, and other key stakeholders such as international partners, ensuring a high level of customer service is delivered
• Meet with students to provide support and guidance before and during their placement at Cardiff University.
• Support all elements of incoming student mobility administration including the admission, enrolment and induction of students and provide support for social events
• Process student mobility-related documentation, including through the University’s student information system ‘SIMS’, in accordance with office and University procedures
• Support the Partnerships Officer with administration relating to exchange partnerships including conducting research on partner universities and the coordination of visits from international partners to Cardiff.
  
  

General Duties

• Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties
• Abide by University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity
• Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role
• Support events and activities which occasionally may take place in the early evening or outside of normal working hours
  
  

Person Specification

Important Notice

• It is the University’s policy to use the person specification as a key tool for short-listing. Candidates should evidence that they meet ALL of the essential criteria as well as, where relevant, the desirable.
• As part of the application process you will be asked to provide this evidence via a supporting statement.
• Please ensure that the evidence you are providing corresponds with the numbered criteria outlined below.
• Your application will be considered based on the information you provide under each element.
  
  

When attaching the supporting statement to your application profile, please ensure that you name it with the vacancy reference number, e.g. Supporting Statement for 20133BR.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Education

• NVQ 2/GCSE level A-C or equivalent
  
  

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Significant experience of working in an administrative or office environment
• Proficient in using common office IT packages (e.g. MS Office) and proven ability to accurately record, store and retrieve data
• Ability to set up standard administrative systems and procedures
  
  

Customer Service, Communication and Team Working

• Ability to communicate with a wide range of people effectively and courteously whilst maintaining professional standards, adapting your language and style of communication depending on who you are communicating with.
• Ability to work as an effective team member, providing advice and guidance to other team members where necessary
• Ability to deal with customer queries face-to-face, via video-call or via email efficiently and courteously, ensuring a high level of customer service
• Proven ability to deal with confidential information, maintaining appropriate levels of confidentiality, in line with the University’s policies, at all times.
  
  

Planning, Analysis and Problem Solving

• Ability to plan, prioritise and organise own workload within established time scales and work using existing procedures with a high level of attention to detail.
• Ability to use initiative in solving problems and responding to queries ensuring compliance with standard procedures and practices
  
  

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of dealing with international organisations and individuals outside the UK
• Experience in higher education student administration
• Fluency in Welsh, written and oral
  
  

Salary Range Min.

24,900

Salary Range Max.

25,733

Job Category

Admin / Clerical

Grade

Grade 3