Hybrid Operations & Communications Officer

UK-Research-and-Innovation-; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days annual leave

Defined salary pension scheme

Public transport access / free parking

Learning and development opportunities

Employee discounts and offers

Job summary

UKRI - UK Research and Innovation in Swindon is seeking an Operations Officer to support a broad range of ESRC operations activities. You will assist with internal communications, training programmes, recruitment support, and maintaining documentation as part of a small central team.

The role offers hybrid working, 0.8–1.0 FTE, and a fixed-term contract until 30 June 2027. The team emphasises collaboration with UKRI services and a strong focus on continuity and service quality.

Qualifications

• A degree in a relevant discipline, or demonstrable experience of working in a relevant environment or role.
• Planning and organisational skills, including an ability to prioritise and manage multiple or complex activities.
• Quality focused, with demonstrable attention to detail and pride in accuracy.
• Ability to take a positive approach to solve problems and overcome challenges.
• Effective personal communication and interpersonal skills, communicating using the appropriate methods and style for the intended audience.
• Ability to build and maintain collaborative and good working relationships with team members, stakeholders, and others at all levels to deliver excellent service and outcomes.
• Self-motivated, enthusiastic and possesses flexibility to adapt, change and cope with ambiguity.
• IT competency, including Microsoft Office suite.

Responsibilities

• Support activities related to ESRC internal communication channels such as ESRC News (internal) publishing, keeping our intranet content up to date and relevant, and will include writing for internal audiences.
• Support internal campaigns and events that promote engagement with, but not limited to, training, line management, organisational change, and strategy.
• Support activities of the ESRC corporate training programme, including the scheduling of events, internal promotion, managing attendance, and evaluation.
• Provide interview support activities and manage unexpected on-the-day issues.
• Ownership and maintenance of key Operations Team documentation that ensures information is accurate and relevant for its audience.
• Shared mailbox and general query management that draws on operational knowledge of processes and policies and provides a professional service to assist ESRC colleagues.
• Provide secretariat support to groups under the COO’s remit, including preparing meeting arrangements, agendas, papers, and minutes.
• Drive continuous improvement by identifying issues and trends, collaborating with colleagues across ESRC, UKRI and UK Shared Business Service to develop solutions and support the effective operation of ESRC.
• Provide cover and business continuity for other team members’ business-critical activities, when required.
• Undertake the role of Champion, expert guides from across the organisation in a range of functions, such as Purchase Order (PO) champion.
• You will be expected to deliver high-quality work, act diligently, and handle sensitive data and situations across all the activities above.

Skills

Planning and organisational skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

IT competency

Education

Degree or relevant experience

Job description

UKRI - UK Research and Innovation in Swindon is seeking an Operations Officer to support a broad range of ESRC operations activities. You will assist with internal communications, training programmes, recruitment support, and maintaining documentation as part of a small central team.

The role offers hybrid working, 0.8–1.0 FTE, and a fixed-term contract until 30 June 2027. The team emphasises collaboration with UKRI services and a strong focus on continuity and service quality.