Operations Support Assistant

Diversity Dashboard; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave options

Pension scheme

Flexible working

Development opportunities

Staff discounts

Job summary

The University of Sheffield seeks an experienced Operations Support Assistant to help manage a wide range of operational activities within Research, Partnerships & Innovation.

You will support HR, Finance and Health & Safety processes, coordinate recruitment tasks and assist with procurement, events and communications. The role emphasizes confidentiality, accuracy and flexible teamwork in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• GCSEs at Grade C or above; including English and Maths.
• Knowledge of standard office procedures through relevant qualifications, or work experience in an administrative role.
• Excellent IT literacy with practical experience in Microsoft Office and/or Google software.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal with a wide range of people.
• Excellent customer service skills, handling phone and email enquiries effectively.
• Excellent team working skills and collaborative ability across the organisation.
• Excellent attention to detail and high accuracy.
• Ability to adapt to changing demands and priorities.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and administer departmental processes related to HR, Finance and Health & Safety.
• Recruitment support: job postings, processing applications, interview coordination and onboarding.
• Prepare requisitions, purchase orders and invoices in line with financial directives; process expenses.
• Support health & safety processes, track training and generate reports.
• Act as DSE Assessor for the team and assist with events and conferences.
• Coordinate meetings, travel, room bookings and AV/catering for department events.
• Maintain asset register, arrange office moves and liaise with Estates & Facilities.
• Disseminate operational communications and maintain staff hub CMS pages.

Skills

Communication

Customer service

Teamwork

Attention to detail

IT literacy

Education

GCSEs including English & Maths

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Job description

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

Overview

As Operations Support Assistant, you will work with the Team Support Manager and wider support team within Research, Partnerships & Innovation to support the smooth running of a range of operational activities including health and safety, staff recruitment and induction, estates and facilities management, purchasing and a range of administrative support responsibilities.

We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic administrator who:

• is motivated and proactive
• works to a high level of accuracy
• enjoys the challenge of a varied workload
• excels at both following established processes and contributing to their continued improvement

The ability to maintain a confidential approach to information, documents and data is also

prerequisite for this post.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Support the Team Support Manager as required with the coordination and administration of departmental processes related to HR, Finance and Health & Safety

1. Provide administrative support for recruitment activities, including job postings, application processing, interview coordination, pre-employment checks, onboarding, and maintaining recruitment records.
2. Prepare accurate requisitions, purchase orders, sales invoices etc. in accordance with the University's financial directives. Check and process staff and non-staff expense claims and purchasing card transactions.
3. Provide support to colleagues across the department to ensure compliance with requirements relating to Health & Safety; including checking training records, sending reminders, generating reports and dissemination of information.
4. Act as a DSE (Display Screen Equipment) Assessor for the team

• Provide support as required across RPI in the event of absence/peaks in workload, including providing administrative support for events and conferences. This may include arranging meetings, room bookings, travel (both within the UK and overseas), hotel accommodation, coordinating AV equipment and catering etc.
• Assist with the organisation of department wide events and activities as required.
• Act as the departmental contact for building maintenance, liaising with Estates and Facilities Management, reporting faults using the EFM Self Service. Provide support to office moves as required, including arranging any maintenance required
• Maintain and update the departmental asset register. This includes ensuring all assets are accurately labelled, PAT tested and stored correctly.
• Support the dissemination of department-wide operational communications via email, maintaining the RPI Staff Hub [internal webpages] using CMS and coordinating the monthly RPI newsletter.
• Undertake other activities as required to ensure that all administrative activities within the department are carried out in a timely and efficient manner, providing cover for colleagues in the support team.
• Handle confidential information appropriately, adhering to the General Data Protection Regulation and University policies.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

• GCSEs at Grade C or above; including English and Maths (or equivalent)

  Essential

  Application

• Knowledge of standard office procedures through relevant qualifications, or work experience in an administrative role.

  Essential

  Application / Interview

• Excellent IT literacy, including practical experience in the use of Microsoft Office and/or Google software

  Essential

  Application / Interview

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal with the ability to communicate effectively with a wide variety of people

  Essential

  Application / Interview

• Excellent customer service skills, with experience of responding efficiently and effectively to phone and email enquiries

  Essential

  Application / Interview

• Excellent team working skills, with the ability to work collaboratively and cooperatively with colleagues across the organisation.

  Essential

  Application / Interview

• Excellent attention to detail and ability to work to a high level of accuracy.

  Essential

  Application / Interview

• Ability to adapt to rapidly changing demands, be able to prioritise and to work flexibly

  Essential

  Application / Interview

• Proven experience of financial / purchasing administration procedures with the ability to maintain spreadsheets and process financial information.

  Desirable

  Application / Interview

• Experience of working in a large complex organisation.

  Desirable

  Application

Further Information

• Grade 4
• Salary £25,249 - £26,707 with potential to increase to £28,778 through sustained exceptional contribution
• Work arrangement Full-time
• Line manager Team Support Manager
• Right to work in the UK This role does not meet the criteria for Skilled Worker sponsorship under the UK Visa & Immigration points-based system. Information on alternative visa options is available on www.gov.uk.
• Our website https://sheffield.ac.uk/rpi
• For informal enquiries about this job, contact Sophie Fletcher, Team Support Manager: on [e-mail]

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the selection process will take place at the end of August / early September. This will consist of an interview and in-tray test. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage within 1 week following the closing date.

If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact Sophie Fletcher on [e-mail]

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).

What we offer

• A minimum of 38 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women's and Parent's networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Professional Services Shared Skills Framework
• A range of generous family-friendly policies
  • paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
  • access to menopause support in the workplace
  • paid time off and support for fertility treatment
  • and more

More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).

We are a Disability Confident Leader (opens in a new window). If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

Closing Date : 07/08/2026

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision ( www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision ) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.