Personal Assistant - International

UK Research and Innovation; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days' annual leave + 10.5 days

Employee discounts & offers

Employee assistance programme

Flexible working options

Job summary

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is looking for a proactive Personal Assistant to support 2-3 Deputy/Associate Directors in the International Shared Capability. The role requires diary and inbox management, travel planning, and high-level administrative support in a fast-paced, confidential environment.

You will liaise with internal and external stakeholders, coordinate meetings (virtual and in-person), and assist with reports, expenses, and team activities.

Qualifications

• Excellent diary and email management skills (S&I).
• Strong time management and prioritisation abilities (I).
• Proactive, forward-looking approach to workload and deadlines (S&I).
• Excellent written and verbal communications with attention to detail (S&I).
• Discreet handling of confidential information (S&I).

Responsibilities

• Provide proactive PA support to 2-3 UK-based Deputy/Associate Directors.
• Arrange UK and overseas travel, visas and meetings.
• Manage inboxes and calendar, prioritize correspondence.
• Prepare agendas, papers and note-taking for meetings.
• Support general admin for senior directors and projects.

Skills

Diary management

Email management

Travel coordination

Stakeholder liaison

Secretariat support

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Hours: Full Time (Flexible Working Available).

Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire (Hybrid Working Available - Minimum 2 days per week in office).

Closing Date: Monday 31st August 2026.

About the role

Providing comprehensive administrative and PA support to the Deputy/Associate Director team in UKRI International. You will act as an important interface with internal and external colleagues at all levels. The role will be highly visible internally and to UKRI’s external stakeholders and as such you should exemplify the values and behaviours of the wider organisation. All work must be carried out to high professional standards in a timely manner, while maintaining confidentially at all times. You will need to be able to work under pressure in a fast‑paced environment, responding to different types of challenges and tasks on a daily basis.

Your Responsibilities

• Proactive PA support to 2-3 UK‑Based Deputy/Associate Directors within the International Shared Capability, including diary and inbox management.
• Arrange travel and accommodation for UK visits, and complicated overseas visit programmes, including travel bookings, visa arrangements, coordination of briefings and meeting papers etc. in line with the UKRI travel guidance and policy.
• Management of Deputy/Associate Directors inboxes; ensuring emails are prioritised and dealt with. Including close monitoring when Directors are on leave to ensure correspondence is delegated appropriately.
• Professional approach to communicating effectively with internal and external stakeholders using Microsoft packages, Outlook, Word etc.
• Maintaining confidentially of the Deputy/Associate Directors and senior colleagues across UKRI.
• Arranging internal and external meetings (including virtual) and providing support for meetings, including secretariat support for internal management meetings, consisting of coordinating and circulating agendas and papers, note taking and action monitoring.
• General administrative support for Directors, including processing expenses, support for team meetings and team activities for example appraisals and objective setting.
• Ad‑hoc administrative support as required for discrete projects and activities.
• Working as part of a PA team, providing reciprocal cover as required, and contributing to team wide projects.
• Occasional travel to meetings as required.

Personal Specification

The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).

• Excellent management skills of complex diaries and email accounts (S&I).
• Excellent time management skills with ability to identify, prioritise and plan (I).
• Proactive and forward looking – ability to identify issues and information required for the Director in advance and to develop systems for managing a heavy workflow (S&I).
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills, with close attention to detail a priority (S&I).
• Good interpersonal and collaborative skills, able to foster productive working relationships with a broad range of internal and external contacts (I).
• Discreet and respectful of confidentiality, able to recognise and deal appropriately with potential sensitive issues (S&I).
• The ability to work flexibly as part of a PA team, demonstrate good teamwork and support for other team members (I).
• Proven administrative skills, with a track record of support to senior level managers (S&I).

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. We are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning!

A list of benefits below:

• 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
• Flexible working options.

Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!

For further information on our benefits please see:

Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.

As this job does not fulfil the UK Government minimum criterion for obtaining sponsored migrant worker status we will be unable to apply for sponsorship for anyone not eligible to work in the UK. At interview, all shortlisted candidates are required to bring with them identification documents and original documents that prove they hold or can obtain the right to work in the UK. You can check your eligibility here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y