Programme Assistant

The Open University UK; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 32,000; Part time

Job summary

The Open University seeks an organised administrator to support the professional programmes team in Milton Keynes. You will assist with day-to-day management of information, events, and admissions processes for restricted programmes.

You will work on-site weekly, with hybrid arrangements and occasional UK travel as required. Excellent communication and IT skills are essential, together with experience in handling confidential information within a higher education setting.

Qualifications

• Excellent verbal and written communication with high accuracy.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills with ability to prioritise.
• Experience in supporting meetings and events.
• Discretion and handling of sensitive information with confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Support recruitment, selection, and programme-related activities across nations.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders, including senior contacts.
• Maintain and update external partner details using IT applications and university systems.
• Distribute confidential reports and schedule reporting timetables with accuracy.
• Set up meetings/events with stakeholders and prepare meeting papers.
• Undertake additional duties as required within role scope.

Skills

Excellent communication

Organisational skills

Attention to detail

Independent working

Tools

Microsoft Office

University systems

Job description

Department: Professional Programmes Team

Closing Date: 2 November 2026

Weekly Working Hours: 37

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract

Fixed Term Contract: End Date: 2 years from start date

Welsh Language: Not Applicable

Change your career, change lives

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About the Role

You will support the administration of the professional programmes within WELS providing administrative and organisational support to ensure the efficient day-to-day management of information, activity and events within the department. You will also support students through our complex admissions processes and allowing students to be registered onto the restricted programmes.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the recruitment and selection and other programme-related activities of colleagues based across all nations;
• Liaise on behalf of department colleagues, with internal and external stakeholders, including senior contacts to progress the work of the department;
• Support maintenance and updating of external partner details using a range of different IT applications, including Microsoft Office products, university systems and the department’s student work-based learning database;
• Support the distribution of confidential reports to external stakeholders, and schedule reporting timetable, liaising with colleagues to ensure accuracy of content;
• Undertake any other duties reasonably required as within the nature of the duties and responsibilities of the role;
• Responsible for setting up meetings/events with internal and external stakeholders; prepare and distribute meeting papers.

About You

• Excellent oral and written communication skills with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail and the ability to tailor communications depending on the audience.
• Proven computer literacy including the ability to use Microsoft packages (Word, Outlook, and Excel) proficiently.
• Excellent organisational skills, including experience of supporting meetings and events.
• Proven ability to manage competing deadlines and to prioritise work effectively, taking ownership of tasks and ensuring these are completed to schedule and agreed standards.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and co-operatively as part of a team, towards a common goal.
• Experience of dealing with sensitive information in a professional manner, demonstrating discretion and confidentiality.
• Ability to work on site on a weekly basis.
• An understanding of the Higher Education sector.
• Experience of working in an environment where highly regulated external standards must be adhered to.

Support with your application

If you have any questions, or need support or adjustments relating to your application, the recruitment process, or the role, please contact us on 01908 541111 or email [e-mail] quoting the advert reference number.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).

We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.

Working Location:It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where the successful candidate can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes Office, it is expected that some attendance in the office will be required when necessary and in response to business needs. We’d expect this to be once per week, currently Tuesdays but this is subject to change. Frequency of on-site working may increase if business needs dictate. Full-time working based from our Milton Keynes site is also supported if this is preferred by the candidate. Expenses associated with travel to our Milton Keynes site are not reimbursable. Occasional wider UK travel may also be required - expenses for this travel will be reimbursed.

Next steps in the Recruitment process

Face to face interviews are expected to take place mid November.

Early closing date notification

While most roles will remain open until the advertised closing date, applications may be reviewed on an ongoing basis. In some cases, vacancies may close earlier if a sufficient number of suitable applications have been received and equality impacts have been appropriately considered. All roles will remain advertised for a minimum of one week before any early closure is implemented.

If you have started an application or were in the process of applying when the advert closed, we encourage you to get in touch. We are committed to understanding individual circumstances and can offer further support where needed, including reasonable adjustments for applicants with protected characteristics.

Looking for Associate Lecturer (AL) roles?

Please use our AL home page to find AL vacancies.

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength.We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.