Job Description

Job Title:	PA and Administration Assistant – School of Sciences	
School/Service:	School of Sciences
	
Grade: 		
Responsible to:	Head, School of Sciences	
Job Purpose:

To provide to the faculty and Head of the School of Sciences comprehensive administrative support and secretarial services as they relate to academic and research tasks. To work co-operatively with other administrative and support staff in the University and assist in the coordination of academic, research, service, and consultancy activities. 
	
Main Duties and Responsibilities:

1.	To provide administrative and office management services to the faculty and Head of the School of Sciences as required by the Head of School.
2.	To undertake personal development in skill areas related to the post.
3.	To undertake any duties and responsibilities, commensurate with the grade of the post, as required by the Head of School. These variations will not alter the general nature of the post or the level of responsibility entailed.

Academic Related Duties and Responsibilities

4.	To become the central initial point of contact for the faculty of the School.

5.	To provide clerical support for faculty of the School, where agreed with the Head of School, with any academic administrative matters (preparing assessment spreadsheets, handbooks and presentation material, producing academic reports, etc.) and ensuring that academic paperwork is submitted by the appropriate deadlines.

6.	To undertake general administrative duties such as the receipt and distribution of mail, editing/ word-processing of letters, memos, references, and other required documentation, support for diary management, photocopying and scanning of papers, timetabling, and booking of rooms.

7.	To undertake effective communication and liaison, both internal and external to the School and the University.

8.	To provide assistance to the faculty of the School through personal organisation:

•	Prepare files and papers in advance as required by the faculty for meetings, committees, etc.
•	Completion and processing of financial documentation, i.e. expenses approval claim forms, business cases for new staff, purchase orders and invoices.

9.	To maintain the School electronic filing system, ensuring that all information is both current and accurately filed.

10.	To operate in accordance with regulations and legislation on both data protection and freedom of information and to safeguard standards of security/confidentiality where these relate to the University.

Research Related Duties and Responsibilities

11.	To co-ordinate and manage the financial and non-financial administration of research projects (e.g. budget, timesheets, contracts) throughout their lifecycle, from pre-award to post-award for the School.

12.	To provide timely support to the faculty of the School on the pre-and-post award administration of research applications and awards.

13.	To prepare, working closely with the faculty, pre-audit documentation and be the School point of contact for internal and external auditors.

14.	To provide support to faculty of the School in relation to research governance.

15.	To promote relevant funding opportunities and awareness of appropriate regulatory frameworks to the faculty of the School.

16.	To plan and coordinate research funding and governance activities, events and training workshops on behalf of the School.

17.	To provide clerical support for faculty, where agreed with the Head of School, including the typing/ word-processing of correspondence, memos, research meeting minutes, references, research bids, published output and other required documentation.
18.	To provide support related to research projects (e.g. proofreading of documents/manuscripts, editing draft questionnaires, searching for and retrieving research information from different sources, maintaining project websites).

19.	To assist in keeping academics up-to-date with research/policy developments.

20.	To assist in the development and maintenance of appropriate databases to support research (e.g. academics’ expertise, open calls for research bids).

21.	To liaise with and answer enquiries from local authorities, research councils, academics, project partners and other people related to research projects.

Personal Assistant Related Duties and Responsibilities

22.	To provide administrative services for the Head of School, including fact finding and the preparation of reports, including use of appropriate research tools.
23.	To assist in all matters concerning the Heads’ correspondence:  Receive all correspondence, re-direct and reply as required, assist the Heads with priority for action / reply, distribute all outgoing correspondence and assist in drafting standard letters and memos as required.
24.	To undertake word-processing and/or typing of letters, memoranda, reports, notes, minutes, presentation materials and statistical data etc. using appropriate software packages.
25.	To arrange and service meetings, prepare agendas, minute meetings, distribute action sheets, maintain records and pursue action points that arise.
26.	To provide assistance to the Head of School through personal organisation: Prepare files and papers in advance as required by the Head, for meetings, committees, interviews etc.
27.	To receive external visitors to each Head’s office and provide hospitality. 
28.	To maintain office filing systems mainly web-based and electronic, ensuring that all information is both current and accurately filed. 
29.	To operate in accordance with regulations and legislation on both data protection and freedom of information and to safeguard standards of security/confidentiality where these relate to the University.
30.	To undertake general University administrative duties as and when required, which may include some or all of the following:
•	Support for School committees or working parties including taking minutes of meetings in turn with the Admin clerks.
•	Assistance with administrative processes at key times of the year for e.g. assessment,
  enrolment and progression
31.	Assistance with Open and Applicant days and the production of induction materials.
32.	An ability to work flexibly with other members of the University is essential to ensure that the current and future administrative needs of the School are met over the calendar and academic year.

Print Name: 		
Sign:		
Date:		

   Person Specification

Job Title:	PA and Administration Assistant 	
School:		
Grade:		
Responsible to:		

Attributes	Essential	Desirable	Measured by:	
Work Experience
	Significant recent PA for a senior level executive with at least 3 years of experience.

Administrative experience in a busy office environment.

Experience with computerised systems/ databases.

Experience and confidence in the use of the Microsoft Office suite of packages, electronic diary and filing systems. 

Must have strong computer skills especially in the use of MS Outlook,
Word, PowerPoint and
Excel. Must be confident in creating excel spread sheets. 

	Experience of working in a research project-based environment, managing a mixed grants portfolio.

Experience of working
in an academic environment in an administrative capacity.

Experience of running funded research projects or working as a research officer assistant.	Application form, aptitude test and interview.	
Education/ Qualifications	Degree or equivalent qualification or relevant professional experience.

Evidence of professional
development and career progression.
	IT qualifications.

Training on research strategy and project management.	Application form, and certificates.	
Skills/ Abilities	Must be fluent in the Language of English and Greek both spoken and written.

Project Management.

Excellent IT skills: MS-Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access) and use of large corporate databases and the Internet.

Ability to work consistently under pressure, prioritise
work and meet deadlines.

Ability to research, organise, analyse and present information to a consistently high standard both verbally and in the form of reports.

Ability to communicate effectively with staff and students and other agencies in person, in writing and on the telephone both in the languages of English and Greek.

Excellent organisational skills.

Skilled in the professional presentation of information.
	Experience with data collection and analysis.

Experience with statistical software programs.

Experience with qualitative and quantitative research.

Experience in the whole research project life cycle, from inception to completion.

Excellent Analytical skills.

Audio typing skills.

Minuting skills.	Application form, aptitude test and interview.	
Others 	Able to work unsupervised and to exercise judgement
and initiative.

Able to work alone or as a member of a team.

A flexible approach to work.

Ability to prioritise work to ensure key deadlines are met.
Ability to be assertive, tactful and to maintain confidentiality.
Take on any additional tasks that may be asked at the discretion of your line manager.	Ability to build and maintain relationships with a variety of internal and external colleagues at all levels.
	Application form, aptitude test and interview.