Senior Administrative Assistant

Our External Relations team is responsible for promoting and raising awareness of our University’s brand in the UK and overseas. From creating all messaging and content for external campaigns and our website, to social media, and managing events – ours is a highly complex and expert marketing, PR and Internal Comms environment, key to making the University shine.  

International Recruitment

The International Office takes the lead on international student recruitment, working in its priority regions of China, India, Pakistan, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe. We work across the University, with Colleges and Professional Services such as Admissions and Marketing, and externally with recruitment agents, sponsors, and bodies such as the British Council. We also work with Colleges and the Partnership Unit on the business development aspect of collaborative overseas partnerships.

We are looking for a proactive and highly organised professional to join our External Relations department, providing high-quality administrative and customer-focused support. This role is central to ensuring the smooth delivery of External Relations services and projects, supporting staff, stakeholders, and key University activities.

As the first point of contact for internal and external customers, you will handle a wide range of enquiries via phone, email, and in person, ensuring responses are timely, accurate, and professional. You will play an important role in supporting service delivery by identifying trends in queries, helping to improve processes, and ensuring systems and protocols are used effectively.

The role involves a varied workload, including project support, relationship management, research, data management, meeting coordination, and maintaining information across systems such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms and the intranet. You will also assist with marketing and promoting services and events, supporting recruitment campaigns, open days, and major University events such as enrolment and awards ceremonies.

You will work closely with the Associate Director and International Recruitment Team wider, contributing to reports, financial tracking, document creation, and internal and external communications. A strong attention to detail, excellent organisational skills, and a people-centred approach are essential, as is the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys working collaboratively, delivering high standards of customer service, and contributing to the success of high-profile projects and events while role modelling the University’s values and behaviours.

Due to the nature of this role, you will need to be willing to work flexibly and be responsive to business needs and customer expectations (will require some late/evening/weekend work).

We are looking for a proactive and organised individual with strong administrative and customer service experience. You will have experience working in a busy office environment, handling enquiries professionally, and supporting teams with accuracy and attention to detail.

The ideal candidate will be IT literate, confident using Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and other core systems. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential, along with the ability to work independently and as part of a team.

You will be adaptable, able to manage competing priorities, meet deadlines, and respond positively to changing circumstances. Discretion and sensitivity when handling confidential information are crucial. Flexibility to support occasional evening, weekend, or travel requirements is also expected.

1. To provide a high-quality customer service to both internal and external customers and colleagues, handling enquiries and responding to requests in line with timescales agreed, via telephone, email or in person.
2. To provide first line contact support to staff using/accessing External Relations services, identifying trends in queries and scoping improvements to services.
3. To ensure the External Relations processes are being accessed and used effectively in line with protocols and guidelines, this may involve creating new documents, maintaining trackers, supporting internal audits, as determined by the Associate Director.
4. To undertake project work, research information and create draft documents, developing project plans, servicing meetings, preparing briefing papers, following up on actions.
5. To develop and maintain mechanisms for the recording, updating and retrieval of information and provision of data, operating with a high level of attention to detail¸ including use of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.
6. Co-ordinate appointments, arrange and organise meetings, as appropriate.
7. To maintain, review and update information held on the intranet site.
8. To provide cover for the administrative support for External Relations project work, which includes seeking, researching and interpreting key data, managing communication, producing project timelines (e.g. Recruitment campaigns) and assisting the team with a range of internal events and meetings.
9. To support the Associate Director and their teams to market and promote our services to ensure maximum participation in events, such as open days.
10. To follow the financial regulations to raise purchase requisitions, track orders and invoices ensuring effective and accurate records to be able to provide a full picture of spend against budget for a defined area.
11. To maintain a highly professional and people centred approach, including role modelling the University’s values & behaviours.
12. Provide support for key University and Departmental events e.g. Enrolment and Awards Ceremony, Away Days, Social Events.