Job description

We are seeking an enthusiastic individual to join the School of Life Course & Population Sciences Professional Services Team as Operations Assistant. 

The post will play a key role in the successful coordination of seminars in the Departments of Population Health Sciences and Nutrition. 

As part of the School Professional Services Team, the post will work closely with Operations Officers, the School HR & Finance Manager and Research Manager, to ensure activities related to financial processes and research grant management are fully supported. 

The successful candidate will harness a proactive and professional approach to work, with the ability to manage a varied workload and to prioritise effectively.   

Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential as the successful candidate will need to collaborate with colleagues across the university and with external partners to ensure an efficient exchange of information to meet deadlines. 

Previous experience of working in an operational administration and/or business services setting would be beneficial. 

King’s College London operates under a hybrid working policy and when on campus the post-holder will be based at the Guy’s and Waterloo campus (currently 2 days per week). 

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract.  

This is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent

Key responsibilities

•       Provide high quality personal assistance to the Heads of the Department of Population Health Sciences in respect of diary and correspondence. management, as well as arranging travel and accommodation.   

•      Coordinate School events and Seminars, including assisting visitors, managing room bookings, organising audio visual equipment, catering and confirmation of arrangements to participants and security. 

•       To prepare and support Departmental meetings, including the coordination and distribution of papers, organising events and taking minutes as required. 

•      Build strong working relationships with School staff, students and key partners within and beyond the university. 

•      Assist with the local dissemination of information issued by the School’s core team and university central teams to the relevant staff and students, providing advice to staff and students on university and external regulations and policies. 

•      Represent the Departments of Population Health Sciences and Nutrition at School meetings, and occasionally represent the School at Faculty/ university meetings, participating in working groups as appropriate. 

•      To maintain shared resources, including stationery and other supplies. 

•       To administer financial transactions (including purchase orders, invoices, sales invoices, expense claims, journals and providing budget reports). 

•       To support tasks that span through the lifecycle of research grant (pre-award and post-award). 

•       To provide general administrative support in line with the grading of the post. 

•       To build and maintain effective relationships with academic and professional services staff across the college, including by participating in college networks. 

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.  

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria  

1.       Educated to degree level or equivalent qualification or experience 

2.       Prior experience of working in an office environment 

3.       Experience of event organisation 

4.       Numeracy, with proven financial management and basic analytical skills  

5.       Strong interpersonal and communication skills including motivating, influencing and negotiating with stakeholders  

6.       Accuracy and attention to detail, with ability to follow and adapt to new procedures and processes 

7.       Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively and meet deadlines  

8.       Proactive with the ability to work independently as well as delivering within a team 

9.       Positive attitude to work with willingness to learn 

10.   Committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, actively addressing areas of potential bias. 

Desirable criteria

1.       Experience of working in the Higher Education sector  

2.       Experience of Committee servicing 

Candidates are strongly encouraged to specifically address the essential criteria outlined in the Person Specification in their covering letter. 

Further information

The School of Life Course & Population Sciences is one of five Schools that make up the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine at King’s College London. The School unites over 400 experts in women and children’s health, nutritional sciences, population health and the molecular genetics of human disease. Our research links the causes of common health problems to life’s landmark stages, treating life, disease and healthcare as a continuum. We are interdisciplinary by nature and this innovative approach works: 91 per cent of our research submitted to the Subjects Allied to Medicine (Pharmacy, Nutritional Sciences and Women's Health cluster) for REF was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent. We use this expertise to teach the next generation of health professionals and research scientists. Based across King’s Denmark Hill, Guy’s, St Thomas’ and Waterloo campuses, our academic programme of teaching, research and clinical practice is embedded across five Departments. 

More information: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/slcps