Operations Officer

Job description

The post holder will be responsible for the administration and smooth running of the Centre for Grand Strategy within the War Studies Department at King’s College London, working in a team including full-time academics and graduate students. The overall purpose of the role is to manage the externally funded and internal budgets for the centre, organise the centre’s events and communications, and provide a professional administrative support service for all of the centre’s activities. This will include budgeting and planning for events, helping with external funding applications and reporting, helping to run existing programmes (on Applied History, World Order and annual summer school) as well as the development and administrative management of new ones and the general support of the centre’s director. The role will work closely with the Professional Services functions within the School of Security Studies.

The School of Security Studies is located within the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy.  Together, we support an inclusive culture and diversity for our staff and students.  We are committed to encouraging further growth from diverse groups, an we welcome applications from people of all abilities and currently under-represented groups, which we are able to support with our range of flexible and inclusive benefits.

The role holder will be responsible to the Centre Director and School Research Managers.

This post will be offered on a fixed-term contract until December 2024.

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

Key responsibilities

• Assist the Centre’s business support administration to ensure standard operating processes and procedures are effectively communicated to all Centre staff in line with the College’s processes and procedures
• Lead the day-to-day operations of the Centre, including the administration of doctoral and postdoctoral programmes
• Manage CGS office spaces and resources
• Manage the organisation of the Centre’s events and seminar programmes, including room bookings, catering, arranging travel and accommodation, advertising, managing RSVPs and payments, and providing on the ground support
• Organise and contribute to regular workshops, conferences and meetings in the UK and abroad including the annual summer school programme
• Manage Centre communications, including managing and maintaining the Centre’s website, mailing lists, monthly newsletter, and social media feeds, and to work alongside the Centre Director to provide editorial support, showcasing projects to a broad audience
• Manage and co-ordinate complex travel arrangements
• Collaborate with colleagues in the on-going development of the Centre’s networks, partnerships and stakeholders
• Work with the Centre Director on medium- and long-term strategic planning, providing support and input

Finance

• Support the development of external grant applications
• Assist the Director and School Research Managers in managing the financial aspects of research grants and gifts in the Centre, including financial planning and managing operating contracts, ensuring both compliance with college requirements and adherence to the expectations and requirements of funders
• Assist with the Centre’s financial processing including purchasing, invoicing and expense claims
• Liaise with the College’s Finance Department and the accounts offices of suppliers and organisations with whom the Centre is working
• Be responsible for keeping accurate and up-to-date records and files of all financial transactions
• Work alongside the School Research Managers, for pre-award administration and liaise with the Director to develop the post-award financial forecasting and management system for the Centre
• Create financial reports for external and internal stakeholders, including the programme funders

Human Resources

• Assist the School Research Managers with the recruitment processes in the Centre, including preparing business cases, obtaining approval for posts, job packs, arranging advertising, interviews and induction, liaising with key School of Security Studies staff and the Human Resources Department as necessary
• Ensure staff adhere to King’s procedures and processes when in the office and when traveling for business (risk assessments and travel insurance etc)

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.

Further information

About the Faculty

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/index.aspx

About the Department of War Studies

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/warstudies/index.aspx 

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria

1. Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
2. Proficiency in relevant IT systems and software such as MS Office, WordPress, CMS etc
3. Excellent written oral and communication skills, with an ability to engage effectively with a range of stakeholders
4. Administrative and professional services experience within HE/FE, particularly the coordination of projects across research and business functions
5. Experience of coordinating, planning, communicating, and delivering large-scale events to a high standard and on budget
6. Proven ability to manage and coordinate logistically complex projects and liaise effectively with a range of stakeholders
7. Ability to work under pressure, with a flexible approach, and a structured and highly organised approach to planning and delivery of projects
8. Some flexibility around normal working hours to fit into the activities of the centre, such as evening events
9. Friendly and professional manner
10. Ability to work well as part of a small team

Desirable criteria

1. Proven ability in managing budgets and the provision of budget monitoring information