Project Administrator

Role: Project Administrator

Grade and Salary: Grade 5, £26,338 - £30,805 per annum

FTE and working pattern: 1.0 FTE, 35hrs per week, Monday – Friday

Contract: Fixed Term Until 30/11/2029

Holiday Entitlement: 28 days annual leave plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)

Purpose of Role

We are seeking to appoint a Project Administrator to provide support for a large, multi-partner programme grant researching the development of quantum secure communications technologies.

The Project Administrator will join a dedicated team of professional support staff assisting Hub investigators with all operational aspects of programme delivery over the 5-year duration of the award.

The Project Administrator will assist the Director, Hub researchers and professional support team with a range of administrative tasks required to facilitate the effective and efficient delivery of research processes.

The role holder must have effective organisational, interpersonal, and communication skills, vital for this role, as are numeracy and IT (Microsoft Office) skills. This post will suit a self-motivated individual who is able to work flexibly as one of a team, as well as working independently.

The successful candidate will report directly to the IQN Hub manager and work closely with the latter and alongside the Communications, Finance and Business Development managers in support of activities across all these project areas.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

The role holder will be expected to undertake a range of general research support responsibilities, including but not limited to:

• Assisting with project-related communications and sourcing responses to specific enquiries from individuals with relevant knowledge and expertise.
• Liaising with other University research support teams (Finances, Research Operations, Research Contracts), where appropriate, to respond to questions or signpost for further information.
• Maintaining project datasets and spreadsheets to record project outputs and finances.
• Providing diary support for the Hub Director, including coordinating and arranging meetings and other appointments, making travel arrangements, and liaising and prioritising as appropriate.
• Supporting the Hub manager with meetings and events organisation related activities, including all aspects of planning (e.g. sourcing available venues, liaising with suppliers/AV teams, arranging catering etc.), delivery and evaluation.
• Supporting the Business Development manager with activities related to the operation of the Hub Industry Partners Board; and including organising and servicing meetings, disseminating outputs and tracking action points.
• Supporting the Communications manager with maintaining the project website and uploading relevant content, including on various social media platforms, as required.
• Supporting the Finance manager with data collation related to regular expenditure reports, in compliance with funder and University guidelines, and other routine finance tasks.
• Helping to populate the Researchfish platform with project-specific outputs in readiness for the annual submission cycle.
• Acting as a co-ordinating administrative point of contact for the IQN and the University of Glasgow-led PNT Hub, where Heriot-Watt researchers are also involved.

This job description is not exhaustive, and the role holder may be required to undertake other relevant duties commensurate with the grading of the post. Activities may be subject to amendment over time as the role develops and/or priorities and requirements evolve.

Essential & Desirable Criteria

Essential

1. Literacy and numeracy skills equivalent to SCQF Level 5 or equivalent
2. Competent in the use of relevant IT packages and open to learning to use new software
3. Excellent organisational skills, including the ability to independently plan and prioritise own workload to meet deadlines
4. A confident, pro-active customer-focused approach to work and use of initiative to propose solutions or improvements as and when needed
5. A high standard of numeracy and excellent attention to detail
6. Experience in supporting financial administration to ensure that programme/event budgets are adhered to and used appropriately
7. Experience of providing administrative support on large-scale projects
8. Well-developed interpersonal skills
9. Demonstrable ability to work quickly, flexibly and accurately in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment

Desirable

1. Educated to SCQF Level 6 (Highers) or equivalent qualification
2. Experience of working within a similar environment as outlined above
3. Operational knowledge of financial management systems and of financial administration procedures in a higher education environment or equivalent
4. Proven knowledge of data management and collection systems in respect of financial and output reporting
5. Knowledge of University financial systems such as Oracle and Worktribe

How to Apply

Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on Sunday 30th March 2025.

Please submit your CV, and a covering letter describing your interest and suitability for the post via the Heriot-Watt online recruitment portal.

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g., part-time working and job share options.