Operations Officer

Job summary

Salary: £30,895 per annum

Band: UKRI Band C
Contract Type: Fixed Term (9 months). Ends 31st March 2027.
Hours: Full-time (minimum 0.8 FTE) (flexible working available)
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire - Hybrid working available

Closing Date: 28 June 2026

Job description

The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) supports world-class arts and humanities research. Part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which works in partnership with universities, research organisations, businesses, charities, and government to create the best possible environment for research and innovation to flourish. We fund academic research in over 50 subject areas – from archaeology to linguistics, law to visual arts – as well as supplying to cross-cutting research agendas addressing the major challenges facing the world today, such as climate change, global poverty, gender inequalities and health crises. Research into these areas helps us to understand our experiences, identities, and histories, and question our cultural assumptions.

We receive over £100m each year from the UK Government and distribute funding through competitive funding calls that reflect and support the needs of the academic community. We also promote arts and humanities research more widely, showcasing how research has a positive impact on public policy, the economy, society, and culture.

About the role

A post has become available providing operational and administrative support to a busy team within the AHRC. The Operations Team is looking to recruit one Operations Officer on a fixed term basis (until March 2027) to join the Policy and Process area of the Team.

The role is fundamentally an administrative role tasked with the operational delivery of the team’s objectives. This exposure to the broad and varied work of the AHRC will provide you with an excellent understanding of the national and international research funding landscape and allow you to develop a long-term career path within grants funding.

We may make further appointments to administrative Band C posts in the AHRC Grants Operations Team from this recruitment exercise should roles become available.

Your responsibilities:

• providing general operational and organisational support to the AHRC Grants Operations team including managing shared mailboxes, supporting the implementation of grants policy and process updates, supporting the purchase order process, creating online surveys, processing disabled student allowance claims and supporting the research outcomes reporting process

• being a first point of call for external enquiries; engaging directly with prospective applicants, grant holders and other external stakeholders in relation to AHRC grants policy, funding provision and processes, and providing answers and guidance in a timely manner

• engaging with and supporting continuous improvement project work and initiatives, seeking to refine processes, policy, and ways of working within both your team and the wider organisation

• occasionally you may also support meetings, webinars, and events both internally and externally and both in-person and virtually; tasks include securing venues (or virtual meeting space), arranging logistics, making travel and accommodation arrangements, and processing expenses claims

• supporting training and guidance on the systems and processes of AHRC

Person specification

The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).

Essential

•You have excellent organisational and administrative skills, and the ability to work flexibly and multi-task with good attention to detail, often at pace (S&I).

• You have sound numeric skills, including handling and analysing data sensitively, accurately, and responsibly (S&I).

• You have excellent written communication skills and can draft and understand complex written documents and interpret them clearly (S&I).

• You can work independently, think creatively, solve problems, and make effective decisions (S&I).

• You are a great team player and can provide support to colleagues, sharing knowledge and information, and giving towards the achievements of your team and the wider organisation (S&I).

• You are an excellent communicator with good social skills, working effectively with colleagues at different levels both inside and outside the organisation, while being an effective ambassador for the AHRC (S&I).

• You have a good working knowledge of IT and programmes (Outlook, MS Word, Excel, MS Teams, etc.) with the ability to quickly learn new software and systems. (S&I).

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,895, UK Research and Innovation contributes £8,950 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. We are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning!

A list of benefits below:

• An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
• 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
• Flexible working options.

Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!

For further information on our benefits please see:

Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.

Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact Recruitment@ukri.org

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

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Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : UKRI Recruitment Team
• Email : Recruitment@ukri.org

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitment@ukri.org