Job Description

Details

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Reference number

438748

Salary

30,895
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP

Job grade

Executive Officer
UKRI Band C

Contract type

Fixed term

Length of employment

14 Months

Business area

UKRI - Research Infrastructure

Type of role

Administration / Corporate Support

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

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Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information

Location

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Swindon

About the job

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Job summary

Salary: 30,895 per annum , Fixed Term 14 Months , Full Time or Part Time (Minimum 0.8 FTE) , Closing Date: 7th December 2025

Job description

Salary:

30,895 per annum

Band:

UKRI Band C

Contract Type:

Fixed Term (14 months)

Hours:

Full Time or Part Time (Minimum 0.8 FTE)

Location:

While UKRI supports hybrid working, the postholder will be required to attend one in-office team day per week at Polaris House in Swindon, Wiltshire.

Closing Date:

7th December 2025 (Please note: if we receive a high volume of applications, we reserve the right to close the advert early).



Proposed Interview Date: Interviews are likely to be week commencing 15th December 2025.

About the role

Are you highly organised and eager to support world-class research? Join UKRI's Infrastructure Team as a Personal and Project Assistant, helping deliver our 350m+ Infrastructure Fund and Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) programmes. You'll provide vital administrative and project support, including diary management, event coordination, and team planning.

About the Team

Our small, agile team leads UKRI's strategic approach to investing in transformative research infrastructures and manages these as a portfolio. We work across UKRI and government to shape policy and support colleagues on issues vital to a thriving research and innovation ecosystem.


As an organisation, we tackle some of the biggest questions in the universe to solve the world's greatest challenges, the infrastructure we deliver underpins this mission. You'll join a collaborative community that values learning, sharing knowledge and supporting one another.


This is an exciting time to come on board as we refresh our Infrastructure Roadmap and respond to growing interest in Digital Research Infrastructure.

Your Responsibilities:

Diary Management for senior members of the team, primarily two senior Programme Directors and the Portfolio Director, using Microsoft Outlook. This includes scheduling, rescheduling, and cancelling appointments, as well as coordinating larger meetings for the team when required. Manage domestic and international travel and accommodation logistics, prepare itinerary packs, and aid in the processing of travel and subsistence expenses claims. Support with event planning and delivery, book venues and catering, prepare agendas, follow up on actions, provide reception duties and host visitors, such as for the Infrastructure Advisory Committee (IAC) and Advisory Group for DRI (AGD) meetings. Offer administrative support for corporate governance functions such as the UKRI Investment Advisory Working Group (IAWG). Take minutes and action points at meetings when required. Provide administrative support to the team:

+ Lead weekly team meeting preparations: prepare agendas, assign chairs and capture action notes.
+ Manage the team's shared mailboxes, including monitoring, triaging and responding to emails.
+ Produce and format documents such as letters, project reports and spreadsheets using Microsoft Word and Excel (e.g reporting templates).
+ Maintain critical team planning and project documents (e.g. project plans, communication plans).
+ Drive process improvements to enhance team efficiency (e.g developing and maintaining Standard Operating Procedures).
+ Keep the team informed of organisation-wide operational updates.
Collaborate with colleagues on ad hoc administrative tasks and contribute to wider infrastructure portfolio and policy work as needed. Opportunity to lead and take ownership of key team-wide administrative improvements, with support and collaboration from the team.

Person specification

Personal Specification:

Essential

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

Strong organisational and time management skills. An ability to plan and adapt priorities depending on the situation and handle competing pressures whilst remaining calm and professional. (S/I) Exceptional attention to detail, ensuring tasks are completed efficiently without compromising on quality. (S/I) Computer literate with sound capabilities in Microsoft Office (particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), and the ability to use document management systems such as SharePoint. (S) Confident and courteous communicator, able to engage effectively with individuals at all levels from a range of backgrounds. (S/I) Responsible and reliable, demonstrating sound judgement and the confidence to decide what needs the personal attention of a director and which can be managed independently. (S/I) Proactive and self-motivated, with a positive, proactive and collaborative approach towards work and team dynamics. (S/I) Flexible and adaptable, comfortable working across a varied and evolving portfolio of tasks and responsibilities. (S/I)

Benefits

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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.

Benefits

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

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Selection process details

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) 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

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 the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

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Contact point for applicants

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Job contact :

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

* Email : Recruitment@ukri.org