Operations Administrator School of Psychology 59717Z25 Grade 5

Position Details

School of Psychology

Location: University of Birmingham Edgbaston Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range 29647 to 31460 with potential progression once in post to 35388

Grade: 5

Full Time Fixed Term contract up to November 2026

Closing date: 19th November 2025

This role is also open as an internal secondment opportunity which would need to be agreed by your current line manager.

Interviews Scheduled: 26th November 2025

Our offer to you

People are at the heart of what we are and do.

The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years andweare equally proud to be recognised as a leading global want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond support them to succeed and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here todevelopthrough our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programmewhichprovides allprofessionalservices staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full almost 5000professionalservices jobs in a wide-range of functionsin Edgbaston andin our campus inDubai there are plenty of opportunities foryou to be able to develop yourcareer at the University.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas innovation and warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we areand how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees andtothe success of the University and depending on the role we offer avarietyof flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible addition you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 dayspaid holidaya year one paid day a year for volunteering occupational sick pay and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus including main bus routes and a train station on campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool shopsplaces to eat and drinkour own art gallery museum and botanical gardens.

Find out more about thebenefits of working for the Universityof Birmingham

Background

The Centre for Human Brain Health (CHBH) is an inter-disciplinary brain research facility established with the mission of understanding what makes a brain healthy how to maintain it how to prevent and reverse damage and how to develop the next generation of interventions and tools for personalised brain in 2016 the CHBH moved into a new purpose-built building on campus at the beginning of 2019.

Role Summary

The post holder will have a key role in the research participant interactions of the CHBH. They will provide support for the screening of research participants including the handing of sensitive personal data ensuring records are stored in accordance with CHBH policies and GDPR regulations. They will have a key role in the maintenance of the Centre-wide resource management and booking system in addition to supporting the CHBH Operations Manager in key areas such as the planning and organising of events the support of committees the updating of the CHBH website and social media accounts and the maintenance of Health and Safety and Risk Assessment documentation. The post holder will also provide PA support to the Centres co-directors.

The post holder should have a positive attitude be a forward thinker able to use own initiative have excellent interpersonal and communication skills and be able to remain calm under addition the post holder should be able to independently (with overall direction from the CHBH Operations Manager) carry out small scale projects and procedures from conception to conclusion and have the ability to manage complex administrative / information systems.

Main Duties

Participant screening

• With guidance from the CHBH Radiographer and PI(s) providing support for the screening of research participants prior to the commencement of research including the handing of sensitive personal data.
• With the guidance of the CHBH Radiographer and Operations Manager;
  • Coordinate the required training for new CHBH General Users.
  • Maintain the CHBH General User Database; Monitor training due dates and coordinate the refresher training for existing CHBH General Users to ensure compliance with required training and MRI Safety Screening.
  • Ensure all MRI Safety Screening Forms and project related information or forms are stored in accordance with CHBH and University policies and wider General Data Protection Regulations (GDPRs).

Resource management and booking system

• Providing administrative support for the Centre-wide resource management and booking system ensuring records are up-to-date.
• Assisting the CHBH Operations Manager in generating reports of usage for CHBH modalities as appropriate.

Health and Safety

• Understanding and complying with site and local emergency procedures.
• Understanding and complying with the Universitys safety policies and procedures.
• Highlighting Health and Safety concerns to the CHBH Health and Safety representative in a timely fashion.
• Maintaining a central up-to-date record of CHBH risk assessments.

Events and External Communication

• Supporting the CHBH Operations Manager in the planning and organising of CHBH events (e.g. CHBH Seminar Series and CHBH Journal Club away days).
• Providing hands-on support in the execution of CHBH events with a proactive approach to problem solving.
• Promoting CHBH achievements events seminars and journal clubs using the appropriate channels including social media.
• Supporting the CHBH Operations Manager and Marketing Communication and Digital colleagues in the development and maintenance of the CHBH website.
• Generating regular content for social media channels and updating as appropriate.
• Updating participant-facing information in CHBH waiting areas including the input of notices onto display screens.

Building relationships

• Working with the CHBH Operations Manager and CHBH colleagues to build relationships and collaborations with the Institute for Mental Health.
• Building effective working relationships with key staff within the School and College as well as with relevant Professional Service colleagues from across the University.

PA support

• Accurately managing diaries of the CHBHs co-directors prioritising and allocating time for meetings and appointments using own discretion and judgement thinking ahead to anticipate problems and as necessary preparing various solutions for consideration.
• Developing an in-depth understanding of current priorities and diary commitments in order to be able to provide advice to both internal and external contacts and colleagues.
• Organising meetings including; clearly informing attendees of the meeting purpose finding suitable times for attendees booking venues and arranging catering circulating documents in advance and other related responsibilities.
• Collating relevant papers and material for the Co-Directors meetings and attend meetings as necessary with the Co-Directors. This includes drawing up agendas for meetings producing clear and accurate minutes and ensuring that any follow-up action is taken.
• Managing and arranging all aspects of the Co-Directors travel and accommodation requirements in the UK and overseas co-ordinating meetings and ensuring the arrangements made do not exceed the allocated budget.

General duties

• Promote efficiency and good working practices within the Centre by proactively reviewing existing administrative systems/processes. Highlight potential areas of improvement and under the guidance of the Operations Manager work to implement agreed changes.
• Remain up-to-date with relevant University College and School policies and procedures. Working with the Operations Manager promote a general awareness of and compliance with the policies and procedures within the Centre
• Welcoming research participants to the Centre at the CHBH Reception.
• Ensuring that all enquiries dealt with in a professional and timely manner.
• Provide administrative support for CHBH committees and other meetings as requested to include the preparation of agendas and minutes ensuring that follow-up actions are taken.
• Liaising with academic and support staff to ensure that stocks of laboratory and office consumables are kept up-to-date.
  • Using Core Systems submit and monitor orders for general Centre related purchases.
  • Support CHBH staff in their understanding and use of Core Systems self-service functions.
• Liaising with School Estates Cleaning and Security colleagues as appropriate regarding the maintenance of the School building as required. To report faults and problems and request works.
• Undertaking other duties as required bythe CHBH Operations Manager and Co-Directors.
• Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.

Person Specification

Essential

• Educated to at least Advanced Level (or equivalent qualifications and work experience) and hold GCSEs in Mathematics and English at C or above (or equivalent).
• Significant previous experience in a PA and/or Operations role.
• Excellent IT skills especially use of Microsoft Word Excel Outlook and PowerPoint.
• The post holder should also be confident and willing to quickly learn new software packages to support inform and improve operational effectiveness.
• Excellent demonstrable interpersonal organisational team working and communication skills.
• A high level of discretion and sensitivity in dealing with confidential matters.
• Ability and demonstrable experience of working accurately and paying close attention to detail.
• Aptitude to prioritise own workload and to complete all tasks accurately and to a routinely high standard even when working to challenging and/or conflicting deadlines.
• Capability to manage own workload autonomously and work as an effective team member with flexibility.
• Significant self-initiative and ability to carry out projects from conception to conclusion.
• Demonstrable ability to provide effective high quality customer service and to make suggestions relating to service enhancements.
• Ability to take accurate notes and minutes.
• Experience of working in a large and complex organization.
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010 and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.

Desirable

• Experience of working in Higher Education.
• Experience of working at an executive level.

Informal enquiries to Emma Turner email:

View our staff values and behaviours here

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyoneon our website.