The Open University
Business Operations Administrator
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Business Operations Administrator (Research)
Advert Reference Number: 1809
Job Location: Milton Keynes
Department: STEM Business Operations
Salary: £27,319 to £30,378 pro rata
Closing Date: 8 September 2026
Weekly Working Hours: 22.5 - 30
Contract Type: Permanent
Change your career, change lives
The Open University is the UK’s largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education. Find out more about us and our mission by watching this short video (you will be taken to YouTube by clicking this link).
About the Role
This is a part-time, permanent opportunity. Applications from individuals interested in working between 22.5 and 30 hours per week will be considered.
The purpose of this role is to provide personal assistant and administrative support to STEM research centres such as AstrobiologyOU and the Atmospheric Research and Space Exploration Group, ensuring that tasks within the portfolio are completed professionally and to deadlines. You will provide proactive, flexible, and operational and administrative business services support that allows colleagues to do their jobs effectively.
The role holder will provide excellent customer service to members of the faculty by understanding colleagues’ needs and finding solutions to their requirements.
The role holder will work closely with the Business Operations Coordinators, research centre managers, personal assistants and other Executive Team Assistants in the Business Operations Team.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide PA support to senior research centre academics as required.
- Diary and inbox management, including liaison with pan-University colleagues and coordination of arrangements for meetings.
- Provide secretarial support to meetings, including taking minutes/action notes (by exception).
- Acting as a first point of contact and handling general enquiries from academics in the research centres, external organisations and partners etc. using initiative to respond or refer on accordingly.
- Supporting day-to-day research centre operations linked to HR, Finance, IT and facilities, and information compliance.
- Supporting the organisation and delivery of events and conferences.
- Updating websites, SharePoint, Teams sites content and email distribution lists.
- Processing and maintaining purchase order requisitions, booking travel and other ad hoc procurement processes. Supporting in getting value for money on all purchases and suppliers (adhering to Procurement Policies and guidelines).
- Dealing with early consultancy contract support, travel, and other administration enquiries.
- Booking travel using the Click Travel system, processing and complying with OU risk assessments & Government guidelines.
- Managing office supplies and IT equipment ordering.
- Support visiting academic processes as and when needed.
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Other Duties
- Keep skills up to date and attend appropriate staff training and development events.
- Comply with the University’s Health and Safety and Equal Opportunities policies in the performance of their duties.
- Ability to carry out the role in a way that is consistent with equality legislation and University policies.
- To be on site a minimum of 3-4 days a week.
About You
Essential
- Proficiency in English and Maths, which could be evidenced through qualifications (e.g. GCSE or equivalent), work experience, or other relevant training.
- Excellent IT skills to include high level use of Microsoft Office packages.
- Experience of planning and organising several pieces of work, prioritising and scheduling tasks to cope with conflicting demands and deadlines, paying attention to detail and managing records effectively.
- Experience of providing service, organise travel arrangements to internal and external customers.
- Understanding of the principles of data protection and how to manage confidential records and adhere to policies and guidelines.
- Experience of taking high quality minutes with minimal supervision.
- Commitment to principles of improving diversity and equal opportunities within the work environment.
- Excellent organisational and interpersonal skills, with ability to solve problems, prioritise tasks, make timely decisions and support senior managers to prioritise their workload and diary.
- Ability to communicate well with people at all levels and use initiative and work independently and as part of a team in a proactive manner.
- Flexible, adaptable and responsive to changing duties and working practices.
- Ability to work under pressure and to agreed timescales and within delivery standards.
Desirable
- Knowledge of The Open University and its objectives.
- Awareness and understanding of procurement processes and systems.
- Interest and understanding of a Higher Education or other educational setting.
Support with your application
If you have any questions, or need support or adjustments relating to your application, the recruitment process, or the role, please contact us on 01908 541111 or email careers@open.ac.uk quoting the advert reference number.
What's in it for you?
At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).
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Flexible working
We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.
Work location
This role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes campus and the post holder will be required to work from the Milton Keynes campus full-time. However, there will be the option to work remotely on occasion, if desired.
Early closing date notification
While most roles will remain open until the advertised closing date, applications may be reviewed on an ongoing basis. In some cases, vacancies may close earlier if a sufficient number of suitable applications have been received and equality impacts have been appropriately considered. All roles will remain advertised for a minimum of one week before any early closure is implemented.
If you have started an application or were in the process of applying when the advert closed, we encourage you to get in touch. We are committed to understanding individual circumstances and can offer further support where needed, including reasonable adjustments for applicants with protected characteristics.
Next steps in the Recruitment process
If shortlisted, we anticipate interviews taking place onsite in Milton Keynes on 21st or 22nd September.
How to apply
To apply for this role please submit the following document(s):
- CV
- Supporting Statement (Your Supporting Statement should be no more than 1000 words and should outline how your current skills and experience meet the essential and desirable criteria listed above).
You can view your progress and application communications when you are logged into our recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folders if you do not receive associated email updates.
The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength. We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.
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