The University of Sheffield
Operations Assistant
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The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.
We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.
Overview
The post holder will provide general administrative support for the School as part of the wider administration team, often as a first point of contact for queries which they will direct as necessary.
Providing assistance across a number of administrative functions, you will work in support of more senior staff in order to ensure the smooth running of the School. In addition, you will provide administrative support to school staff, for example in booking travel and making purchases.
The Operations Assistant will undertake a range of tasks in a range of areas including support for staff recruitment, financial administration tasks, and organising and supporting School events and meetings and keeping School information up to date. You will also play a key role in supporting senior staff in their work, for example by generating reports, inputting information and following up where needed.
Main Duties And Responsibilities
- Act as a point of contact for School enquiries and provide guidance to students, staff, and visitors, directing them as needed. Handle non-standard queries by collecting and assessing information to provide effective solutions.
- Provide general admin support by maintaining and updating records, databases, filing systems, phone/email lists and committee terms of reference and membership lists and assisting with the organisation of the school’s annual calendar of meetings and events.
- Carry out travel and accommodation bookings for the School, ensuring that the University financial regulations are adhered to.
- Perform a variety of financial administrative tasks, including creating requisitions where appropriate, goods receipting, and coding purchasing cards.
- Provide administrative support for recruitment activities, including job postings, application processing, interview coordination, pre-employment checks, onboarding, and maintaining recruitment records.
- In collaboration with colleagues, plan and coordinate School events, workshops, and meetings to a high standard. Manage logistical preparations, including booking rooms, catering, taking minutes or notes, organising parking and booking accommodations.
- Maintain the School’s Staff Handbook and externally facing web pages, creating pages and layouts, monitoring information, and liaising with staff to ensure information is accurate and up to date.
- Act as the departmental contact for building maintenance, liaising with Estates and Facilities Management, reporting faults using the EFM Self Service. Provide support to office moves as required, including arranging any maintenance required, updating door plates, and ordering keys.
- Support senior staff in ensuring the School's compliance with Health and Safety, Information Management, and Security requirements. Responsibilities include monitoring training records, sending reminders, generating reports, and distributing relevant information.
- Provide support as required across the Professional Services team in key operational areas in the event of absence/peaks in workload, including providing administrative support for events, conferences and seminars.
- Proactively identify areas requiring further action to maintain excellent service delivery, ensuring adherence to quality standards, guidelines, and procedures. Raise issues with senior colleagues when necessary and contribute solutions to prevent recurrence.
- Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.
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Person Specification
Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.
Criteria
Essential Or Desirable
Stage(s) assessed at
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Five GCSEs at Grade C or above including Maths and English (or equivalent qualifications/experience)
Essential
Application/interview
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Experience of providing high quality administrative and business support within a complex organisation.
Essential
Application/interview
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Excellent IT skills including knowledge of Microsoft Office and/or Google drive.
Essential
Application/interview
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Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
Essential
Application/interview
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Ability to deal with difficult situations and conversations in a sensitive and confidential manner
Essential
Application/interview
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Ability to work flexibly as part of a team, and to show own initiative
Essential
Application/interview
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Excellent organisational and time management skills
Essential
Application/interview
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Ability to work effectively and accurately to deadlines
Essential
Application/interview
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Ability to produce work to a high standard with attention to detail
Essential
Application/interview
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Ability to remain calm and maintain high service standards whilst under pressure
Essential
Application/interview
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Excellent customer service skills
Essential
Application/interview
Further Information
- Grade: 4
- Salary: £25,249 - £26,707
- Work arrangement: Full-time
- Duration: Open Ended
- Line manager: Operations Support Officer
- Direct reports: N/A
- Right to work in the UK: If you do not currently hold the right to work in the UK, you can find more information here to help determine your visa eligibility. Additional guidance is also available on the UK Visa & Immigration website.
Our website
https://sheffield.ac.uk/management
For informal enquiries about this job contact Mike Boultby, Operations Manager, m.boultby@sheffield.ac.uk.
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Next steps in the recruitment process
It is anticipated that the selection process will take place during the week commencing 3rd August for redeployment candidates or w/c 14th September 2026 (for all other candidates if applicable). This will consist of an in-person interview lasting approximately 30 minutes. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage on the week commencing 27th July (redeployees) or 31st August 202 (all other candidates). If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact mgt.hr@sheffield.ac.uk.
Our vision and strategic plan
We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).
What We Offer
- A minimum of 38 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
- Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
- Generous pension scheme.
- A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
- A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
- Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
- A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Professional Services Shared Skills Framework
- A range of generous family-friendly policies
- paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
- access to menopause support in the workplace
- paid time off and support for fertility treatment
- and more
- More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).
We are a Disability Confident Leader (opens in a new window). If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.
Criminal record
Possession of a criminal record is not an automatic bar to employment at the University of Sheffield. We recognise the value of steady employment in the rehabilitation process and examine each case in its own right. More information can be found on our Information for candidates page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/candidates (opens in a new window).
Closing Date: 24/08/2026
We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision (www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.
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