Job description

The School of Security Studies at King’s College London wishes to recruit a Programme Coordinator with excellent skills and experience in both operational and communications support. The successful candidate will be responsible for coordinating the Research for Health Systems Strengthening in Syria project ( R4HSSS, https://r4hsss.org ), providing effective administrative support and leading on project communications. You will join a small and hard-working team based at King’s College London and working with partners in Turkey, Iraq, and Syria.

The role-holder will support the Co-Investigators, Research Staff and Programme Manager in achieving the programme’s strategic and operational aims, including providing support with programme outputs, financial reporting, and human resources. You will also be responsible for managing and developing the communications strategy and impact activities in coordination with colleagues and partners. This will include organising regular workshops, conferences and meetings, and maintaining social media channels. Our programme is continuing to expand and it is expected that the successful candidate will also support additional projects, primarily with financial reporting and contributing to grant development as required.

The job would suit someone who is tech-savvy with excellent digital, social media and design skills, possessing great attention to detail, and the ability to manage a variety of tasks effectively. We are looking for someone who is enthusiastic about our work and can work in a fast-paced environment. It is not anticipated that there will be any travel related to this role.

The School of Security Studies is located within the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy. Together, we support an inclusive culture and diversity for our staff and students. We are committed to encouraging further growth from diverse groups, and we welcome applications from people of all abilities and currently under-represented groups, which we are able to support with our range of flexible and inclusive benefits.

This post will be offered on a full-time, fixed term contract until 30th September 2024.

Key responsibilities

General

• To co-ordinate business support administration to ensure standard operating processes and procedures are effectively communicated to and followed by all UK and overseas partners.
• To organise, manage and contribute to regular workshops, conferences and meetings.
• To manage the day to day operations of the programme and to act, alongside the Programme Manager, as a point of control and communication for all programme processes across the programme partners.
• Managing and co-ordinating complex travel arrangements enabling mobility of all programme staff and international advisory board members.
• Communications
• Managing and co-ordinating the development of and regularly editing content for the programmes bespoke webpage, ensuring a vibrant social media presence and working in collaboration with all partners raising the programme’s profile globally.
• Develop excellent working relations with a variety of stakeholders in order to identify and promote high impact activities to a large and diverse audience.
• Design, produce and disseminate innovative and engaging communications – both print and online including social media and newsletters.
• Manage delivery of a regular newsletter including researching and recommending appropriate format, collating relevant items, assigning authors if necessary and drafting content.

Finance and Human Resources

• To manage financial processing including purchasing, invoicing, expenses claims, and provide advice on these processes to overseas partners in consultation with the Programme Manager.
• To take responsibility for the provision and/or dissemination of relevant College and UKRI policy and procedures, in accordance with new and ongoing regulations.
• To be the first point of contact regarding financial questions and programme operational processes.
• To create financial reports for external and internal stakeholders, including the programme funders for compliance purposes.
• To assist the Programme Manager with recruitment processes, including preparing business cases, obtaining approval for posts, job packs, arranging advertising, interviews and induction, liaising with key School of Security Studies staff and the Human Resources Department as necessary.
• To ensure compliance with HR regulations and policies (such as monitoring staff on visas, recruitment processes, employment of bought-in staff, managing fixed-term contract expiry dates, occupational health matters, H&S, DSE etc.), liaising with the HR directorate and providing guidance as necessary.

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria

1. Educated to degree level or equivalent experience

2. Demonstrable experience of working with the policies and procedures of an organisation including financial regulations

3. Proven ability to manage and coordinate logistically complex activities and liaise effectively with a range of national and international partners

4. Excellent IT skills (Especially WordPress CM system, also MS Office)

5. Strong project management skills

6. Excellent oral and written communication skills with an ability to engage effectively with a range of stakeholders, with a particular need for sensitive cross-cultural communication abilities

7. Demonstrable experience of coordinating or managing a complex, multi-national research project or programme

8. Experience of organising events

9. Experience of developing and delivering effective communications and stakeholder engagement activities

10. Experience in maintaining and updating web platforms and social media content

11. Ability to work under pressure in a busy environment and prioritise workload

Desirable criteria

1. Experience of working in an administrative environment within the HE sector

2. Proven ability in managing budgets and the provision of budget monitoring information

3. Experience and understanding of HR and Finance processes and procedures preferably within a HE sector