Executive Assistant

About this role 

Sitting at the heart of the UK Research Integrity Office (UKRIO), a small but ambitious charity, this newly created role will work closely with the CEO, Senior Leadership Team, and Board of Trustees, providing a blend of strategic coordination and hands-on administrative support to help ensure the charity runs smoothly, delivers its objectives, and continues to grow its impact.  

The UK Research Integrity Office (UKRIO) is the UK’s national advisory body for research integrity. Established in 2006, UKRIO delivers a wide-ranging programme of guidance and support to enhance good research practice and research culture.  

Reporting directly to the CEO, this role will play a key part in supporting the charity through an exciting period of development and growth, acting as a trusted organisational enabler who connects people, information, and priorities together, removes barriers to progress, and provides the operational support needed to help the Senior Leadership Team, Board of Trustees, and wider team deliver UKRIO's strategic ambitions. 

With this in mind, we are looking for someone who enjoys variety, takes pride in making things run smoothly, and thrives in a busy environment where no two days are the same. The successful candidate will be a highly organised self-starter with strong initiative, excellent judgement, and the ability to anticipate needs, solve problems, and keep multiple priorities moving forward simultaneously. 

While relevant experience in executive support, governance, operations, or project coordination would be advantageous, we are equally keen to hear from individuals with strong organisational skills, a proactive mindset, and the enthusiasm to learn and develop. Applications are welcomed from both experienced professionals and exceptional graduates seeking an opportunity to build a broad and rewarding career. 

As UKRIO continues to evolve, this role offers an excellent opportunity to develop and grow. We are committed to supporting the successful candidate to build their skills and to progress within the organisation, in time potentially stepping up into a more senior role with increased responsibility across governance, operations, and project delivery.  

Key responsibilities 

Executive support 

Serve as a central coordinator for the CEO and Senior Leadership Team, ensuring they have the information and support needed to drive organisational performance and deliver strategic objectives.  

• Act as a trusted point of contact between the CEO and internal and external stakeholders, drafting correspondence and responses on the CEO's behalf where appropriate, and ensuring effective communication and timely follow-up. 


• Coordinate leadership and senior management meetings, preparing agendas, briefing papers, reports, and presentations, and ensuring decisions, actions, and key messages are clearly recorded, communicated, and progressed across the organisation. 


• Prepare briefings, reports, and management information for the CEO and Senior Leadership Team to support effective decision-making and coordinate necessary review and approval, handling sensitive and confidential information with discretion and professionalism. 


• Provide administrative and coordination support to the CEO and Directors, adapting priorities as required to support organisational objectives and emerging needs. 

Governance and Board support 

Work closely with the CEO and Chair to support the effective operation of UKRIO’s Board, ensuring Trustees are well-informed, governance processes are well managed, and decisions and actions are tracked and progressed to promote strong governance and organisational accountability.  

• Support trustee recruitment, induction, development, appraisal, and engagement, helping Trustees contribute effectively and fulfil their governance responsibilities. 


• Coordinate the effective operation of the Board and its committees, including meeting planning, preparation and distribution of papers, minute-taking, action tracking, and follow-up on agreed decisions. 


• Manage governance, compliance, and statutory processes, including annual reporting, governance records, organisational policy reviews, and Board action plans, ensuring obligations are met and the CEO and Trustees are kept informed of key issues, deadlines, and risks. 

Organisational coordination and project support 

Act as a key connector across the organisation, coordinating internal planning, communications, and operational activities to ensure UKRIO remains focused, connected, and effective: 

• Provide administrative and coordination support across UKRIO's programmes, services, and stakeholder activities, including for the charity's online training courses, events, and subscriber onboarding and engagement, ensuring a high-quality experience and responsive service for stakeholders. 


• Manage internal planning and communication processes, coordinating meetings, operational reviews, and organisational updates to ensure priorities, decisions, actions, and key messages are communicated effectively across the organisation. 


• Support the management of organisational plans and projects, monitoring progress against workplans and action trackers, coordinating actions and reporting, and proactively identifying solutions to challenges when they arise. 


• Manage shared organisational inboxes, assessing and prioritising enquiries, responding directly or coordinating input from colleagues as appropriate, and ensuring requests are resolved promptly and professionally. 

People and finance support 

Support the smooth running of UKRIO's operations and administration, coordinating key HR, finance, and organisational processes that underpin the charity's effectiveness and growth: 

• Coordinate the efficient day-to-day administration of UKRIO, ensuring organisational systems, processes, and records are maintained effectively. 


• Act as the primary liaison with external service providers, including office support staff, IT suppliers, HR advisers, bookkeepers, accountants, payroll providers, and auditors, building productive working relationships and ensuring requests, information, and actions are managed effectively and followed through. 


• Coordinate HR administration activities, including recruitment, onboarding, induction, training, offboarding, and record management, working in partnership with our external HR advisers as needed. 


• Support financial administration processes, including processing invoices, expenses, and contracts, as well as managing suppliers and consolidating information for financial reporting and audit purposes. 


• Maintain organisational policies and operational SOPs, ensuring records remain accurate and up to date. 


• Identify opportunities to improve systems, processes, and ways of working, helping to strengthen organisational effectiveness as UKRIO grows. 

Person Specification 

Essential experience 

• Experience providing executive or senior administrative support in a complex environment. 


• Experience preparing, proofreading, and formatting professional reports, presentations, meeting papers, and correspondence to a high standard. 


• Experience supporting meetings, Boards, committees, or governance processes, including preparing agenda, papers, and minutes. 


• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities effectively. 


• Strong written and verbal communication skills. 


• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft 365. 


• Experience handling confidential information with discretion and professionalism. 

Essential attributes 

We are interested in candidates who are: 

• Energised by variety and problem-solving 


• Highly organised and exceptionally detail-oriented 


• Proactive, resourceful, and able to work independently 


• Comfortable juggling multiple priorities in a busy environment 


• Skilled at anticipating issues and finding practical solutions 


• Calm, adaptable, and resilient when managing changing priorities 


• Motivated by enabling others to succeed and ensuring things run smoothly behind the scenes 


• Collaborative and able to build positive working relationships at all levels. 


• Continuously seeking opportunities to improve processes and enhance the effectiveness of an organisation. 

Desirable experience 

• Experience working in a small charity environment. 


• Knowledge of charity governance and trustee responsibilities. 


• Experience supporting finance, HR, operations, or organisational management functions. 


• An interest in research, higher education, public policy, or the charity sector. 

Why Join UKRIO? 

This is an opportunity to work at the centre of a respected national charity and make a significant contribution to its future development. 

The role offers: 

A broad and varied portfolio of work across executive support, governance, operations, HR, finance, and organisational development. 

Direct exposure to leadership, trustees, and strategic decision-making. 

The opportunity to shape and improve organisational systems and processes. 

A supportive and collaborative team culture. 

A genuine opportunity to develop and progress as the organisation expands. 

25 days annual leave (exclusive of statutory and public holidays) 

Additional 3 days annual leave, covering the closure of the charity during the Christmas period 

5% employer pension contribution  

Interest-free season ticket loan  

Volunteer days  

As a small charity, everyone at UKRIO contributes beyond their formal responsibilities when required. We are therefore looking for someone who enjoys being part of a collaborative team, takes ownership of their work, and is excited by the opportunity to help a growing organisation succeed. 

How to apply

Please submit your CV along with a cover letter (maximum two pages) outlining your interest and suitability for the role to [email protected]. Applications will be assessed against the requirements for the post as set out in the Role Profile and Person Specification.

The deadline for applications is 11:59pm on Sunday, 20 September. 

At UKRIO, we value the benefits of a diverse workforce and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences. Our recruitment process is designed to be as accessible and inclusive as possible. If you would like to request to submit your application in an alternative format to support accessibility, please let us know.

Interviews

We aim to notify candidates who have been shortlisted by Tuesday, 22 September. If you have not heard from us after this date, please assume that you have not been successful.

First interviews will be held in person at our Euston office on Thursday, 24 September and final interviews on Monday, 28 September.

Please note UKRIO are actively interviewing for the position and reserve the right to close the job advert early should a suitable candidate be found.