Deputy University Secretary Ref: 40610

Full time or part time hours considered up to a maximum of 1.0 FTE/ 37.5 hours per week with a minimum requirement of 0.8FTE / 30 hours needed with an additional need for flexibility when necessary for meetings. Requests for flexible working options will be considered (subject to business need).

Grade 9 starting at £57,422 to £66,537 per annum, pro rata if part time.

Contract Type

Permanent

About the role

A role within the Division of the General Counsel, Governance and Compliance (GCGC), with the specific purpose of working with the University Secretary to lead on the coordination and oversight of work of the University's governing body, Council and the academic governing body, Senate, as well as their sub-committees and to deputise for the University Secretary as required.

The Deputy University Secretary will be responsible for leading a team that provides a suite of high-quality secretariat services, supporting the Council level and academic governance of the University through its governing body and committees. In particular, the Deputy University Secretary will act as Secretary for Council and some Council level Committees as well as Senate, the academic governing body.

The individual will require exceptional organisation and business delivery skills, as well as the personal resilience to manage a demanding and fast paced role. S/he will be expected to support the Chair of Council and Chairs of Council Committees, the Vice-Chancellor (VC), the Deputy-Vice-Chancellor and the Chief Operating Officer, who is also University Secretary, in their roles by co-ordinating and managing the flow of information through various committees.

Whilst not essential, previous experience in the HE sector and / or part or full ICSA qualifications would be desirable.

About you

The primary purpose of this post is to support the work of the University's governing body (Council), the academic governing body (Senate), as well as their sub-committees or working groups in line with the agreed programme of work and timetable for the year.

The role will include ensuring that all individual committees are supported throughout the cycle of business including all governance, operational, administrative and logistical arrangements. Attention to detail is essential along with a strong understanding of the role of the governing body and its strategic role at the University.

The postholder will oversee the provision of administrative matters to ensure that these are all managed effectively (e.g. diary invitations, tracking apologies and attendance, co-ordination of all online meeting arrangements, room bookings, catering, parking and on campus support for independent Council members), and be prepared to carry out these functions if necessary.

Ensuring the committee cycle runs smoothly includes a high level of coordination and behind the scenes liaison with the support teams for the Executive and independent members of Council.

Strong relationship building, management and resilience will be required to meet the requirements of this post effectively with reference to the need to engage professionally and collegiately with senior stakeholders both internally and externally.

The wider Governance Team includes colleagues supporting the work of the governance portfolio, plus administrative support through the EA to the General Counsel.

About our Division

We drive good governance and high-quality decision making to support the delivery of the University's strategic and operational objectives by providing professional legal, governance, information management and risk management expertise and advice to help the University realize opportunity and manage risk.

We support governance across the University to ensure high quality decision making which keeps pace with our changing needs. Also, we oversee and drive compliance with key legislative and regulatory requirements.

Sussex is a renowned, multi-accredited, research-led International University and this is only possible because of the people that work here. Whether you are a member of Faculty, part of a Professional Services team or a Student, it's our people that make us great and we want you to be part of that.

The University of Sussex values the diversity of its staff and students, and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

The University requires that work undertaken for the University is performed in the UK.

If you are experiencing any issues using our application portal or if you require adjustments to be made to the selection process, please contact us on 873743 or to discuss your requirements.