23p-06 Project Assistant

**Organisation position and purpose**:
The Pirbright Institute leads the DEFEND consortium. The management and administration of the consortium is the responsibility of the DEFEND Project Support Team, based at the Pirbright Institute. The Project Administrator will be a pivotal member of the Project Support Team, undertaking day to day administrative activities for DEFEND. The Project Administrator will need to engage with all our partners all over the world, building professional and strong relationships. The Project Administrator will report to the DEFEND Project Manager and also work closely with the DEFEND Project Leader to deliver this very important work.

The role is part time (22h/week). It is suitable for a hybrid of home and on-site working practices.

**Main duties and responsibility**

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**DEFEND working procedures**
- Coordination of internal consortium reporting activities. These consist of a 6 monthly progress and financial report from each partner.
- Providing support for the coordination of the 18-month customer report to the European Union, requiring technical updates and financial reports from each partner, tracking returns, collating information and ensuring the timely submission of the report.
- Monitoring progress with project deliverables and milestones, contacting consortium partners and tracking progress.
- Working collaboratively with partners (for many English is not their first language), supporting them with administrative and financial issues.
- Managing the time reporting process for the project team, required for audit purposes.
- Ordering goods and services and arranging travel and accommodation for the project team as requested.

**DEFEND meetings**
- Organising regular DEFEND project meetings, circulating paperwork and recording actions within agreed timescales.
- Providing support for the annual two-day DEFEND consortium meeting, including organising the venue, catering, travel, accommodation, planning the program and liaising with delegates.

**DEFEND communication and dissemination activities**
- Promoting DEFEND through online tools, including the DEFEND website and the DEFEND twitter and Facebook accounts.

This job description is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. The jobholder will carry out any other duties as may be reasonably required by her/his line manager. The job description and personal specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of The Pirbright Institute.

All employees shall actively participate in the Institute-wide quality assurance system in conjunction with the Institute’s Quality Manager. _Employees are also expected to safeguard their own health and safety and security by following policies and all e_mployees are responsible for the Health and Safety and security of staff under their management.

**Personal specification**

For this role, we are looking for someone who is highly organised, proactive, reliable, enthusiastic and creative in their approach to progressing tasks, with good attention to detail and a professional manner.

**Specific requirements**

Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent
- Ability to work independently, using own initiative
- Previous administrative experience
- Excellent written and interpersonal skills
- Excellent organisational skills and ability to multi-task
- Flexibility and adaptability to respond quickly to priorities
- Ability to work to targets and tight deadlines
- A high level of attention to detail
- Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office

Desirable
- Experience of project management
- Evidence of networking skills with the ability to build effective collaborative relationships
- Experience in using digital media, for example developing web content and social media (twitter and Facebook)
- An interest in the broad area of scientific research

Due to the nature of the work we do, all successful applicants will be required to go through a comprehensive screening process including reference and qualification checks, financial and security clearances.

**What we offer**
- 25 days annual leave per annum, pro rata, plus 10.5 public and privilege days
- Buy and sell annual leave
- Option to carry over up to two weeks annual leave
- Pirbright gym with subsidised membership
- Pirbright social club
- Pirbright Lifestyle Hub (employee discount site)
- Cycle to work
- Subsidised staff restaurant
- Childcare allowance
- Free onsite parking
- Electric Car charging facilities

The Institute is committed to retaining staff employed on fixed term contracts of employment. The Institute operates a Redeployment process which is the moving of an employee from one role to another suitable alternative role, when possible, to avoid compulsory redundancies.