Deputy Operations Manager

Salary:  £31,236 to £32,080 with progression to £34,610 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 22 March 2026

The Role

As part of Corporate Affairs, the Academic Hub Operations team lead operations for multiple units within the Academic Hub (all units reporting to the Registrar).

As Deputy Operations Manager, you will provide supervision for Operations Teams, providing join up between the units and support for the unit Directors and Head of Hub Operations in achieving their objectives.

You will work alongside a team of Operations Managers and Deputy Operations Managers responsible for the day to day running of all administrative functions and processes within the Academic Hub including finance, HR/people processes, PA support and health and safety.

• Manage the operations team so that they perform and meet operational targets effectively, developing new and appropriate skills to meet the demands of the service. This will include PDRs, training, workload allocation, recruitment and induction
• To operationally manage designated aspects of the directorate’s administration, ensuring that relevant policies are followed, and that systems and processes are continuously reviewed and updated so that units are able to meet their strategic aims and objectives
• To ensure an appropriate level of PA support is in place for the units, including the support of committee meetings as required
• Support budget holders in the annual budget planning and forecasting cycle
• Support the monitoring of unit budgets and oversee all aspects of operational financial management, including SAP transactions
• Ensure that effective systems are in place for purchasing and payments across the directorate, including travel purchasing, seeking to streamline process where possible and ensure consistency across the units
• To be the key point of contact for staff within units with regard to HR related matters, to manage and advise on all staff-related processes (e.g. recruitment and induction, resignations, contract renewals, annual leave, occupational health referrals, sickness management etc.) and ensure consistency across the directorate
• Lead on the management of office accommodation, space and equipment including furniture, system access etc
• Oversee the directorate’s recruitment administration, coordinating directorate wide staff recruitment campaigns and induction process for new colleagues to ensure a warm and efficient welcome for new starters in the directorate.Ensure that the directorate is compliant with the Health and Safety management standard and that all related voluntary roles are filled, acting as School Safety Officer if required
• To assist with the promotion of mechanisms for effective communication to ensure that there is good communication within the units. This includes: promoting and developing appropriate Teams sites, mailbases, shared drives and public folder facilities to maximise efficiency of information handling and promoting best practice; assisting with the development and maintenance of the unit websites, etc
• Work with the University’s IT and Estates departments (NUIT and ESF) to ensure that the needs of the directorate are met, including office space, IT equipment and events spaces
• Develop and maintain positive and effective relationships with key internal and external stakeholders
• Deputise for the Operations Manager as and when required
• Other duties may be allocated by the Heads of Unit and Head of Hub Operations

The Person 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience 

• Demonstrable administrative experience ideally in a supervisory role. Preferably from an educational environment or a large organisation
• Proven ability to understand, implement and communicate internal People and Finance processes and procedures
• High level of organisational and time management skills and ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously
• Excellent communication skills - in both verbal and written communications to a wide range of audiences
• Highly competent in the use of Microsoft Office
• Proven ability of establishing, reviewing and monitoring administrative systems in an office environment
• Experience of acting as secretary in meetings, producing agendas, minutes and following up actions
• Experience of working with senior managers and a broad range of customers

Attributes and Behaviour

• A positive customer focussed attitude
• Ability to work calmly and efficiently under pressure and to tight deadlines
• The ability to deal with stakeholders and colleagues through negotiation and persuasion
• Self-motivator with initiative and the ability to accept responsibility and prioritise own workload and meet deadlines
• A passion to deliver an outstanding student experience

Qualifications

• Educated to A level with GCSE in maths and English grade A-C or substantial and broad experience acquired through job related vocational training and on the job experience 

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 29155