Job title / Fellowship and Master’s Secretary
Reports to (Position Title) / Human Resources Manager
Role purpose
TheFellowship and Master’s Secretary is responsible for all matters relating to the Master’s Office and for organising the recruitment, appointment and support of the Fellows.
Staff management responsibility
Main duties and responsibilities
1 / Fellowship Secretary (70%)
To administer the appointment, review and support of the Fellowship, including creating and maintaining procedures and processes:
Fellowship recruitment:
Working closely with the Vice-Master and Senior Tutor:
-running the annual intercollegiatejoint Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) Competition for the group of colleges involved, supporting the Vice-Master of Churchill College and the chairs of the Arts and Science panels at Churchill; and co-operating with the administrators responsible at the other participating colleges;
-running the Churchill College annual Post Doctoral By-Fellowship (PDBF) competition;
-administering the Churchill College French Government Fellowship Scheme, including liaising with the French Embassy and prospective candidates;
-supporting the recruitment and appointment processes of all other Fellows and By-Fellows, including seeking references, arranging meetings or interviews, and providing potential candidates with up-to-date information on Fellowship packages, rights and obligations, pay-rates, availability of accommodation etc.;
-drafting offer of appointment and renewal letters to Churchill Fellows, Overseas Fellows and By-Fellows;
-preparing and issuing ‘welcome’ materials and the Handbook for incoming Fellows, assisting incoming Fellows with their arrival in College, providing practical information to ease their transition to Cambridge, inducting new and visiting Fellows including organising receptions for new Fellows and By-Fellows;
-arranging for the admission and matriculation of new Fellows;
-Creating and maintaining records of all Fellowship or By-Fellowship appointments, with a view to the timely renewal of appointments where necessary, and to the appointment of new Fellows or By-Fellows to fill emerging gaps in provision;
-advising the Senior Tutor and Vice-Master on the above.
Fellowship support:
-administering the Fellows’ Travel and Research Fund;
-maintaining key internal and external information in relation to Fellowship and publications such as the Fellows’ photo boards, noticeboards and relevant areas of the website, working closely with the Communications Manager;
-maintaining all Fellows’ personnel records, including the creation of new records for incoming Fellows and archiving those of outgoing Fellows;
-co-ordinating College activities with the Fellowship; ensuring Fellows are informed of events and announcement and that contact is maintained with former Fellows as necessary;
-responding to general queries from Fellows and from others regarding Fellowship matters;
-preparing essential College documents (e.g. Resident Members’ List; College entries in publications such as Commonwealth Universities Yearbook; University list of Fellows; committee lists; Fellows’ signing-in lists for High Table; wine and self-service meals; College Fellows - precedence, subjects, new Fellows, tenure list. Keeping the University informed of deaths of past members, name changes, elections etc.);
-Liaising with the Secretary to the Fellows’ Steward on the arrangements for inviting official guests to the Scholars Feast and June Feast and for Fellows’ accommodation;
Acting as Secretary to the Fellowship Electors:
-drafting agenda and papers;
-co-ordinating meetings;
-taking minutes and ensuring agrees actions are completed in a timely manner.
2 / Master’s Secretary (20%)
Responsibility for the smooth and efficient running of the Master’s Office:
  • Acting as first point of contact
  • Diary management, including arranging meetings and events
  • For specific events e.g. dinners and receptions: liaising with the Fellows’ Steward’s Office, maintaining lists of official guests, drafting invitations and collating RSVPs; liaising with guests for catering/accommodation requirements, drafting seating plans, arranging hosts etc.
  • Screening and handling mail, e-mail and telephone calls
  • Drafting correspondence on behalf of the Master
  • Maintaining bring forward files and managing the electronic and paper filing systems for the Office.
  • Dealing with enquiries from Fellows, students and staff of the College on a wide range of subjects
  • Dealing with external visitors and enquiries as required
  • Planning and promoting events for the Master in collaboration with the Development Office and Communications Manager
  • Travel planning and booking, (purchasing tickets, accommodation etc., comprehensive scheduling and production of detailed itineraries and travel packs, arranging insurance as necessary, processing expenses claims)
  • Providing cover for the Bursar’s Office Manager

3 / HR Team Support (10%)
Providing support and deputising for the HR Manager, as required, maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of HR legislation, policies and procedures.

This role profile outlines the duties required at the current time to indicate the level of responsibility. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or exhaustive list and may be varied by the College management to include other reasonable requests which are up to the same skill level, and of the same type, already undertaken and which do not change the general character of the job or the overall level of responsibility.

General Background

Churchill College is one of the thirty-one Colleges of the University of Cambridge and was founded in 1958 as the national memorial to Sir Winston Churchill. The Colleges provide a key proportion of student teaching: small group tutorials, known as supervisions, and residential, social and welfare facilities. Every student at CambridgeUniversity must be a member of a College.

The College includes the Churchill Archives Centre which conserves and houses the major Churchill collection, the Thatcher papers and over 500 other important 20th century collections of papers. The College also owns the Møller Centre, situated on the main College site, which offers training and conference facilities and accommodation throughout the year in a purpose-built building provided by the Danish entrepreneur, A P Møller, in 1991.

The College has about 170 Fellows and around 60 By-Fellows, 220 postgraduates working for a higher degree or diploma, and 410 undergraduates working for a first degree. Out of term the College provides accommodation and other facilities for residential and non-residential conferences.

Terms and Conditions of Employment

The position is full time, which is a37.5 hour working week.

This is a permanent position and the salary associated with the post is currently between £25,019 and

£32,876 per annum. Cost of living awards are negotiated in October annually. In addition, the College provides free parking, social and sporting facilities, a generous pension scheme, five weeks’ paid holiday per annum and flexible working hours as well as a range of other benefits.

The College is an equal opportunities employer.

PersonSpecification
Key Skills and Experience
Criteria / Description / Essential or Desirable
Experience /
  • Experience of servicing high-level committees and producing accurate documentation.
  • Experience of balancing a varied portfolio of work
  • Experience of HR procedures
/ D
E
D
Skills /
  • Knowledge/understanding of the HEI environment
  • Strong project management and administrative skills
  • Numeracy skills
  • Some knowledge of personnel policy issues
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Negotiation skills
  • The ability to interact with a wide cross section of people, acting as key interface with the College and networking across the Collegiate University and with outside institutions
  • The ability to develop effective working relationships
  • The ability to work as part of a team and individually
  • The ability to prioritise workload, work accurately, and meet deadlines
  • The ability to create and manipulate spreadsheets and to work with databases
  • A sound knowledge of Microsoft Office software
/ D
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
Qualifications /
  • Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
  • Extensive relevant administrative experience
  • Administrative experience in an educational or similar environment
  • Prince 2 or equivalent project management
  • CIPD qualified, or interest in attaining
/ E
E
D
D
D
Additional requirements
The College expects that you will:
•Treat all members of the College and the Collegiate University community (including all staff, partners, students and visitors) with respect, courtesy and consideration at all times.
•Behave professionally to, and expect professional behaviour from others in the community (including all staff, partners, students and visitors).
•Take care of your own health and safety, not compromise the health and safety of others, and comply with College and departmental safety requirements.

Oct 2017