Executive Assistant & Project Officer

About the role

Are you a highly organised individual who enjoys working at the heart of strategic programmes? Would you thrive in a fast-paced environment where no two days are the same? We’re looking for a proactive and collaborative professional to work with the Executive Director of Innovation at the University of Bath.

The University is growing its innovation ambition—supporting new ideas, civic impact, and business engagement as part of a major strategic drive. This post combines the trusted, professional role of Executive Assistant with the dynamic challenge of project coordination across a portfolio of innovation initiatives—from helping grow our Innovation District in Bath city centre to supporting Strategic Partnerships and entrepreneurship.

You’ll be based at the University and have the opportunity to work closely with academic leaders, external partners, and operational teams.

In this role, you will:

• Provide high-level executive support, including diary management, meeting preparation, and correspondence handling for the Executive Director of Innovation.
• Coordinate and track progress on a portfolio of strategic innovation projects, ensuring smooth delivery and effective communication.
• Draft briefings, reports, and presentations for internal and external audiences, often at short notice.
• Liaise with stakeholders across the University and beyond, including funders, civic partners, and business collaborators.

This is a rare opportunity to work at the heart of a high-impact programme supporting the University’s long-term innovation strategy. If you’re driven, diplomatic, and detail-oriented—with an interest in supporting ideas that shape the future—this could be the perfect fit.

We’re looking for someone who thrives on variety, works well under pressure, and enjoys supporting strategic leadership while keeping projects running smoothly. You don’t need to have worked in a university before—but you do need to be organised, proactive, and able to deal confidently with people at all levels.

About you

• Excellent administrative and organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and keep others on track.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience preparing briefings, reports, and high-quality correspondence.
• Discretion, professionalism and judgement, especially when handling confidential or sensitive matters.
• Confidence working independently, while also being a collaborative team member who builds positive relationships across a wide range of stakeholders.
• Experience supporting senior leaders or project teams, ideally in a fast-paced or complex organisation.
• Comfort with digital tools and systems, including Microsoft 365 (Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.) and document management platforms.

We are particularly interested in candidates who:

• Can bring experience working on or supporting strategic programmes or innovation activity
• Show enthusiasm for learning and contributing to a team focused on Innovation and partnerships 

Essential qualifications or equivalent experience:

• You should hold a good standard of education (e.g., A-levels or equivalent), ideally with evidence of further training or professional development in administration or project support.
• Equivalent experience in a relevant administrative, executive assistant, or programme coordination role will also be considered.

We value diversity and encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences. If you're not sure whether you meet every requirement but are excited by this role, we’d still love to hear from you.

This role is offered on a full-time (36.5 hours), open ended basis.

For an informal discussion about the role please contact either:

Jon Hunt (Executive Director of Innovation) via jh298@bath.ac.uk, or

Suzanne Maxwell (Head of the Vice-Chancellor’s Office) via s.j.maxwell@bath.ac.uk.

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