HR and Operations Manager

About us

Faculty of Mathematical & Physical Sciences:

Consisting of eight departments and several specialized centres, the UCL Faculty of Mathematical & Physical Sciences (MAPS) encompasses the logical, experimental and mathematical study of our universe. Front-line research feeds directly into our teaching programmes, with our students benefitting from access to first-class laboratory facilities, academic, teaching and research staff.

The Faculty of Mathematical & Physical Sciences comprises: Chemistry Department, Earth Sciences Department, Mathematics Department, London Centre For Nanotechnology, Physics & Astronomy Department, Science & Technology Studies Department, Space & Climate Physics & Mullard Space Science Laboratory, Statistical Science Department, Institute for Materials Discovery and Institute for Risk & Disaster Reduction.

The Chemistry Department:

The Chemistry Department at UCL is the oldest in England, and today is one of the best in the UK, being ranked 2nd in the UK for the world-class impact of its research in REF(2014). We are located in Bloomsbury, at the heart of London, and offer an exciting and vibrant environment in which to study in one of the UK's top universities. The Department is committed to supporting excellence in both research and teaching and offers undergraduate BSc and MSci programmes in Chemistry and currently teaches 600 undergraduates registered in Chemistry as well as students who select Chemistry on the Natural Sciences programme and first year Chemistry for life scientists. The department also offers a number of Postgraduate Taught Masters courses with about 80 students per year and has an overall Postgraduate Research student school of about 250 students. The Chemistry Department has over 55 members of academic staff carrying out world-leading research.

About the role

Main purpose of the job

• To line manage staff within the department professional services team, taking responsibility for departmental administration relating to finance, research and HR.
• To deputise for the Departmental Manager.
• To take a lead on managing operational aspects of the department in coordination with senior departmental staff, including the Deputy Head of Operations and Departmental Manager.
• To provide support with HR and staffing matters across the faculty, including line management where appropriate.
• Building effective and positive working relationships across the Chemistry Department, spotting and flagging any potential people issues.
• Building effective and positive working relationships with central support teams to effectively and efficiently address any issues arising or that require escalation.
• Ensuring that systems and processes are aligned, fit for purpose, and that UCL, faculty and departmental policies and strategies are fully implemented at all times.

About you

The ideal candidate is a proactive and highly organised professional with proven experience in managing administrative operations, particularly in finance, HR, and research support within an academic or similarly complex environment.

They demonstrate strong leadership through effective line management and have a collaborative approach to building positive relationships across departments and central support teams. With a keen eye for operational efficiency and a strong understanding of institutional policies, they ensure systems and processes are aligned and consistently implemented.

This individual is dependable, confident in deputising for senior managers, and committed to fostering a supportive and high-performing work culture.

The post holder will be expected to work onsite for a minimum 60% on-site working during term-time and 40% outside of term-time in line with Chemistry Department working guidelines.

Customer advert reference: B04-06326

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