Academic Programme Administrator

Gresham College is a charity which provides high-quality free education to the public across a broad range of subjects. The College aims to stimulate a love of learning and intellectual curiosity and to champion academic rigour, professional expertise and freedom of expression. 

Gresham College has been providing free lectures within the City of London since 1597. Lectures are attended by an in-person audience and live-streamed around the world. We have currently had over 60 million online views. To watch please visit our website www.gresham.ac.uk or look on YouTube. 

The College is in the first year of an exciting five-year plan which has the primary aim of increasing and broadening the audience which the College reaches. The funding for the next five years has been agreed by the College’s historic sponsors and provides a firm base from which to deliver an ambitious and exciting programme. The future College strategy sees us continuing to evolve our work in growing audiences in both numbers and diversity, while taking advantage of opportunities to develop income streams to stretch our ambition further.

The current academic programme consists of approximately 100 lectures for the general public as well as lectures delivered to young people in schools and a growing oracy competition for young people. Currently sixty public lectures are given by our 10 Professors; forty are curated annually; and between ten and twenty are delivered to young people in schools. Working at Gresham College is hugely rewarding in terms of the breadth and range of subjects covered and the knowledge and intellectual reputations of our speakers.

JOB DESCRIPTION 

Purpose - To assist in the preparation, administration, and delivery of the academic programme at Gresham College.

Reports to - Academic Programme Manager

Salary - £32.000 pro rata

Contract type - Part-time permanent appointment (0.6/ 3 days per week), minimum 2 days per week on site (usually Wednesday and Thursday), expectation of regular work at evening lectures, for which time in lieu is allowed. 

Benefits - 28 days holiday (pro rata), plus 6 days closure over Christmas. The College participates in the University of London SAUL pension scheme (currently 16% employers’ contribution).

Key duties and responsibilities:

Academic Programme Planning

• Assist in the preparation and delivery of the academic programme
• Liaise with professors and lecturers on their presentations and ensure the delivery of materials in advance
• Support and help in the preparation and presentation of lectures (reservations, review and formatting of supporting materials and liaising with external venue stakeholders)
• Act as a contact, and effectively and efficiently manage incoming enquiries from current and prospective lecturers
• Support and help in the coordination and booking of external venues
• Working with the Academic Programme Manager and Communications team in the review and confirmation of academic programme information (titles, descriptors, images, and other key information)

Academic Programme Administration

• Maintenance of the lectures and contact databases
• Conduct research and gather ideas for the Academic Programme Manager on programme development (identification of new topics and speakers) and projects regarding new audiences’ outreach
• Provide administrative support in the servicing of Academic Board meetings (4 per annum)
• Occasionally assist in the collection of quantitative and qualitative feedback and assist the Academic Programme Manager in producing reviews and reports
• Assist in the organisation and administration of new Professorial appointments
• Assist the Academic Programme Manager drafting letters and responses, which includes preparing the Letters of Agreement for the upcoming Academic Year
• Assist the Website and Communications Manager with promotional and communication tasks

Front of house and events

• Undertake various Front of House duties approx. 1-2 evenings/week, including chairing Q&A (as required) for which time off in lieu is allowed
• Liaise with the Supporter Engagement Coordinator on arrangements for specific events which involve academics
• To undertake such other duties as may from time to time be required 

Equal Opportunities

Gresham College wholeheartedly supports the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion throughout the recruitment and employment of our employees and workers, as well as ensuring that it is afforded to all job applicants. 

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate the following: 

• Excellent organisational and time management skills and ability to work on multiple concurrent tasks with competing deadlines.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills, with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Experience in a busy administrative or similar environment.
• Excellent IT skills.
• Interest in working as part of a small but dedicated team.
• Intellectual curiosity, being interested in a variety of disciplines.
• Willing and able to work flexible and evening hours. 

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Monday 15^th September 2025, 9am. 

INTERVIEW

Interviews will be held in person on Tuesday 23^rd and Wednesday 24^th September 2025 at Barnard’s Inn.