Research Institute Administrator

Ever wanted to work in an institution that is home to one of the world's great collections of cultural treasures and research materials?

Spanning thousands of years of human thought and discovery, the University of Cambridge Libraries and Archives house unique treasures and research materials made up of nearly ten million books, maps, manuscripts, photographs and priceless objects.

The role

The Research Institute Administrator will play a vital role in supporting and developing the Libraries and Archives' vibrant research community. They will coordinate the administration of the University Library Research Institute (ULRI), a centre for collections-led research, by contributing to its portfolio of research projects, events programme and general running of the Institute.

This is a fixed-term post in the ULRI team, funded for one year in the first instance, with the intention to extend subject to funding.

As Research Institute Administrator you will:

Coordinate administrative processes for research grant applications, including monitoring milestones and preparing costings.

Track the progress of awarded grants, including budget management and maintaining project management records.

Provide support for the logistics and delivery of the ULRI's research events programme.

Coordinate recruitment and onboarding processes for visiting scholars, fellows and embedded PhD students.

Lead on office administration for the ULRI, including answering enquiries, organising meetings and supporting research communications.

What we are looking for

A keen interest in research libraries and collections-led research.

Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills.

Demonstrable budget management skills.

Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team.

Experience in an administrative role, and of supporting events and working to deadlines.

What we offer

Flexible and hybrid working opportunities such as part-time hours, job shares, and staggered hours.

Generous annual leave allowance of 36 days.

Exceptional parental leave (including maternity, paternity / co-parent, adoption and shared parental leave).

Discounts on major retailers.

Professional development opportunities such as apprenticeships and access to a variety of training courses.

We welcome applications from individuals who wish to be considered for part-time working or other flexible working arrangements.

We particularly welcome applications from candidates from a BME background for this vacancy as they are currently under-represented at this level in our department.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

For informal enquiries please contact Eleanor Parmenter, Research Engagement Facilitator at researchdevelopment@lib.cam.ac.uk

Application closing date: Sunday 8 November 2026. Interview date: Tuesday 24 November 2026

For further details please refer to the Further Particulars. In applications, we advise you to state clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria listed in the Person Specification section of the Further Particulars.

Applications are welcome from internal candidates who would like to apply for the role on the basis of a secondment from their current role in the University.

Please quote reference VE51333 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.