Course Assistant
Reports to: Research Fellow and Course Lead
Department: RUSI International
Salary range: £29,000-32,000 based on skills and experience
Location: London
Contract: Permanent Full time
About the Team
RUSI International’s flagship programme is the RUSI Leadership Centre, which develops and runs executive education programmes for public and private sector clients. RUSI International also organise ad hoc events such as roundtables, lectures and coordinate strategic partnerships.
Main purpose of post
The role consists of two main parts:
- The Course Assistants’ primary role will be to organise, manage, and help to design and deliver executive education training programmes offered by the RUSI Leadership Centre. These courses package the Institute’s expansive expertise in bespoke training programmes for government officials, military officers, and other security professionals.
- The Course Assistant will be responsible for helping to organise the diary of RUSI’S Associate Director.
- The Course Assistant will work on a wide range of activities, ranging from the engagement with the Institute’s partners in the UK and overseas; meetings and roundtable discussions with British and foreign government officials, academics and analysts, private sector professionals; and public events and publications. The Course Assistant will also coordinate the award of the Duke of Wellington Medal for Military History.
- The Course Assistant may also have opportunities to contribute to the research of the Institute, depending on expertise and their capacity managing the above priority tasks.
The successful applicant will need to have excellent administrative, organisational, and communication skills. They will work in a fast-paced environment, facing a diverse and complex set of tasks, and have the opportunity to take on significant responsibility and act on their own initiative.
Key tasks
- Organise, manage and help to design and deliver the executive training programmes offered by the RUSI Leadership Centre. In the process the candidate will have to communicate with and coordinate a wide range of stakeholders, including current and former British and foreign government officials.
- Support the Associate Director’s day-to-day work, including by managing and coordinating his diary and preparing briefing and research notes at short notice.
- Organise and manage projects and events, including at short notice. In particular, this includes organising roundtable discussions attended by government representatives and academics and analysts from around the world.
- Support the Institute and RUSI International’s business development efforts, including by developing and disseminating proposals for research projects, conferences, and training courses.
- Organise and manage the Duke of Wellington Medal for Military History
- Working with colleagues across RUSI to manage relationships with interested parties in the media, governments, non-profit organisations, and UN bodies.
The above list of priority tasks is not exhaustive. The post holder will be required to undertake such duties that may reasonably be expected within the scope and grade of the role.
Our expectations
We expect all staff to abide by and promote our RUSI’s Vision and Values https://rusi.org/content/values and Equal Opportunities Statement.
Person specification
Essential skills and experience
- Graduate degree in a relevant field (international relations, politics, economics, security studies, or similar) or equivalent working experience.
- Significant interest in international security and global affairs;
- Experience of organising and supporting events including delivering training courses;
- Excellent administrative and organisational skills, including the ability to operate against challenging deadlines and to prioritise workloads;
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office products, particularly Outlook, Word and Excel;
- Strong teamworking skills with a positive, flexible approach to supporting colleagues, alongside the ability to anticipate and resolve potential issues without close supervision.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders and ability to present complex information and demonstrating strong literacy skills.
Desirable skills and experience
- Project management knowledge and skills (e.g., experience in using PRINCE 2 methods);
- Experience of working with people from other countries, including government and military officials;
- C1 or above levels in foreign languages;
- Experience working on project and grant management in an academic or think tank context.
- Experience of working in the not-for-profit sector.
Benefits
- 25 days annual leave (rising with service)
- Additional days off during Christmas - RUSI Christmas closure days
- Generous pension contributions at 6% employer contribution,
- Access to 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
- Free access to RUSI's world leading programme of events and conferences, research materials and library
- Trained Mental Health First Aiders
- *Enhanced sick pay
- *Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
*Depending on length of service
Application Process
To apply, please click on the apply button and follow the instructions.
- Your CV.
- Cover Letter of no more than 2 pages explaining your interest in the role and any significant relevant skills and/or experience.
The closing date for applications is 23:59 on 11th March 2026.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the closing date brought forward if needed. Early application is encouraged. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Please DO NOT submit multiple applications for this vacancy. We no longer accept applications to our recruitment mailbox, applications received in our mailbox will not be processed.
Equal Opportunity and Values
At RUSI you will be appreciated and valued. Our stakeholders, transactions, and projects are international and diverse, so we work hard to create inclusive teams that support our efforts and each other. We are committed in promoting equality and diversity in our workforce and make it as diverse as the communities we serve. Our recruitment data helps us monitor the effectiveness of our recruitment practices in order that we can continue to improve on creating a more diverse workforce.
We’re aware that the questionnaire may not capture the rich complexities of our backgrounds and identities, so we apologise if these are not best described. Please note that this data will be kept confidential and separated from your job application. If you are uncomfortable sharing, choose "Prefer not to say" or skip the questions entirely.
If you have any questions, please contact hr@rusi.org