Domestic Bursar’s Office Administrator and PA
Domestic Bursar’s Office Administrator and PA
Salary: £15-£16 per hour, Grade 4 on the College’s pay scale
Contract type: Temporary (approximately 6 months)
Location: Balliol College, Oxford
Reports to: the Domestic Bursar
Hours: This is a part-time post, anticipated at approximately 0.6 FTE, though exact hours may vary depending on operational requirements. Normal working days are Monday to Friday, though there is flexibility to work over 4 or 5 days.
Balliol College
Situated in an historic site in central Oxford, Balliol has been a hub of learning and community since its foundation in 1263. As one of the larger colleges within the University of Oxford, it is home to roughly 860 students, with undergraduates making up just under half of the student body. The College also employs over 80 Fellows, 50 lecturers, and about 180 support staff, with Dame Helen Ghosh as its current Master.
While academic excellence is at the core of Balliol’s mission, visitors are often struck by the College’s informal and welcoming atmosphere. Beyond its walls, Balliol has an active and engaged global community of over 10,000 alumni and donors.
Further information about the College is available at www.balliol.ox.ac.uk.
The Domestic Bursary is a small team who work collaboratively in a friendly and supportive environment.
Purpose of the Post
The College seeks to appoint an Administrator for the Domestic Bursary. This role is being recruited on a temporary basis to support the interim Domestic Bursar. It is a varied administrative role with the dual purpose of providing PA support to the Domestic Bursar, in addition to the general organisation of activities that facilitate the smooth running of the office, which includes supporting the Accommodation Officer, Conference Manager, and Front of House Manager.
Essential to the job will be quick and accurate working, strong IT skills, ability to multitask, courteous and timely handling of enquiries, and a willingness to take on tasks to accommodate the fluctuating workloads of the office. This is a rewarding post for someone who has excellent communication and organisational skills, and who is looking for diverse and responsible work in a close-knit college environment.
Main Duties
- Providing a professional and welcoming first point of contact for all enquiries relating to any of the office operations in person, by telephone or email
- Providing PA support to the Domestic Bursar
- Organising Committee meetings including issuing agendas and minute taking
- Providing administrative support to the Domestic Bursar, Accommodation Officer, Conference Manager, and Front of House Manager, as necessary
- Supporting office colleagues during absences, holidays and busy periods
- Conference Office admin - including but not limited to - logging dietary requirements and developing seating plans and place cards
- Managing College Guest room bookings, including compilation of the weekly Guest Journal
- Producing Proof of Residency and Accommodation Reference statements
- Ensuring room occupancy data is accurate within the room booking system (StarRez) including checking check in/out statuses
- Reconciling the monthly credit card statement and collating receipts
- Dealing efficiently with all reasonable administrative requests made by students
Other responsibilities
- Managing the office stationery account and maintaining stock levels
- Maintaining BusinessSafe online – the College’s Health & safety software
- Overseeing and collating the College’s accident reports to include reporting any RIDDORS
- Maintaining filing systems and spreadsheets held in the office
The postholder will also be expected to carry out other reasonable duties to ensure the smooth running of the office.
Person Specification – skills and experience
The person appointed will have the following essential qualities:
Qualifications, skills and experience
- Good standard of education
- Proven experience in an administrative, office support or customer-facing role
- Experience of providing diary, meeting and administrative support
- Experience of organising meetings and taking accurate minutes
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
- Strong customer service skills, providing a professional and welcoming first point of contact
- A high level of organisation and accuracy with good attention to detail
- Excellent IT skills (Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams)
- Willingness to train in new IT systems
- The ability to prioritise and manage own workload
- Work effectively independently and as part of a team
- The ability to multi-task and respond to enquiries courteously and in a timely fashion
- Maintain confidential information and exercise discretion
Personal Attributes
- Professional and approachable
- Flexible and willing to support colleagues and accommodate the fluctuating workloads of the office
- Reliable and proactive with a positive attitude
- Able to manage a varied workload and remain calm under pressure
Desirable qualities:
- Experience of working in a College or higher education environment
- Accommodation or Events and Hospitality experience
Employee Benefits
- A free two-course lunch is available in the Hall, when the kitchens are open.
- Oxford University Staff Pension Scheme (OSPS). This is a contributory pension scheme, with contributions from both the employee and the College. Further details are available here.
- Interest-free ticket loans enabling the purchase of bus passes and annual rail season tickets to Oxford. Discounted travel is available on some services.
- Free flu jabs and eye tests for computer/VDU users
- Free use of the College’s onsite gym and the University swimming pool
- Preferential rates for other University sports facilities and the Nuffield Health gym on Woodstock Road.
- Free membership of the University Club, which offers food, drink and accommodation in an exclusive space for staff, postgraduates and alumni.
In addition to training organised by the College, resources are available from the University. - Free visitor accessto the 45 colleges and halls of the University, the University’s Libraries, Botanic Garden, Arboretum and Museums.
- Employee discounts - available at local and national retailers and online services using exclusive discount codes for University staff and with a TOTUM (formerly NUS) card.
- Balliol nursery - subsidised rates are available for Balliol staff, subject to availability.
Application procedure
Candidates wishing to have an initial conversation about the role should in the first instance contact Keeley Mortimer - keeley.mortimer@balliol.ox.ac.uk
Written applications
Applications should be made by noon on 19 June 2026 online at https://www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/careers. This vacancy will close when sufficient applications have been received. Early applications are encouraged.
Interviews
Shortlisting will take place when sufficient applications have been received.
Right to Work
Shortlisted candidates will be expected to supply original documentation proving that they have the right to work in the United Kingdom (UK).
Equal Opportunities
Balliol College is an equal opportunities employer. All applicants are asked to complete a separate confidential Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form to help us fulfil our duties in this regard. Applicants should let us know if they require reasonable adjustments for any part of the recruitment process.
Data Protection
Personal data is processed in accordance with Balliol College’s Privacy Policy which is available at https://www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/privacy-policy