Project Coordinator (Job Number: 26001124)
Department of Sociology
Grade 5: - £27,319 - £30,378 per annum pro rata
Fixed Term - Part Time
Contract Duration: 36 months
Contracted Hours per Week: 7
Closing Date: 03-Sep-2026, 5:59:00 PM
Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement: Not Applicable.
The University
At Durham University we are proud of our people. A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other.
Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally. Whether you are at the very start, middle or end of your career, there is a role for you. We believe everyone has their own unique skills to offer.
We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University.
The Role and the Department
Re-Knowing Self-harm seeks to appoint a Project Administrator to join the project team, reporting to the Project Investigator (PI – Veronica Heney). This is a 3-year fixed term post, with the potential for an extension.
Re-Knowing Self-Harm is a 5-year Welcome Trust-funded Early Career Award, led by Dr Veronica Heney. The project responds to existing failures of care to reclaim and re-think the relationship between culture and self-harm through re-centring lived experience. Re-knowing self-harm accomplishes this through four strands of inter-related intellectual and practical intervention, which mobilise collaboration and innovative creative methods to impact care for self-harm across community action, healthcare practice, and policy. The project is co-located at the Department of Sociology and the Discovery Research Platform for Medical Humanities.
The position offers an exciting opportunity for an experienced administrator to join a dynamic and friendly team. The Project Administrator will work closely with the PI, and play a key role in the day-to-day project administration of Re-Knowing Self-Harm. This will involve co-ordinating meetings, communicating with key project stakeholders, supporting with event organisation, budget monitoring, making payments, and recording financial information. It will also involve regular review and assessment of operational data to ensure activities, budgets and documents comply with internal university and external funder regulations, policies and procedure. The Project Administrator will liaise with professional and academic staff within the Department of Sociology, the Discovery Research Platform, the institute Institute and a variety of administrative teams across the University to deliver excellent financial and administrative support. This will include setting up systems to help with managing and maintaining financial and budget records, and communicating with external partners and suppliers will also be a requirement of the role. The Project Administrator will help to ensure that Re-Knowing Self-Harm meets its core research and impact priorities, working in accordance with University and Departmental policies and procedures.
This post will be 100% office based, with an element of flexibility. The role can be taken on as a single day each week, or split across two half-days, as is convenient for the application; precise details regarding hours and working days will be agreed following an offer of employment.
The role will be based in The Discovery Research Platform, which is an exciting place to work. Our offices in the Confluence Building on Durham University’s Science site offer a friendly and pleasant environment in which to work, with the flexibility of having quiet dedicated office space alongside an open plan area, meeting rooms and a well-equipped staff room. Occasionally the Project Administrator, together with the project PI, will be located in the Department of Sociology in Mill Hill Lane offices, in order to maintain connection with the Department of Sociology.
The Discovery Research Platform for Medical Humanities (DRP-MH) at Durham University aims to empower health and wellbeing researchers from different sectors and disciplines to co-develop new and experimental approaches to tackling health challenges, including mental health and health inequalities. It is a £9.5m award which aims to transform the way research is undertaken in the field of Medical Humanities. The Platform involves researchers from departments across the Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences and Sciences. It engages with and supports international research networks, and a wide range of voluntary and health sector partnerships. The DRP-MH is hosted by the Institute for Medical Humanities (IMH) which is focused on improving health by understanding hidden experiences. The Institute and Platform are currently located on Durham University’s Science Site.
The Department of Sociology at Durham was established in 1964, initially as the Department of Social Theory and Institutions. We currently offer successful undergraduate degree programmes in Sociology and Criminology. Durham ranks 3rd for Sociology and 5th for Criminology in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026. Sociology is ranked 4th in the Complete University Guide 2027, and Durham is ranked 5th for Sociology and Social Policy in the Guardian University Guide 2026. We also hold an Athena SWAN silver award and the Department is committed to promoting equality for all within the workplace and creating a diverse, inclusive and supportive working environment. The Department’s research strategy is built around five themes: Communities and Social Justice, Health and Social Theory, Higher Education and Social Inequality, Violence and Abuse, and Criminal Justice, Social Harms and Inequalities. We were ranked 4th in the UK for research impact in REF 2021.
Working at Durham
A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University:
- You’ll receive 27 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year - a total of 39 days. The University closes between Christmas and New Year.
- No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies.
- You can access exclusive discounts via our benefits portal including money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, eating out and days out at various attractions.
- Our on-site nursery is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and you can access holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
- We provide wide-ranging health and wellbeing support including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
- We offer all staff the opportunity to take part in volunteering activities to make a difference to the local community.
- Our family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
- If you are keen on advancing in your role or career, we have a genuine passion for developing our colleagues from qualifications to IT skills, courses and apprenticeships.
- We offer generous pension schemes with varying contribution amounts to help you plan for your future.
Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion
Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work. As a University equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive.
We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.
What you need to demonstrate when you apply/Person Specification
When you apply it is important that you let us know what skills/experience you have from a similar role and/or what skills/experience you have which would make you right for this role. Further information about the role and responsibilities is at the end of this job description. Where a criteria has an asterisk* next to it, it may be given additional weighting when your application is considered.
Your application should cover the following criteria:
Essential Criteria
Qualifications/Experience
1. Five GCSEs at least Grade C or level four (or equivalent) including English Language and Mathematics or a Post-16 qualification or equivalent experience.
2. Experience of working in a busy office environment delivering front line administrative services to a high standard.
3. Experience of managing time to meet deadlines and working under pressure without compromising on quality.
4. Experience of providing advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues.
Skills/Abilities/Knowledge
5. Excellent spoken and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate around sensitive issues and with a wide range of stakeholders and audiences, including those in the third sector or members of the public.
6. The ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally.
7. Excellent digital competence across a range of digital devices and apps including Microsoft 365 application, particularly navigating excel financial datasets and experience of using Teams and SharePoint for communication and the sharing and storage of information.
8. *Good numeracy skills and the ability to work maintaining a high level of accuracy.
9. Ability to solve problems yourself and as part of a team and resolve issues, plan solutions and make pragmatic decisions, whilst ensuring University and any other relevant regulations are followed.
10. Committed to continuing professional development.
11. Ability to participate in networks to share and discuss good practice and exchange information
Desirable Criteria
1. Three A-Levels Grade C or level 5 (or equivalent).
2. Professional experience of working within a higher education setting and within a research environment.
3. Experience or understanding of the field of mental health research and/or the third sector.
How to apply
To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above. Where there are desirable criteria we would also urge you to provide any relevant evidence.
While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.
Submitting your application
We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points during the process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails.
What you are required to submit:
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A CV
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A covering letter of one page outlining your interest and fit with the role.
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A statement no longer than two pages that demonstrates how you meet each of the criteria.
Contact details
If you would like to have a chat or ask any questions about the role, Veronica Heney, Principal Investigator would be happy to speak to you. ([email protected])
Typical Role Requirements
Service Delivery
Show a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and the University’s, Department’s Institute and Platform values.
Ensure that relevant regulatory and professional standards, for example the University’s Financial and Funder regulations, are being used within services being delivered by you and the project team.
Help to develop and implement policies and procedures relating to your service area.
Respond to queries and provide information/advice, while raising more specialist or complex queries with more experienced team members.
Use your experience and problem-solving skills to investigate and resolve issues relevant to your role such as customer payment queries and make recommendations based on your findings.
Continually review what is required from staff, students, and others who you work with to make sure the best possible service is provided.
Ensure that processes and business systems effectively support the services being delivered by the team.
Assist the Principal Investigator in the analysis of the use of resources including financial resources and reporting.
Ensure that data is accurate and provide reports and analysis of patterns and trends to senior colleagues.
Capture and share information and data that needs to be shared with relevant networks and committees.
Use digital media, for example SharePoint to update team members and colleagues, students and external contacts.
Prepare reports, including for example financial actual spend and forecasting reports, for senior colleagues.
Planning and Organising
Plan and organise own workload to deliver the role.
Organise and schedule assigned resources, activities, meeting, and events, including co-ordinating diaries, booking rooms, facilitating hybrid access to events, and booking catering..
Monitor processes and activities to ensure team priorities are met.
Teamwork
Work closely with the PI to deliver the activities of the project in line with the project’s and the University’s values
Provide specialist support and advice to team members on areas of expertise.
Explain and provide instruction to other team members on how to correctly record and manage data.
Make changes to the services provided by your team in discussion with other team members.
Identify opportunities and contribute to decisions on how to improve services being delivered by the team.
Seek feedback from students, staff and anyone else that you come across as part of your role on their requirements from your service and recommend improvements to the project PI.
Communications/Liaison
Create good working relationships with internal and external partners and suppliers to work together on joint activities, to communicate project plans, and to organise project activities.
Communicate effectively and with care around a sensitive area, and with project stakeholders who might have a wide variety of views and investments in the project
Build relationships with contacts and contribute to internal and external networks to share good practice and exchange information.
Liaise with external suppliers, contractors, specialists, project partners, and service providers to plan the delivery of services and events and to provide clarity on financial processes and the University’s regulations.
Use your knowledge and expertise to provide advice and guidance to resolve problems and respond to a wide range of queries.
Create good working relationships with other team members and anyone else that you come across as part of your role to work together on joint activities.
Liaise with staff in other areas, professional organisations and agencies to ensure that services are being delivered in an efficient and collaborative way.
Any other reasonable duties.
Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants - Privacy Notice which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.
SECONDMENT
The post is part time, fixed term for a 3 year period and may be offered on an internal secondment basis subject to the agreement of the current line manager.
When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas
Durham University is a UKVI sponsor. Applicants who require sponsorship to work in the UK should note that not all roles are eligible. Further information on visa requirements and eligibility can be found on the UKVI website.
Version 07-2026
