Job Summary
The Experimentation and Innovation Team at the University of Exeter have an opportunity for a graduate to join them as a Programme Assistant. In this role you will get involved with event organisation, promotional work, administration, communication and technical support for the flagship interdisciplinary Grand Challenges and related programmes.
This role is part of the Graduate Business Partnership Scheme and is available for 12 months. The role offers hybrid working, based on Streatham Campus with a proportion of time worked remotely.
Key Dates
Application Closing Date: 6th July 2026
Interview Date: Wednesday 17th July 2026
Role Start Date: 7th September 2026
Role End Date: 6th September 2027
Starting Salary: £28,029 per annum
Purpose of the Role
The main purpose of this role is to support the Programme team within Innovation and Experimentation in promoting, organising, and delivering Grand Challenges and other related programmes/awards. Working with undergraduate and postgraduate students, professional services and academic staff across different Faculties and departments, the role requires a variety of communication, administrative support, event management and online and in person workshop delivery support tasks.
Grand Challenges is a project week in which hundreds of students work in interdisciplinary groups to design innovative solutions to real world challenges such as the climate and environment emergency, mental health, and social inequality.
Duties and Responsibilities
Event support
- Supporting the programme team in organising and managing events such as the Grand Challenges Week (Early June 2027), promotional events and skills and training workshops.
- Providing webinar support for online sessions delivered as part of the programmes.
Supporting the programmes’ communication and marketing strategy by:
- Acting as the main point of contact for student and staff enquiries.
- Supporting activities to raise awareness of programmes and engage students.
- Sending out informative and promotional emails to students.
- Creating and assisting with the creation of digital multi-media content.
- Posting and supporting campaigns on a variety of social media platforms.
- Creation of content for the website and maintaining the website with up-to-date content, including producing video and audio material.
Administrative support
- Using the University administrative systems (My Career Zone) to track student engagement.
- Tasks that support the academic and Professional Services colleagues in the development of content (such as liaising with external collaborators and planning for their engagement).
- Liaising with internal and external stakeholders to plan programme delivery (IT support, Timetabling, The Student’s Guild and The Student’s Union, global partner Universities and others).
- Creating and compiling together discipline specific content, slides and videos for teaching sessions.
- Interviewing staff, students and alumni for the creation of video and podcast content.
- Supporting the operational running of programmes, including creating and maintaining the library of operational documents.
- Being a point of contact for enquiries from staff delivering programme sessions.
- Providing financial administration support including raising purchase orders, completing new supplier forms, monitoring transaction reports, payment of suppliers and updating records of financial transactions.
- Organising and providing support for project meetings (agenda, minutes, tracking actions, production of papers, distributing and maintaining records and papers).
- Supporting and monitoring the recruitment of facilitators and participants to Grand Challenges.
- Setting up facilitators and guest participants in programmes with IT accounts, Paid Time profiles, access to shared mailboxes and documents on SharePoint.
- Supporting the collection and analysis of feedback from programmes and Awards.
- Looking after equipment used for programmes and events.
- Carrying out ad-hoc requests required to support the delivery of programmes.
Training and Development - What Skills and Experience will this Opportunity Provide?
- You will get experience in team and online working, administration, event management and project work, and build skills in communication, marketing, customer service and technical skills.
- You will be trained and supported by colleagues in the Programme team.
- While in this role, you will be part of wider vibrant communities linked to the programmes, with great internal and external networking opportunities.
- You will get opportunities to learn about web editing, video & audio production, My Career Zone and other digital systems/platforms, as well as finance administration.
- You will have access to a suite of online training courses through the university including presentation skills, negotiations skills and Excel.
- You will also be offered a ‘How to Make the Most of Your Internship’ guide, career mentoring, work shadow and career consultancy opportunities.
There is potential for progression and opportunities for working across different functions within our wider team. Your experience of working in a demanding role within a complex organisational setting can help you secure another job within the sector and wider.
You will be asked to complete the university’s mandatory online training in:
- Safeguarding on our Campuses
- Diversity in the Workplace
- Health and Safety Introduction
- Information Governance and Security
Support Available
You will be working as part of a dynamic team, with predominant working practices of shadowing, sharing and co-working. You will have regular meetings with your line manager.
- The university offers extensive support to staff, including a structured Professional Development Review and Wellbeing Service plus 1:1 support from the Internships Team.
The Benefits
You will have access to a wide range of benefits, rewards and recognition from the University including:
- Flexible/hybrid working
- Generous pension
- A holiday allowance of 39 days per year
- Totum Card (student discount)
- Salary Exchange Schemes such as the Cycle to Work Scheme
- Discounted membership to the university's sports facilities including cricket centre, indoor/outdoor pools, squash courts and fitness centre’s.
- The university offers extensive support to staff, including a structured Professional Development Review and Wellbeing Service plus 1:1 support from the Internships Team.
- All Graduates are offered a ‘how to make the most of your internship’ guide.
- You will have access to the university’s Career Mentor Scheme and career consultancy opportunities.
- You will have access to the university’s extensive suite of online training which includes Excel, presentation skills, and negotiation skills.
- You will be invited to quarterly networking and professional development events through ‘The Graduate Network’.
About You (Person Specification)
Degree and Attainment
- You must have graduated from a UK-based university within the last 3 years.
- Final year students are welcome to apply
Skills
- Ability to write clearly and professionally and tailor communications to a specific target audience.
- Good team player able to work effectively with others.
- Excellent organisational skills.
- Ability to work with precision and accuracy with great attention to detail.
- Good problem-solving skills.
- Tact, discretion, and ability to communicate clearly and appropriately with customers.
- Confident user of IT systems, particularly Excel, MS Teams, Zoom.
- Good understanding of social media.
Personal Qualities and Attributes
- Exceptional interpersonal skills, with the ability to deal confidently and professionally with both internal and external customers, from all levels of an organisation.
- Ability to work independently and use initiative.
- Ability to handle a complex and varied workload.
- Willingness to have a go at a variety of tasks.
- Able to manage time effectively, plan and prioritise work in the face of conflicting demands and tight deadlines.
- Proactive can-do approach to work.
- Ability to be flexible and deal with frequent interruptions and changes in circumstances.
- Ability to work on multiple tasks at once, and quickly switch from one task to another.
- Ability to work with a wide range of staff and students with diverse interests and needs.
- Resilience – ability to bounce back from challenges.
- Fast learner - will need to learn how to use University-wide IT systems.
Knowledge
- An understanding of, and enthusiasm for, the Grand Challenges programme.
You must have valid right-to-work documents with you for verification if appointed, copies are not accepted. See here for a full list of acceptable documents to confirm your right to work in the UK.
About the University Department/Organisation
The Experimentation and Innovation Team’s mission is to explore emerging technology, new models of learning and teaching, and reshape the future of higher education with students as co-creators. Our events, programmes and microgrants scheme support this work - from Grand Challenges, Future 17 and Global Classrooms to the Education Incubator. We invite you to join our dynamic, creative and supportive team.
Graduate Business Partnership (GBP) Scheme Requirements
- To undertake a graduate role through the GBP scheme, you must have either achieved your degree or be nearing completion of your final year at any UK-based university.
- If you are nearing completion of your final year, your working hours may be reduced to 15 hours per week (for undergraduates) or 6 hours per week (for postgraduates) to ensure you have the capacity to successfully complete your degree. More hours can be completed if your academic agrees and provides written confirmation.
- If you do not pass your degree, the GBP role will end early.
- You must have graduated in the UK within the last 3 years of your most recent degree (we will consider extenuating circumstances of potential applicants that may have prevented them from undertaking a graduate role within 3 years of graduation).
- The University of Exeter is committed to developing an environment which promotes equality of opportunity, values diversity and inclusivity.
- We are committed to creating an inclusive culture and engage with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN and Project Juno for Physics), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark) and LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion)
- Learn about the university’s commitment to the Disability Confident scheme here
- At the time of starting employment, the successful candidate must have permission to work in the UK and evidence must be provided in advance of the appointment. Examples of suitable evidence can be found here. Candidates should continue to have permission for the duration of the GBP contract. This includes British citizens, individuals with an EU Pre-Settlement or EU-Settlement Status; and those with a Graduate Route Visa.
- All graduates need to reside in the UK whilst undertaking this role.
Application Tips
- Refer to the job details contained within the advert when writing your personal statement.
- You can use the STAR approach to evidence each requirement in the Person Specification.
- The University is a Disability Confident employer and as such this policy applies to recruitment through GBP Scheme. Applicants who identify a disability on the application form will be offered an interview if their application demonstrates they meet the essential criteria.
- Please also include details of any reasonable adjustments you may need for an interview or to undertake the role.
- You should explain why you would like to work for the employing organisation and why you think you would be a suitable candidate for this role.
Further Guidance and Support
- (Exeter graduates only) You can refer to the My Career Zone Digital resources on application and interview preparation here.
- (Exeter graduates only) If you need support with your application, you can book an appointment through the Career Zone.
- Unless stated, interview expenses will not be paid.
- It is recommended that you check your online presence on social media to ensure it represents you well, as some employers may undertake online research of their applicants.
- If you have any questions, you can email the Internships Team at [email protected]
The Graduate Business Partnership scheme supports final year students and recent graduates to launch their careers at the University of Exeter and with recommended employers in the southwest.
- GBP roles provide graduate-level employment.
- Build experience and develop your skills in a supportive environment.
The GBP scheme is open to everyone who has graduated from a UK-based university in the last 3 years. If you are an international student, you can also apply for GBP roles if you have a Graduate Visa.
You can find out more about the Graduate Business Partnership scheme here.
