DEADLINE: 23 February 2025
Location: Fitzrovia office in London with one remote working day permitted
Salary: £46,000
Closing Date for Applications: 23 February 2025
Interviews are likely to be held week commencing 3rd March
The Royal Anthropological Institute seeks to make a full-time appointment of an Assistant Director of Administration who will form part of the Executive Team in support of the Director. The successful candidate will be an experienced administrator who will be able to develop an oversight into the multiple processes which go to running a busy institute. Applicants must have the right to reside and work in the UK. It is not necessary that the successful candidate will have studied anthropology, but they will be committed to the goal of the institute to further anthropology.
It may be expected that the specific duties and responsibilities of the position evolve and change as our internal discussions progress. However, it is likely that amongst the varied and different roles that the Assistant Director will take on will be to oversee the annual calendar of meetings, convene the large biannual conference, support the Director in strategic planning, help to develop staff performance, represent the Director and take minutes at committee meetings when requested, help develop an overall social media strategy, run prize schemes, such Horniman and Radcliffe-Brown awards, ensure that the committee and other governance paperwork is in place and kept up to date, and otherwise assist with project management when requested.
Further particulars
The Royal Anthropological Institute is one of the world’s foremost independent institutions devoted to anthropology. It was founded in its modern form in 1871, became ‘Royal’ in 1907, and received is Charter in 2020. It has today some 1850 Fellows and Members, based in the UK and overseas. It employs approximately 16 staff, and has its own building in Fitzroy Street in central London, whilst its library is based at the British Museum. Its diverse activities include publishing journals, books and data-bases, curating and distributing ethnographic film, maintaining extensive collections of photographs and manuscripts, and presenting events including conferences, seminars, book-launches and workshops. The activities are brought into focus by the RAI’s specialist committees (a list of which may be seen on the RAI’s website). The RAI additionally awards a number of prizes and honours, including the Horniman Fund which distributes small funds toward fieldwork.
The Assistant Director (Administration) will assist the Director in the day-to-day running of the institute, in particular by taking care of the work-flow processes that keep the different activities moving smoothly and effectively forward. They will contribute toward committee work, including as requested taking minutes, and to staff development. Once every two years, the institute holds a large conference on a specified theme, which will be convened by the successful candidate. They will also assist in co-ordinating a social media strategy for the institute, and in otherwise furthering its diverse aims.
This post is not suitable for remote working, however one day a week working from home is permitted.
Person specification
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PERSON SPECIFICATION |
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Desirable |
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Post name: |
Assistant Director (Administration) |
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Knowledge & experience |
An undergraduate or post-graduate degree |
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An experienced administrator, with demonstrable readiness to produce accurate and careful work. |
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An understanding of working with confidential material |
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Experience with managing staff |
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An interest in the public-facing role of anthropology nationally and internationally. |
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In general, an active interest in supporting the RAI’s charitable objectives |
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Communication |
Excellent command of English, written and oral |
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Excellent interpersonal and communication skills |
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Ability and willingness to work at the RAI’s offices in Fitzroy Street (and occasionally outside meetings as may be necessary) |
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Decision making |
Willingness to make decisions during the course of the daily work, whilst consulting appropriately with the Director and other colleagues where necessary. |
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General |
Permission to reside and to work in the United Kingdom |
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Application process
The closing date for applications is 23 February 2025. Applications, which should consist of letter and CV, including the names and contact details of two referees, should be sent to info@therai.org.uk. References will be taken up for short-listed candidates only. If for any reason, a reference should not be taken up at that point, this should be clearly indicated.
Preliminary interviews will likely be held on week commencing 3 March 2025.
Informal enquiries may be addressed to info@therai.org.uk.
