Membership, Programmes & Events Support Assistant

The Political Studies Association exists to develop and promote the study of politics. Founded in 1950, we are the leading association in our field in the United Kingdom, with an international membership including academics in political science, theorists and practitioners, policymakers, early career researchers/academics and students in higher education.

Join Our Team!

Your Role: Membership, Programmes and Events Support Assistant (Fixed Term Contract)

Contract: Fixed Term for six months - November 2024 to April 2025. We are open to applications from a PhD student or Early Career Academic.     

Hours: 21 (0.6FTE). The post holder will also be expected to attend and support the PSA25 Annual Conference taking place in Birmingham from 14 -16 April 2025. 

Salary:  0.6 FTE of £25k. The post holder will additionally be compensated for in-person attendance and providing support during the Annual Conference period.

Location: All roles are based at our offices in Camden London but the PSA currently supports its staff to work remotely. Post-holders will be required, however, to come into our offices regularly (normally once a week on a Wednesday). The Membership, Programmes and Events team is a friendly bunch who work closely together with responsibility for operations and output across a wide range of our activities. These include: membership, networks, specialist groups, programmes, communications, events including the Annual Lecture and PSA Annual Conference. We are looking for someone to join the team in the six-month run up to, and including attendance at, the PSA25 Annual Conference which is our major event of the year.

Are you ready to carry out this vital role at the heart of the PSA?

Your role and responsibilities:

In terms of the PSA Annual Conference these may include, but are not limited to:

·         Responding to standard/general conference email enquiries

·         Communicating information and instructions to all participants

·         Supporting logistics, operations and communication of information to participants via Ex Ordo (abstract management system) and our virtual conference platform

·         Monitoring Ex Ordo data - for example, identifying whether someone is a paper-giver or not and emailing participants for clarification where necessary

·         Communicating information and instructions to all participants

·         Supporting exhibitors by communicating deadlines and details for their conference space

·         Organising catering requirements to cover the conference schedule

·         Sourcing venues and menu choices for the Conference Dinner and Conference Drinks events

·         Supporting the award of PSA academic prizes including production of certificates

·         Monitoring the Prizes in-box and helping with the response to any enquiries

·         Collating Academic Prizes nominations made via JotForm for trustees and prize judges

·         Joining the team in Birmingham to manage the Annual Conference, including the one-day Undergraduate conference

·         You may also be asked to support research and administration related to future PSA conferences

In terms of Membership, Networks and Specialist Groups these may include, but are not limited to:

·         Supporting the reconciliation of membership data in readiness for our new database

·         Assisting with general email enquiries and emailing all/specific groups of members

·         Helping to prepare the data for the issue of December/January membership renewals and recording appropriately on the database

·         Responding to general/standard emails from our Specialist Groups

·         Replying to enquiries/requests from our Early Career Network and Teaching & Learning Network

·         Facilitating Specialist Group and Network digital events including arranging Zooms as required

·         Collating articles/announcements for the regular e-newsletter

Additional information: there are currently seven members of PSA staff under the leadership of the CEO. This post reports to the Membership, Events & Programmes Manager who works with two Officers in the team.

Pro-rata 25 days’ annual holiday allowance (plus bank holidays).  

Employer contribution to pension (5% of salary, 10% employer contribution) after successful completion of your probation.     

·         Compliance with PSA policy including absence, appraisal, and health & safety

·         Compliance with GDPR and other good practices which are in place around the data we hold

·         On occasion, supporting colleagues in work areas outside of this job description

·         Playing a role, together with the wider team, in supporting the Head of Operations & Finance in the smooth running of the PSA offices in Camden, London

The tasks outlined above are subject to change from time to time as determined by business priorities and communicated by the CEO and/or the Membership, Programmes & Events Manager.

September 2024