Job title: Administration and Office Assistant
Department: Administration
Reporting to: Chief Finance Officer
Salary: £23,338 per annum
Contract length: Permanent
September 2025 start
The role:
Wells Cathedral is seeking a proactive and highly organised Administration and Office Assistant to provide essential administrative and office support across key functions. This role is central to the smooth running of Cathedral operations, supporting the Chief Finance Officer, HR Manager, and Governance Officer and working closely with the Chief Operating Officer’s PA and the Dean’s EA with a range of administrative tasks, meeting coordination, and general office duties. Maintaining confidentiality and discretion with sensitive information is an important part of the role.
Main duties and responsibilities:
Role-specific duties:
Administrative Support
- Provide day-to-day administrative assistance to the Chief Finance Officer, HR Manager, and Governance Officer, including diary support.
- Maintain accurate records and filing systems (digital and physical).
- Support HR processes such as scheduling interviews and co-ordinating interview panels and maintaining personnel files.
- Support setting up of Chapter and Committee meetings, co-ordinating, circulating and printing papers, booking meeting rooms and making appropriate catering arrangements.
- Assist with governance-related documentation and coordination, for example tracking policy renewal deadlines.
- Prepare, format, and distribute documents, reports, and correspondence for a range of internal and external meetings and prepare agendas and supporting materials as required and make any arrangements for travel or parking.
- Track action items and follow up as needed.
Office Support
- Key point of contact for all office related matters, liaising across the organisation as required.
- Manage incoming and outgoing post.
- Monitor and replenish office supplies, ensuring cost-effective procurement.
- Liaise with suppliers and service providers as required.
- Maintain a tidy and welcoming office environment and ensure that all staff have the resources required to enable them to deliver their roles effectively.
- To undertake any other duties as required.
Person Specification
Essential
· Have the right to live and work in the UK
· GCSE Grade 4/C or above in English and Maths or equivalent qualifications
· Adept usage of IT databases and Microsoft Office applications
· Good time management skills – able to balance conflicting priorities and meet deadlines
· Ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritise workload to meet deadlines in a busy environment
· Ability to develop positive working relationships with individuals at all levels of the organisation and externally, and an excellent team player
· Attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in documents and communications
· Positive, optimistic and can-do attitude
· Flexible attitude to work (due to the nature of the work some extended hours working may be required but this should be minimal and have advance notice)
· Be practical and show common sense with adaptability
· Good problem-solving skills and ability to find solutions
· Strong organisational skills
· Demonstrating initiative and the ability to work independently when needed
· Good oral and written communication skills and a friendly demeanour
· Able to follow instructions
· Commitment to personal development and continued learning
· Demonstrating commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults
Desirable
· Able to work in sympathy with the aims and ethos of the Church of England
Main Terms and Conditions
Employment status: Permanent
Location: Wells Cathedral, 16 Market Place, Wells, Somerset, BA5 2RB
Hours of work: 35working hours per week. Core hours are 9.00 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Monday to Friday) with an unpaid lunch break of 1 hour each day.
Remuneration: £23,338 per annum, payable on the 24th of the month or the nearest working day thereto.
Discount: A discount of 10% is available from the Cathedral Shop and The Loft Café.
Parking: Limited parking is available in the Cathedral car park. Cars are parked at the risk of the owner.
Pension: Defined Contribution Scheme. Contributions as % of salary:
Age Employee Employer
<50 3% 5%
50–55 4% 8%
>55 5% 10%
Expenses: All reasonable working expenses will be met in line with Cathedral policy.
Holiday: 5 working weeks plus Bank Holidays per year. The holiday year runs from 1 January to 31 December.
Probation: This post will be subject to a probationary period of 6 months.
How to Apply
Closing date: Friday 22nd August 2025 8am
A completed Application Form and Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form available on Wells Cathedral's website (https://www.wellscathedral.org.uk/your-cathedral/vacancies) should be returned to the Human Resources Department by email to: recruitment@wellscathedral.org.uk.
Shortlisting date: Friday 22nd August2025
To ensure the fairness of the selection process, shortlisting will be based upon the information which you provide in your application and assumptions will not be made about your experience or skills.
We will look for demonstrable evidence that you meet the criteria set out in the Person Specification. Information provided on the Application Form will be viewed by HR, the recruiting manager, and interview panel. All applicants will be notified of the outcome of the shortlisting process.
Interview date: Friday 29th August 2025
Further details about the interview process will be provided to shortlisted candidates. The appointment will be subject to the completion of pre-employment checks, including references and a satisfactory basic DBS check.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £23,338.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 22/08/2025