Pay & Reward Project Operations Officer

About the job

Key information

• Fixed-term contract for 18 months
• Full-time for 37 hours per week
• 25 days’ annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Based at our County Hall offices in Taunton with the opportunity for hybrid working, including working from home where possible

Are you looking to build your experience and grow a career in project support? Join Somerset Council and be part of a high-impact transformation programme that is reshaping how we recognise and reward our people.

As a Pay and Reward Project Administrator, you’ll gain valuable, hands-on experience while working with senior leaders, colleagues and external partners across the organisation. You’ll be supported in a collaborative and forward-thinking environment where you can develop your skills, build confidence and see the real impact of your work. If you’re organised, motivated and keen to learn, this could be a great opportunity for you.

Role Summary

The Pay and Reward Project Administrator plays a vital role within the Pay & Reward Programme, supporting the coordination, organisation and delivery of programme activity. The role exists to provide proactive and flexible administrative and organisational support to the programme team, ensuring that information flows efficiently and that meetings, documentation, and deliverables are effectively prepared and managed. By acting as a key link between colleagues, external contractors and Senior Leaders, the postholder helps ensure stakeholders are supported and informed, enabling them to contribute effectively. This role contributes directly to the successful delivery of a high-profile transformation programme that is helping to shape the future of Somerset Council.

What will I be doing?

• Engage with stakeholders alongside the Programme Team, Senior Leaders, external contractors and internal teams.
• Provide high quality administrative and organisational support, including diary management, document control and meeting preparation (capturing notes and actions where required and ensuring follow up is completed).
• Co-ordinate programme activities, tracking actions, decisions, deadlines, risks and dependencies.
• Prepare and quality check documentation, such as reports, presentations, minutes and stakeholder updates.
• Assist the maintenance of programme records and SharePoint sites to ensure accuracy, version control and good information governance.
• Support contractor engagement, scheduling meetings and monitoring deliverables.
• Handle stakeholder queries professionally, ensuring the right information reaches the right people at the right time.
• Undertake research and data gathering to support decisions and briefings.
• Identify and resolve co-ordination challenges, before they become issues.
• Represent the Programme professionally, demonstrating confidentiality and political awareness.

What kind of experience or qualifications do I need?

Essential

• Understanding of project or programme delivery processes, including governance and reporting.
• Knowledge of organisational structures, corporate functions, and decision-making processes within large or complex organisations.
• Awareness of confidentiality, GDPR and information management requirements.
• Understanding of stakeholder engagement and professional communication principles.
• Experience providing senior administrative, PA, or project support in a complex or political organisation.
• Experience coordinating across multiple stakeholder groups, including senior management and external partners.
• Experience preparing formal documentation such as reports, briefings, presentations, or meeting packs.
• Experience managing diaries, meetings, and workflows for high profile programmes, projects, or senior leaders.
• Educated to A Level standard or equivalent experience.
• Evidence of continuous professional development in administration, project coordination, or organisational support.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications (Word, Excel, Teams, SharePoint) – essential.
• Excellent organisational and coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with confidence interacting with Senior Leaders and external contractors.
• High level administrative and document production skills, including accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to work autonomously, exercise good judgement, and anticipate needs in a fast-paced project environment.

Desirable

• Project support or administration related training (e.g., Prince2 Foundation, APM Fundamentals, Business Administration)

Supporting documents and information

Regretfully, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role. We are only able to proceed with candidates who already have the right to work in the UK without the need for visa sponsorship.

For more information and an informal chat about the role, please contact Sarah Lewis at sarah.lewis@somerset.gov.uk or Grant Whitear at grant.whitear@somerset.gov.uk

Apply on the Somerset Council website