"Administration Services Manager"

Job Description:

Te Kura Mahi ā-Hirikapo | School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing
Te Kaupeka Pūtaiao | Faculty of Science
Located in Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa | New Zealand

• Permanent position at 37.5 hours per week
• 5 weeks annual leave +5 days university holidays
• Professional development opportunities
• Generous superannuation provisions (up to 6.75% employer contribution)

Āu Mahi | What You Will Do

We’re seeking an experienced Administration Services Manager to partner closely with the Head of School and provide strong, strategic leadership across finance, staffing, and school operations. This is a pivotal role for a proven people leader who leads high-performing teams in complex environments, balancing significant and competing priorities while ensuring timely, accurate, and well-governed delivery. The successful candidate will enjoy translating financial data into meaningful insight, strengthening systems and processes, and using sound judgement to set clear priorities and solve problems. You will be confident influencing decision-making at a senior level, while empowering capable teams to deliver operational excellence.

In this role, you will:

• Lead the administrative team, building a high-performing, flexible, and solutions-focused group that consistently delivers results and thrives in a fast-paced environment.
• Drive operational excellence and systems optimisation by reviewing and developing procedures, analysing data, identifying inefficiencies, and implementing smarter, more efficient ways of working across workflows, tools, and team practices.
• Provide clear, data-driven financial and operational advice to the Head of School, using robust analysis to inform strategic and day-to-day decision-making while balancing financial sustainability with people and service outcomes.
• Manage income and expenditure and research grant and consultancy accounts, ensuring accurate reporting, compliance, and early identification of trends, risks, and anomalies.
• Support workforce and resource planning, contributing to funding assessments, business cases, workload allocation, and recruitment processes, and providing insight into resourcing pressures and opportunities.
• Oversee and deliver improvement initiatives and projects, designing and leading change that enhances productivity, service quality, and governance across administrative and academic services supporting teaching and research.
• Embed performance tracking and continuous improvement, establishing metrics to measure the success of new processes and ensuring operational improvements align with School and University strategic objectives.

This role suits someone who is equally comfortable managing budgets and forecasts as they are coaching people and driving performance.

Mōu | Who You Are

You’ll bring significant experience operating in a large, complex organisation, with demonstrated success in both financial management and people leadership. You will also have:

• Proven experience leading and developing teams, including performance management and capability building
• Strong financial expertise, including budget preparation, forecasting, financial analysis and interpreting complex data
• Strong track record of developing and Improving business systems and workflows to achiever seamless efficiency
• The confidence to provide constructive challenge and advice at a senior level
• Highly developed planning, problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain financial and operational issues clearly to diverse audiences
• A collaborative, values-led leadership style and the ability to build strong internal relationships
• An alignment with our organisation's values and culture, promoting a positive and inclusive work environment.

A tertiary qualification (minimum NZQA Level 5 or equivalent) is required. Experience in a tertiary or research-focused environment is highly desirable.

Mahi Ngātahi | Who You Will Work With

You will work closely with the Head of School, administrative and service staff, academic and clinical staff within the School, students, broader UC and local community. Find out more about the School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing | UC.

Ngā Painga o UC | Why UC

At UC, being part of our team means more than just a job. We are committed to supporting our kaimahi | staff’s career and wellbeing with benefits designed to help our kaimahi grow and feel connected, supported and valued.

UC’s Benefits approach is shaped by Ngā Uara | Our Values Whanaungatanga, Tiakitanga, and Manaakitanga. They are designed to be relevant, support and inspire our people, they include:

• 5 weeks annual leave +5 days university holidays
• UC Parental Leave (up to 9 weeks paid) + 26 weeks Government paid parental leave and onsite childcare facility
• generous employer contribution to superannuation (up to 6.75%)
• flexible working arrangements
• professional development and study opportunities
• supportive working environment
• a wide range of retail discounts across shopping, entertainment and travel
• on-campus staff discounts including UC RecCentre
• living in revitalised Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand
• a unique working environment in a beautiful campus with access to UC facilities such as UC RecCentre and Staff Club at discounted rates plus onsite cafés and eateries, and more.

For more information, please visit us: https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/about-uc/work-at-uc/benefits-working-uc

For more information about Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury, please visit https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/

The closing date for this position is: 17 March 2026 (midnight, NZ time)*Please note, applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place before the close date.*

Pēhea te tono mai | How You Apply

Applications for this position must be submitted via our careers website and should include a cover letter and resume.

Please note, we do not accept applications by email, however we are happy to answer your queries in relation to the application process, please forward these to WorkatUC@canterbury.ac.nz

You must have Aotearoa New Zealand or Australian citizenship/permanent residency or hold a valid NZ work visa to be considered for this role.

Job Details

Reference #	31412
Posted on	03 Mar 2026
Closes on	17 Mar 2026 23:55
Location(s)	Christchurch
Expertise	Administration, Communications, Finance, General Mgmt/Executive, Human Resources, Logistics, Marketing, Project Management, Sales / Relationship Management
Job level(s)	Management
Work type(s)	Continuing (Permanent) full-time

Posted: 03/03/2026