"Business and Operations Manager"

The Department of Zoology is looking for an experienced manager to join us as our Business and Operations Manager. This exciting role covers a broad range of operational responsibilities and contributes strategically to the smooth and successful running of the Department, in support of our mission of excellence in teaching and research.

As a Business Operations Manager, you will directly manage 5 reports and will have responsibility for all professional services staff (c.50) who provide services in HR, finance, research and teaching support, buildings and facilities, committees, communications, compliance and other operational areas. You will advise the Head of Department, and other senior academic staff, on strategy, planning and policy issues and options. The role requires close collaboration with other Departments in the School of the Biological Sciences, and with colleagues in the University central administration.

The Department comprises around 250 people including University academics, principal investigators, postgraduate students, a vibrant post-doc community and a committed team of professional service staff. Zoology is a thriving Department united by a fascination with the living world. Our mission is to understand how life evolves, how it functions, and how we can conserve it for the future. We disseminate this new knowledge through local, national and global networks of influence to confront the greatest challenges of our time: restoring and protecting biodiversity, enhancing food security and improving human health.

We have a reputation as a friendly and supportive Department. We are based in the historic city centre of Cambridge on the New Museums Site, adjacent to the Cambridge Conservation Initiative (CCI), with whom we share the David Attenborough Building. The University Museum of Zoology is embedded within the Department. As this is an operational role, the postholder is expected to be based on-site.

We are looking for someone who can operate flexibly across a wide-ranging role with a wide variety of tasks. The successful candidate will need to be at ease with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior professors, and the full range of professional services staff You will have sustained experience operating at a senior level in a complex and devolved organisation, ideally within higher education administration. We are looking for someone with proven skills in staff management, team leadership, problem-solving, change management, planning, resource management, contributing to strategy, and the ability to work effectively with staff, students and external stakeholders.

This is an exciting time to join the Department and University in a professional services role, as we are embarked on a major programme of change in the management and operations of the organisation. The role holder will be responsible for ensuring the Department adopts these changes and benefits from them in due course.

Further information is available via the link below. If you would like to discuss the role informally, please contact Professor Rebecca Kilner, Head of Department of Zoology at HoD@zoo.cam.ac.uk.

Your application, along with a covering letter, should clearly set out how you meet the criteria listed in the person specification (the skills and experience required for the role) along with relevant examples. Candidates will be shortlisted based upon these criteria.

The University of Cambridge is committed to supporting our staff to thrive both professionally and personally. We aim to support a good work/life balance, whilst retaining the positive aspects of our unique in-person environment and culture.

It is intended that interviews will be held during the week beginning 16 March 2026.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a basic disclosure (criminal records check) check, a health assessment and a security check.

Flexible working requests will be considered.

We particularly welcome applications from candidates from a BME background for this vacancy as they are currently under-represented at this level in our University.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact Paulina Lasocka or Anastasia Nezhentseva hr@zoo.cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference PF48722 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Key information

Department/location: Department of Zoology

Salary: £63,606-£67,468

Reference: PF48722

Category: Academic-related

Date published: 3 February 2026

Closing date: 1 March 2026