"Graduate Research Administrator"

Job Description:

Te Kura Tāura | UC Graduate School

Located in Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa | New Zealand

• Full-time (37.5 hours per week)
• Fixed-term until December 2026
• Great culture and team environment

Āu Mahi | What You Will Do

In this rewarding role, you will provide high-quality administrative support for all aspects of graduate research. You will:

• Support postgraduate admissions, milestones, and enrolment by working with students, supervisors, and academic leaders.
• Maintain accurate student records and systems compliance and processes.
• Provide frontline advice to postgraduate students and staff on regulations, processes, and support options.
• Manage key stages of thesis submission and examination, including examiner coordination, scheduling, and documentation.
• Assist with postgraduate outreach, events, workshops, and marketing materials
• Work collaboratively across the Graduate School to ensure timely, accurate, and mana-enhancing support for students.

Mōu | Who You Are

You will be an organised, supportive, and proactive administrator with a bachelor’s degree as well as have:

• 3–5 years’ administrative experience, ideally in a large or complex organisation or tertiary environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to manage competing demands.
• Excellent organisation and time-management skills, with sound judgment and initiative.
• High computer literacy, including strong capability with Microsoft Office and database systems.
• A customer-focused approach, with the ability to support students and staff professionally and empathetically.
• The ability to build effective working relationships, contributing positively to a collaborative team environment.
• An alignment with our organisation's values and culture, promoting a positive and inclusive work environment.

Mahi Ngātahi | Who You Will Work With

You will work within the Graduate School Operations Team, working closely with graduate research students, the Dean and Associate Deans of Postgraduate Research, the Graduate Research Manager, and the Researcher Development Team, while building strong relationships with academic staff.

Ngā Painga o UC | Why UC

Ngā Uara | Our Values of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and tiakitanga guide our decisions and behaviour and provide a roadmap for how we do things at UC, affirming our commitment to pastoral care and support for our ākonga and staff. They challenge and inspire us to be the best we can and make UC a great place to work and study. For more info on Ngā Uara | Our Values visit us here.

We are committed to accessible higher education, service to the community and the encouragement of talent without barriers of distance, wealth, class, gender or ethnicity. The University explicitly aims to produce graduates and support staff who are engaged with their communities, empowered to act for good and determined to make a difference in the world.

We offer a range of fantastic benefits including generous superannuation and leave provisions. 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: 4 January 2026 (midnight, NZ time)

Please note applications will be reviewed after the close date.

Please note, the University of Canterbury will be closed from the 24 December 2025 - 4 January 2026. During this period, we will be unable to respond to queries regarding this role. We will get back to you as soon as possible upon our return.

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 #	30255
Posted on	15 Dec 2025
Closes on	04 Jan 2026 23:55
Location(s)	Christchurch
Expertise	Administration
Job level(s)	Experienced
Work type(s)	Fixed term full-time