Membership and Office Administrator (Part-time)

Royal Historical Society

Length of contract
12 month

Salary
£25,523 - £31,904 per year

About the Organisation

Society is the UK’s foremost learned society and membership organisation for the support and promotion of historians and historical research and teaching in higher education and related sectors. As a registered charity, founded in 1868 and now with more than 6,500 Fellows and Members, the Society champions the discipline of history within higher education and well beyond. Our remit is to support historians of all kinds to undertake and encourage historical research and understanding; to advocate for history and its practitioners; to represent history as a discipline and historians as a group; and to promote greater equality and representation within historical practice.

The Society is governed by its Council, led by the RHS President, with day-to-day operations undertaken by a small professional Office staff, based at University College London. Other members of the RHS Office staff include: the Director; Membership and Programmes Manager (line manager for this role); Governance and Finance Officer; and an Events and Academic Engagement Officer.

About the role

We seek a highly capable Membership and Office Administrator to support the work of the Society’s professional Office based at University College London. The role will focus primarily on supporting and communicating with the Society’s extensive membership, which largely comprises practising historians in higher education and other sectors, as well as prospective members, applicants for the Society’s extensive research funding programme, and members of the public.

The role holder will report to the Membership and Programmes Manager and will also assist in the running of the Society’s research funding schemes. As part of a small Office team, the post holder will, in addition, assist with the administration and efficient running of the Office on a daily basis.

Responsibilities

Membership Support:

• Responsibility, as part of the RHS Office, for communications to and from the Society relating to the membership of the Society, including public-facing communications from current Fellows and Members and those interested in membership.
• To support the Society’s Membership and Programmes Manager in cycles of membership applications and in the annual renewal cycle for members.
• To prepare papers and communications relating to the appointment of new Fellows and Members on election.
• To prepare website content to accompany the appointment of new members to the Society as part of regular application cycles.

Membership Services:

• To be responsible for the preparation of the Society’s weekly mailing to its membership and the accompanying pages of the RHS website.
• To be responsible for Fellow and Member enquiries relating to RHS publications and partner offers (Cambridge University Press and History Today)

Grants and Funded Programmes:

• To support the Society’s Membership and Programmes Manager in communications to recipients of RHS research funding and in relation to all grant application rounds.
• To support the preparation and circulation of papers relating to applications for regular grant programmes run by the Society.

Operations and Office Administration:

• Responsibility, as part of the Office team, for all general enquiries and communications to the Society (email), and to act as the first point of contact for phone communications.
• To maintain the Membership and Research Funding sections of the Society’s website.
• To prepare and upload content to the Society’s blog, Historical Transactions.
• To support members of the Office staff in the day-to-day running and maintenance of the RHS Office, taking responsibility for selected agreed tasks.
• To attend London-based, in-person RHS events, as required, to support the running of activities on the day.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties or responsibilities as required by the Society, in line with the needs of the organisation.

Skills, Competencies & Experience

Experience:

• Experience of working as part of a public-facing or membership organization: for example, a learned society or similar in the education or charity sector.
• Experience of acting as a first point of contact for a wide range of people, including the organisation’s membership and members of the public.
• Experience in working with customer or client CRM database software to manage members’ data.
• Experience in the effective use of Office-based IT resources (Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook).
• Experience of working effectively in a small organisation and being responsible for the efficient and timely completion of multiple tasks.
• A high level of care, attention, and understanding when communicating on behalf of the Society with members, prospective members, and partner organisations.
• Exceptional time management and organisational skills.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Experience of working in a learned society and other academic-focused organisation experience of working in a charity / mission-led organisation.
• Experience and understanding of the structure and purpose of academic institutions (universities, higher education
• Institutions and other academic organisations.
• Personal interest in history and the aims of an organization like the Royal Historical Society.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Excellent written and oral communication in English, suitable for management of communications with members and prospective members of many backgrounds.
• Excellent interpersonal skills. Essential
• Knowledge and use of core Office systems (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams).
• Knowledge of one or more CRM databases and application systems and their effective and appropriate use (the Society uses Beacon CRM and SM Apply).
• Knowledge and use of communication software, including WordPress and Mailchimp.
• Knowledge and understanding of the principles of GDPR and data compliance

Capabilities and Aptitude:

• Calm in the face of pressure, and adaptable to ‘on the day’ challenges;
• A small team player who is able to work well within the RHS
• Office team (both in person and remotely), the Society’s
• Fellows and Members, and secure cooperation from contacts both within and external to the Society;
• Readiness to engage with a broad variety of tasks, using your own initiative
• An interest in History and the greater humanities, and their academic and public benefit

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience

Compensation & Benefits

• Employer contribution pension of 12%
• Friendly, supportive, and highly professional working environment.

Working locations

• Hybrid model, working in the London office and remotely

How to apply

• Please submit your application via the RHS Jobs Portal by Sunday, 7th September 2025 GMT 23:59
• Any queries concerning the online submission process should be directed to [email protected] and marked "Current Vacancy."

Interviews

• Interviews are expected to take place in the week commencing Monday, 6th October 2025.

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