Administration Assistant

The Jay Inquiry is a statutory public inquiry set up under the Inquiries Act 2005 to investigate group based sexual abuse and exploitation of children in Scotland, examine institutional responses to it and make recommendations to better protect children both now and in the future. The inquiry is independent of Scottish Ministers, meaning that the direction and functioning of the inquiry is for its Chair.

When announcing the setting up of the inquiry in early 2026, the Cabinet Secretary for Education stated that, “survivors of abuse want to see accountability and improvement delivered as quickly as possible, and that sense of urgency is shared by the Scottish Government. We are determined to act decisively to protect children from the horrendous harm of child sexual abuse and exploitation.

The terms of reference are intentionally broad in nature following discussions with survivors and survivor groups and in order to allow the Chair, Professor Alexis Jay, to set out lines of enquiry that best fulfil the remit. In determining those lines of enquiry, the Chair wishes to hear from survivors.

The Inquiry aims to uphold the highest standards of independence and impartiality. Before applying, all candidates are asked to consider if their career history gives rise to any conflict of interest with the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference.

As an Administration Assistant you will support the day-to-day running of the Inquiry and will provide a full range of administration and organisational support with the ability to prioritise and plan workload in a fast-paced inquiry environment. You will proactively engage across all teams to support collaborative working in a challenging, and varied environment enabling the post holder to gain skills and experience that will provide foundations for a career within Scottish Government or wider Civil Service.

We are looking for flexible self-starters with excellent communication skills who have the ability to interact confidently with stakeholders at all levels and able to proactively interpret and carry out high-level requests. You will show demonstratable and proficient IT skills in Microsoft Office and other software tools. You will need to respect confidentiality at all times and carry out your work with integrity whilst managing your own time effectively and prioritise competing demands under pressure.

Responsibilites
When supporting the Public Facing Team, you will:

• Provide a welcoming front-of-house service at the Inquiry reception, including support for building security, health and safety, and facilities management.
• Provide general administrative and secretarial support, including monitoring Inquiry mailboxes.
• Assist with the effective operational running of oral hearings, including providing audiovisual support where required.
• Support the Communications Lead with the Inquiry website and the monitoring of social media and press coverage.

When supporting the Records & Evidence Team, you will:

• Support the collection and management of information required by the Inquiry.
• Assist with importing unprocessed data into the evidence database.
• Process and file documentary evidence in line with the Inquiry's records management framework.
  

When supporting the Investigations Team, you will:

• Undertake general administrative and organisational duties to support the wider team.
• Assist with the search for and collation of evidence relating to lines of enquiry.
• Schedule appointments, attend meetings and take minutes as required.

When supporting the Delivery & Assurance Team, you will:

• Assist with invoicing, financial reporting, procurement, purchasing and asset management.
• Develop project management skills, including risk management and planning.
  

These duties and responsibilities are expected to evolve as the priorities and activities of the Inquiry develop through to publication of the final report and during the subsequent closure phase.