Secretary

Secretary

Faculty of Health

Grade 4 (£24,479-£26,338)

Closing Date: Friday, 30th October 2026

Although employed by UoD, the post is fully funded by COPFS.

This post is subject to Police Scotland Vetting clearance

We are seeking an exceptional Secretary to join the Centre for Forensic Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Dundee.

• Provide comprehensive administrative support to the Senior Secretary and to the Consultant Forensic Pathologists within our Team.
• Previous experience with medical terminology would be extremely advantageous, along with audio typing and excellent keyboard skills including Access, Excel, Word and Email.
• Responding to routine enquiries via telephone, email, or face to face with Crown Office and Procurator Services (COPFS) staff, Police Scotland personnel, undertakers and other external bodies.

About the Faculty of Health

Learn more about the Faculty of Health

The Centre for Forensic Medicine and Dentistry is located at two sites, at Level 7, Dental School, Park Place, Dundee, (on the main campus) which houses pathologist's offices and a comprehensive library, and at their mortuary facility, approximately 10 minutes away from the University main campus, adjacent to the police headquarters building, which houses support staff offices, post-mortem facilities and a small library. The post holder shall be based at the mortuary facility. The Centre provides forensic autopsy services to COPFS in Tayside, as well as repatriated cases in Scotland from the Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) contract. The range of cases investigated include road traffic fatalities, suicides, accidents at home and at work, homicides and sudden natural deaths, as well as in-hospital deaths under anaesthesia and other unexpected hospital deaths. The Centre also provides undergraduate teaching to the School of Law (optional courses in Forensic Medicine and Forensic Science) and postgraduate teaching to Dentists. Within the School of Medicine, the Centre provides Student Selected Component teaching in both Forensic Medicine and Forensic Science.

About the Role

As Secretary, you will play an important role in supporting department objectives:

• Facilitating administrative duties to ensure autopsy examinations are undertaken within the contractual timeframe.
• Preparation and requesting information to facilitate autopsy examination on behalf of the forensic pathologists.
• Maintaining and inputting into information management systems to ensure effective communication and efficient record keeping.
• Effective communication with a multidisciplinary team to ensure provision of autopsy service in Tayside.
• Student engagement as part of their attendance at the department for education and training.

You will work closely with COPFS, Police Scotland, primary and secondary care and contribute to the team delivery of investigation into sudden deaths in the Tayside region.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintenance of information management systems (Access Database), recording all information for internal monitoring and producing post-mortem reports as required.
• Organising identification of unknown deceased persons with Police Scotland.
• Audio typing/transcription of post-mortem reports (using Philips Speech Exec Pro Transcribe software) and correspondence for forensic pathologists.
• Keeping to deadlines in respect of our contractual agreement with COPFS. Maintaining and updating deceased electronic files when required.
• Handling of extremely sensitive information (written and photographic) in line with the Data Protection Act.
• Written and telecommunication with COPFS, Police Scotland, undertakers and medical staff.
• Collating information for internal audit and clinical meeting preparation.
• Preparation of material for toxicology and specimen sampling uplift.
• Providing administrative support, filing, archiving, photocopying, scanning and any other duties required.
• Requesting deceased GP/hospital records. (All with dignity, confidentiality and a high quality of care and attention to detail)

Who We're Looking For

Essential

• Positive attitude with enthusiasm and ability to ensure a high quality of service.
• Reliability demonstrating a good attendance record and timekeeping.
• Pro-active through forward planning own workload.
• Self-motivated with an ability to work with minimum supervision.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient IT skills.
• HND or equivalent experience in an office, GCSE/National Higher Grade in English or IELTS (minimum B1)

Desirable

Previous experience in a medical secretarial role and knowledge of complex medical language/ terminology.

Why Join the University of Dundee

At the University of Dundee, we are driven by a clear purpose: to transform lives through education, research and innovation.

We are internationally recognised for the real-world impact of our work, particularly in areas such as life sciences, health and engineering. Our collaborative and inclusive culture brings together talented people from across disciplines to tackle global challenges and deliver meaningful change.

Located in the vibrant city of Dundee, our campus offers a supportive and forward-looking environment where colleagues are empowered to develop, contribute and succeed.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive community where everyone can thrive. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are dedicated to creating an environment where colleagues feel valued, supported and empowered to succeed.

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) Requirements

Any offer of appointment will be conditional upon the individual having, or being able to obtain, the right to work in the UK. Prospective applicants are encouraged to review UK Government immigration guidance to assess their eligibility to work in the UK, including consideration of visa options that may be available to them, prior to applying.

Please note that this role is unlikely to meet the requirements for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship.