Senior School Receptionist

Role:  Senior School Receptionist (afternoon)

Reporting to:  School Office Manager

Hours: Term Time: Monday to Friday, 12.30 – 18.00

+4 additional weeks during the School holidays (09.00 – 16.00) with 1 hour lunch

Overview

The post holder will work as an integral part of the School Office. This includes liaising with professional services staff, teachers, students, parents and alumnae. This job description lists the main responsibilities, but as a member of the team in the School Office the Receptionist may be required to undertake any role in the Office that can reasonably be expected.

The role will include but not be limited to the following responsibilities and duties:

Responsibilities

Promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons for whom the postholder is responsible and with whom they come into contact.

General Duties

• To welcome visitors in a professional and friendly manner, ensuring signing in and out procedures are followed and to provide refreshments as required.
• To receive, screen and prioritise incoming telephone calls and deal with them appropriately, including distributing messages as required.
• To monitor and distribute emails received by the school email account.
• To be the main point of contact for parents, pupils and teaching staff for urgent messages through reception.
• To keep abreast of the school day and maintain the electronic diary of expected visitors and inform security where appropriate.
• To order stationery for the school office.
• To upload school lunch menus for parents and staff.
• To deal with unexpected visitors in a professional and appropriate manner.
• To book taxis and charge to relevant departments, including checking monthly invoice and querying anomalies with the taxi company.
•  To book casual coach tickets as required for students travelling on school coaches.
• To record and maintain accurate records for students signing in and out of school throughout the school day.
• To provide administrative and clerical support to other Professional Services departments where appropriate.
• To provide assistance where necessary in the event of a fire evacuation.
• To ensure the office and reception areas are kept clean and tidy at all times.
• To be willing to train as First Aider.
• To be willing to take on small projects during quiet times.

Personal qualities

•  Ability to adapt quickly, and be courteous and sensitive in a variety of situations with pupils, parents and staff
• Excellent communications skills, patience, calmness and tact

Skills and Knowledge

• Interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to interact with people at all levels
• Confidence/assertiveness/courteousness
• Good levels of literacy and numeracy
• Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure
• Use of initiative.

Attributes

• Tact and discretion
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Loyalty, energy, articulacy, and diplomacy
• Adaptable and proactive attitude
• Flexibility
• Friendly and highly professional approach to pupils, parents, staff and visitors
• Appreciation of and sympathy for the objectives of an independent school
• Preparedness to undertake training and development as required, particularly in relation to the introduction of new technologies.

What we are offering: 

• A competitive salary, commensurate with the candidate’s experience
• Free lunch and refreshments 
• Additional life insurance cover
• Access to Employee Assistance  
• Extensive professional development training opportunities  
• Free onsite parking and access to travel on the schools extensive coach network 
• Free access to sports facilities and well-being programmes for staff  
• Enrolment into the Schools' pension scheme, with 12% employer contribution, based on 5% individual contribution

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. 

Haberdashers’ Girls' SchooIs are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful candidate will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced check. The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the School is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.