Receptionist and Administrative Assistant

Support our thriving academy! We are looking for a Receptionist Admin Assistant to be the first point of contact for all visitors, staff and students at Harris Academy Chobham. You will assist in the management of the reception area as well as providing administrative support in order to contribute to the smooth running of the academy.

At Chobham, we have an innovative system where student services staff are integrated into wider into school life.Our student services colleagues are not only the first point of call for parents, staff and students but are also involved in the school community by being part of a house system where they are able to contribute to the school in directly supporting young people's development.

About Us

Chobham Academy is always on the lookout for inspirational and influential staff. Most of all, we are on the lookout for potential colleagues who like our students and want to help them succeed. In order to help our staff have the best possible experience and achieve a proper work- life balance, we have put into place a range of measures to benefit both our teaching and students services colleagues.

We place high emphasis on staff wellbeing at Chobham. This helps colleagues to be happier and more effective in their work. Staff are regularly consulted about their wellbeing and the outcomes of these consultations have a direct and rapid impact upon the Academy's approach to supporting staff wellbeing.

Our staff are regularly consulted on the wellbeing services the school provides and we always try to respond to staff suggestions. In this way, staff feel empowered and get more of the services they really want. ;We are very proud of our wellbeing programme at Chobham and hope you will agree that it shows our commitment to making the school an exemplary working environment.

Main Areas of Responsibility

Your main responsibilities will be:

• To present the professional and welcoming face of the Academy to all visitors, staff and students, including telephone callers.
• To ensure all visitors are signed in to the academy in accordance with safeguarding procedures.
• To respond to queries from parents/carers and the general public with exemplary professionalism, ensuring that any messages or complaints are immediately dealt with, forwarded to the appropriate member of staff or escalated as required.
• To ensure the overall appearance of the reception area is tidy, professional and presentable at all times.
• General administrative duties such as typing, photocopying, filing, collation and distribution of post.
• In liaison with appropriate academy staff, to contribute to the maintenance of academy information databases and filing systems relating to pupils, ensuring confidentiality is observed at all times and records are accurate and up to date.
• To assist academy staff in all aspects of academy life, including contacting parents and pupils where necessary.
• To provide general administrative support to the academy as required, including preparation of documentation, and administrative duties relating to specific areas such as academy calendar maintenance, extra-curricular activities, school trips, school meal arrangements.

Qualifications & Experience

Qualifications, Knowledge & Training

• Educated to GCSE level or equivalent
• Competent in the use of Microsoft Office packages
• Proficient in the use of computers and databases

Experience

• Previous experience in an administrative or front office/reception role
• Demonstrable customer service experience

Personal Skills, Abilities & Qualities

• Good level of interpersonal and communication skills, with a good standard of written and spoken English
• Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise tasks appropriately
• Commitment to delivering excellent level of professional customer service
• Ability to remain calm and deal with challenging callers or visitors in an appropriate manner
• High level of attention to detail and accuracy of work
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team;
• Ability to be resourceful and proactive, in particular where unexpected issues arise
• Ability to work effectively with people across a wide range of levels and responsibilities
• Ability to maintain confidentiality; having tact and diplomacy where necessary.

Next Steps

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact us via e-mail, or call to arrange a conversation.

Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. You will need this when completing your application.

Please note: we may hold interviews as and when applications are received and we reserve the right to offer to a candidate prior to the closing date. We only accept applications submitted online via our careers website and which are completed before the closing deadline. With this in mind, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible and advise you check the job information as per the listing on our careers site.

Professional Development & Benefits

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions, a Wellbeing Cash Plan including access to a virtual GP, electric car scheme, 26 days' annual leave (plus bank holidays) for staff who work across the full year, and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefitson our website.

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.