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 Riverside . To 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.

About Us

Harris Academy Riverside is a very popular non-selective and highly oversubscribed academy which opened as part of the Harris Federation and the regeneration of the Purfleet on Thames area in 2017. We serve our local community of Purfleet on Thames and West Thurrock and have 900 on roll in the secondary academy and around 200 students in the 6th form.

Vision

Harris Academy Riverside seeks to develop students who are successful, confident and happy, who inspire their community and who act with kindness and compassion towards others.

Ethos

In our procedures and daily routines, our broad and varied curriculum, our pedagogical model and through our commitment to providing experience of the wider world we aim to promote a strong sense of community and belonging, to provide a blend of high challenge and high support and to encourage the development of

• Outstanding habits of behaviour such as self-awareness, kindness, appreciation, humility, politeness, confident self-expression and self-presentation and
• Outstanding habits of learning such as determination, resilience, organisation, reading, studying and practice

Main Areas of Responsibility

Your responsibilities will include:

• 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 to senior leadership.

We look for talented individuals who share our vision for creating exceptional places of learning, and are committed to ensuring that every child in London has access to the best possible education.

In addition to the opportunities for career progression, training and development, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme, a Wellbeing Cash Plan, electric car scheme, 26 days' annual leave (plus bank holidays) for non term-time only employees, and many other benefits.

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 we expect all our staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed for all applicants. Before applying, please review our Policy Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders.

Equal Opportunities

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

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.