Job Title: Clerical Assistant/Receptionist / Directorate:
Post Number: / Division:
Grade:2 / Business Unit/Section: Schools
Overall Purpose of Job:
To be the first point of contact for all queries, in person and by telephone. To be very professional, welcoming and supportive at all times ensuring the values of the school are shared with everyone who makes contact in whatever capacity.To provide effective, efficient administrative supportunder the direction of the Office Manager/SLT link
Main Responsibilities:
1 / Greeting visitors, parents and contractors upon arrival at the school in a professional, polite and friendly manner.
Undertaking of duties in a welcoming but effective and conscientious manner.
Maintaining accuracy and meeting pre-determined deadlines.
For non-routine aspects of work, ensuring that action taken does not impede the efficiency of the school.
2 / Providing secretarial, clerical, typing and computer support:
  • Types letters, memoranda
  • Answers routine enquiries form staff, pupils, parents and the general public
  • Performs switchboard and reception duties
  • Files, updates and retrieves information manually and electronically
  • Prepares and answers routine correspondence
  • Records and posts all outgoing mail.
  • Photocopying
  • Delivering Messages
  • Distribution of all Internal and delivered Mail

3 /

Prepare and record all outgoing mail ensuring correct postage and relevant service is used using a franking machine, and check postage credit level on franking machine and replenish when low.

Ensuring that the reception area is kept clean and tidy, information, leaflets and brochures are current and displayed appropriately; ensuring staff information is current.

Ensuring all visitors to the school sign in and out at reception, and issue them with a visitors pass and ensure all visitor passes are returned. Where relevant check DBS information and ensure safeguarding procedures are followed.
Retrieving messages left on the school answering machine system, recording them accurately and ensuring prompt action is taken to direct the messages to the appropriate recipient.
Point of contact with the caretaker. Alerting caretaker when deliveries are made, or when their assistance is required around the school
Offering support to provide and organise refreshments for meetings.
Responsibility for taking all post to local Post Office on a rota basis.
4 / Any other duties deemed appropriate within the grade
Knowledge, Skill and Experience Required:
  • Accurate administrative skills.
  • Literacy and numeracy skills
  • Ability to answer routine enquiries by telephone and face to face in a friendly, supportive manner.
  • IT skills – inputting and retrieving data, word processing and spreadsheets
  • Excellent organisational skills.
•Excellent communication skills.
•Knowledge in the use of office machinery.
•Knowledge in the handling of confidential data and information.
•Understanding of people’s needs – staff, students, parents, including child protection issues.
•Ability to prioritise tasks and work under pressure.
•Excellent interpersonal skills dealing with a variety of different people.
Creativity and Innovation:
Will not need to be creative however problem solving for routine enquiries will be necessary to the postholder.
Decision Making:
There will always be advice available and any routine decisions can be easily remedied
Uses discretion when tackling issues from parents, students and others, and decides when appropriate when to seek advice from line management.
Redirects mail/telephone calls as appropriate.
Contacts and Relationships:
•Students, parents, careers service representatives, representatives from other schools, contractors, governors, community users
•Visitors and parents to the school for information giving and/or receiving.
•Students and staff for information giving and/or receiving.
Responsibility for Resources: (to include approximate value, sole or shared responsibility and for what percentage of their working hours)
None
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Work Demands:
Although visitors may interrupt administrative work, as the receptionist this will be a part of the daily routine.
  • Will work in an office/reception area with adequate lighting and ventilation.
  • Will work sitting at a desk but may be expected to lift items such as parcels delivered into reception, e.g. boxes of photocopy paper, etc.
  • Deal with constant interruptions in a calm and professional manner.
  • Work will be generally of low risk both mentally and physically, although there will be times when irate parents or students may need to be dealt with.

Physical Demands:
Normal.
Working Conditions:
Normal.
Work Context:
There may be some risk to the postholder from abusive pupils/parents.
Position in Organisation:
Indicate how many staff the post is directly accountable for:

Does the postholder manage the posts Yes  No 

OR
Does the postholder supervise the posts Yes  No 
Are posts in more than one location? Yes  No 
Is the supervision/management shared with another post in the structure? Yes  No 
Please indicate which post(s) N/A

Note:

Post holders will be expected to be flexible in undertaking the duties and responsibilities attached to their post and may be asked to perform other duties, which reasonably correspond to the general character of the post and are commensurate with its level of responsibility. This job description is provided for guidance only and does not form part of the contract of employment.

Date of Job Description28 October 2018

Date copy sent to Post holder…………………………….

1

June 2002