JOB DESCRIPTION
March 2014
Job title: Receptionist/Administrator(part time)Department: Client Services
Team:Skylight Oxford
Reporting to:Skylight Coordinator
Aim
- Provide efficient Reception cover, customer-focused support for the activities of Skylight Oxford, and to support the Skylight Coordinator with administrational tasks as required.
Circumstances
- This is a part time postaveraging 13 hours per week and worked on a two week rotating shift schedule,(12 hours one week and 14 hours the next)
- A significant degree of flexibility is required in delivering the service, evening and weekend work will be required on a shift rota basis
- Based at the Old Fire Station in Oxford
Salary
- £7,007 per annum (£18,865 per annum full time equivalent)
Background
Crisis is the national charity for single homeless people. We are dedicated to ending homelessness by delivering life-changing services and campaigning for change.
Crisis Skylight, our award winning and accredited education, training and employment services, offer practical and creative workshops with formal learning opportunities that lead to qualifications and finding work. Crisis has Skylight centres open in London, Newcastle, and Oxford, and operates outreach services in Birmingham and Coventry, Merseyside, Sheffield and Edinburgh.
Crisis Skylight Oxford is located in the Old Fire Station in the centre of the city. It offers practical, creative and vocational workshops; accredited learning opportunities; and tailored employment programmes. It includes a social enterprise Skylight Café, open to the public.
The Old Fire Station building also accommodates a range of flexible arts spaces which are run by an independent arts company. They work closely with the Skylight team to provide opportunities for homeless people, the professional arts and wider communities to meet, learn, network and participate together. Crisis Skylight Reception is based within the Old Fire Station. This is a busy area where you will be dealing with Skylight members, homeless people seeking advice, members of the public using the café or arts facilities, staff, Crisis volunteers, visitors and a steady stream of deliveries. As you will be the first point of contact for many people, you need to be friendly, enjoy helping and be willing to learn about Crisis and all of the other activities taking place within the building. Administration and housekeeping functions relating to the facilities and customer service management of the Old Fire Station.
Organisational Chart
Principal accountabilities
- To provide reception cover for Crisis Skylight staff, volunteers and members.
- To provide reception cover for all other people using the Old Fire Station building which will include members of the public.
- Formally ‘opening’ reception if coming on duty at the start of the working day.
- To provide support to volunteers and trainees
- To answer internal/external calls via switchboard and route accordingly.
- Undertake administrative responsibilities relating to reception: updating staff, volunteers and service-users list, updating phone extension lists, computer booking schedules and responding to general enquiries via telephone and face to face.
- Undertake other administrative activities to support the Skylight Coordinator and Facilities Manager role.
- Keep accurate records and ensure data is captured in databases and other IT packages
- Order stationary and supplies
- To develop and maintain an understanding of the work and practice of all of the other organisations operating within the Old Fire Station.
- To comply with the charity’s equal opportunities and Health & Safety policies.
- To liaise with Skylight staff on issues involving reception and interaction with Skylight members.
General accountabilities and contribution to the team and organisation
- To develop and maintain an understanding of the charity’s work and the needs and circumstances of homeless people
- To comply with Crisis policies and procedures, including Health and Safety policies, for which all employees owe a duty of care both to themselves and others, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act.
- To participate in the continual improvement of Skylight Oxford.
- To develop and share good practice with the team and with other Skylight centres.
- To participate in professional development activities
- To work alongside and in partnership with colleagues from Arts at the Old Fire Station sharing functions and providing cover when appropriate.
- To carry out any other duties that may reasonably be required in the light of the main purpose of the job.
Person Specification
- Experience of working in a highly pressurised environment
- Experience of working with people who can present with challenging behaviour
- Experience of providing administrative support and working as part of a team
- Efficient and well organised, able to successfully manage a busy and diverse workload with attention to detail and accuracy.
- An understanding of customer care principles
- Effective communication skills both written and spoken
- Good working knowledge of word, excel and outlook
- Strong interpersonal skills
- A confident manner, enjoy working co-operatively as part of a team
- Adaptable and flexible, committed to the highest standard of customer care.
- Empathy and understanding of the issues faced by homeless people.
- Commitment to Crisis’s purpose and values including equality and social inclusion.
We encourage applications from all sections of the community particularly those with personal or previous experience of homelessness.