Receptionist

Salary: Grade 3 (£20,948 - £22,214)

Working Pattern: Full-time (35 hours per week), Fixed Term for 2 years

Working Hours: Monday to Friday (covering Reception hours)

Organisation Name: School of Social Sciences

Annual leave: 28 Days Plus 9 Buildings Closed Days (pro-rata)

Start Date: March 2024

Job Description

This role is designed for an experienced Receptionist, who is needed to be responsible for being the principal client facing point of contact and customer services for the School of Social Sciences. The role combines a series of reception services, which include administering the School's facilities and resources.

About Our School

The School consists of the Department of Psychology, Department of Languages & Intercultural Studies, and Edinburgh Business School, and delivers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate taught and research degrees across all the University's global campuses, as well as through a range of high-quality distance learning programmes. This role is part of the School Professional Services Support Team that is tasked with administratively and technically supporting the School's work.

Job Purpose

The School operates reception desk providing a range of services including an initial welcome to all students, visitors and guest, as well as helping the School make better use of its facilities and resources. This desk is located in the Edinburgh Business School Building and it operates five days a week, Monday to Friday 08:00 : 17.00. The ideal candidate will be personable and literate and enjoy delivering high quality of customer service to a very diverse customer base. Additionally, the role is expected to work closely with the School's Resources Manager to help provide a range of services to the School's staff.

Summary of Key Duties and Responsibilities

Reception

• Provide a full and extensive professional front desk reception.
• Provide information service to all visitors, students, staff, businesses and guests of the School.
• Be the initial point of contact whether in person, electronically or on the telephone.
• Provide an efficient and friendly, professional service as first point of contact to all students, visitors and staff
• Ensure all initial point of contact services are provided in a professional manner.
• Provide high quality, appropriate information, as required, to students, visitors and staff.
• Ensuring that enquiries are well handled in line with Heriot Watt policies and processes.
• Co-ordinate communications processes and direct visitors and staff.
Use of discretion when dealing with sensitive matters.

Information Communication

• Professionally and courteously deal with and direct as necessary.
• Source information to handle enquiries relating to services and events to assist clients.
• Facilitate the provision of directions, services and activities taking place on campus.
• Ensure a seamless transfer of information between am/pm sessions on the Reception Desk.
• Actioning outstanding work from am/pm sessions on the Reception Desk.
• Managing letter post/parcel post both incoming and outgoing in accordance with the School procedure.
• Keeping reception information held currently and updated as required as well as secure.
• Maintain the accuracy and relevance of reception display content both in physical formats and digitally.

Administration

• Carry out all aspects of relevant administration to support the School.
• Make bookings and organise facilities where applicable.
• Parcel despatch and receipt.
• Catering ordering
• Room booking
• Issue Wi-Fi Passes
• Issue Visitor Badges if required and maintain in/out logbook.
• Manage Car Park Access by telephone and report any problems accordingly.
• Maintain and update a bookings calendar for relevant meetings rooms.

Health & Safety

• 's Resources Manager with logging and/or escalating any Health and Safety and/or Security issues raised by building occupants.
• Act as Fire Warden in the event of a fire and as a First Aider as required.
• Maintain a tidy and safe reception environment at all times e.g. wet floor signs.
• Occasionally report cleaning requirements e.g. spillages until cleaning services arrive.
• Efficiently handle emergency situations and know who to call i.e. Estates, Safeguarding etc.
Assist the School
• 's Resources Manager in raising and managing hazards and risks on Shield (software).

Facilities & Resources

• Basic stock control and ordering of materials as required (e.g. stationary, copier paper, etc.)
Assist the School
• 's Resources Manager with managing office and IT resources and space within the School.
Facilitate the use of the School
• 's dedicated facilities.
Assist the School
• 's Resources Manager with organising keys and access to all School space.
Assist the School
• 's Resources Manager with maintaining records of assets and their use.
• Assist staff to book the use of facilities in advance.
Assist the School
• 's Resources Manager with logging and/or escalating any building and/or resource issues raised by building occupants.
• Movement of furniture, IT and AV equipment.

Other Tasks

• Provide customer services were required by the School Executive Support Office.
• Assist with occasional social activities.
• Liaison with University services and external contractors as required.
Assist the School
• 's Resources Manager with providing training to new staff when required.

Person Description

The requirements to successfully perform the role.

Essential Criteria

• Educated to SVQ level 2 or equivalent.
• A good level of literacy, numeracy and IT skills.
• Competent in the use of relevant IT packages e.g. Outlook, Microsoft Office Packages.
• Previous relevant experience and associated organisational skills.
• Demonstrable ability to speak and understand English in person, in writing, and on the telephone.
• Demonstrable professional and proactive approach with changing business demands.
• Ability to work on own with minimal supervision using initiative to resolve situations.
• Shares relevant and useful information and keeps team members up to date.
• A willingness to undertake relevant training (e.g. SharePoint, Fire Safety, First Aid etc.).

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience or relevant qualifications in customer service.

How to Apply

Applications can be submitted until midnight on the 12 th of March 2024.

Please submit via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system (1) Cover letter describing their interest and suitability for the post; (2) Full CV

At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ .

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.

Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.