Business Support Officer – EK

Reception Desk Officer – Children’s Services Job Purpose

We are seeking a professional and approachable Reception Desk Officer to provide a high-quality reception and customer care service within Children’s Services.

You will be the initial point of contact for visitors, callers, children, parents, carers, staff and service users. You will provide a professional, courteous and welcoming service while ensuring that enquiries are handled efficiently, sensitively and appropriately.

The successful candidate should ideally live locally or have a straightforward commute to Peckham/Camberwell
, and must be able to start work promptly at 9:00am
.

• Provide a professional and welcoming reception service to visitors, callers, children, parents, carers and service users.
• Act as the first point of contact, appropriately directing enquiries to the relevant service, officer or team.
• Receive and manage incoming telephone calls, emails, correspondence and face-to-face enquiries.
• Deal with sensitive or challenging situations calmly, patiently and empathetically.
• Carry out face-to-face building inductions for new staff, including explaining reception procedures and the room-booking process.
• Manage and maintain room bookings and provide guidance on use of reception and meeting facilities.
• Report building, maintenance, security and other facilities issues to the appropriate Facilities team.
• Maintain a clean, tidy, safe and professional reception environment.
• Support the safe reception of children, parents and families, keeping health and safety and safeguarding at the heart of service delivery.
• Use relevant systems to search casefiles, retrieve information and upload documents accurately.
• Maintain and update information systems and records in accordance with established procedures.
• Prepare papers and documentation for meetings and provide administrative support to meeting arrangements and attendance.
• Manage Outlook calendars, emails and correspondence effectively.
• Maintain accurate records and ensure information is handled securely and appropriately.
• Adhere to confidentiality, data protection, GDPR, safeguarding and statutory compliance requirements.
• Promote equality, diversity and inclusion in all interactions with service users, colleagues and visitors.
• Work effectively as part of a wider Children’s Services team and contribute to continuous improvement.
• Undertake other reasonable administrative and operational duties to support the effective delivery of Children’s Services.

• Previous experience in a reception, front-of-house, customer service or administrative environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• A professional, courteous and approachable manner.
• Ability to deal patiently and sensitively with children, parents, families and members of the public.
• Strong organisational and administrative skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritise and manage competing demands in a busy reception environment.
• Experience handling confidential and sensitive information.
  
  Desirable Experience
  • Experience working within Children’s Services, social care, local government, the NHS or another public‑sector environment
    .
  • Experience working in a reception or front-of-house role within a public service setting.
  • Knowledge of safeguarding and working with children, young people and families.
  • Experience with room-booking systems and building induction procedures.
  • Experience providing administrative support for meetings and professional teams.
  Personal Qualities

  The successful candidate will be:

  • Patient, calm and empathetic.
  • Professional and approachable.
  • Reliable and punctual, with the ability to start promptly at 9:00am
    .
  • Confident dealing with members of the public and…