Customer Service Administration Assistant

Job Title: Customer Service Assistant

Location: Highbury Campus, North Harbour Campus, Sixth Form Campus, and Arundel Campus

Salary: Full Time Equivalent £24,145.56 - £24,837.69 per annum

Hours of work: 37 Hours per week, 52 Weeks per year, Full-Time, Permanent

Job share arrangements for two part-time positions may be considered

At City of Portsmouth College, we aspire to be the employer of choice in the Portsmouth area, with a progressive, supportive, and rewarding workplace culture and one that offers competitive benefits for its staff. By joining us, you will personally be part of the change we are driving and will play a pivotal role in supporting the growth and development of our brilliant students, turning them into future leaders and innovators.

Everyone at the College is part of the bigger picture and together, each role makes an impact and in turn a difference to our students learning journey.

We have an unrivalled curriculum of courses on offer for students of all ages and stages covering A-levels, Apprenticeships, Vocational & Technical courses. We also offer Higher Education, Online learning and Community courses that appeal to the needs of the local community.

• Annual Leave: 25 days total and closure for winter shutdown period in line with Hampshire County Council school holidays & statutory bank holidays
• Pension:
  Generous Local Government pension. Further information can be found at
• Learning & Development:
  Programmes by The Community Adult Education Department
• Staff Development:
  Access to the College staff development programmes and CPD
• Onsite Discounts:
  City of Portsmouth College Hair Salon & 50% off at the City of Portsmouth College Sports Centre
• Online Discounts:
  Unidays, Student Beans, and Totum with a City of Portsmouth College email address
• Parking:
  Free car parking across all campus sites (apart from Arundel)
• Blue Light Card: providing several discounts for clothing, electrical goods, food and days out, even concert tickets!

We are seeking a highly professional, adaptable, and proactive Administration Assistant to provide administrative support working alongside our Front of House and Admissions team. As one of the first points of contact within the organisation, this is a pivotal customer service role requiring exceptional interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to thrive under pressure in a fast-paced, high-profile environment.

• Serve as one of the first point of contacts for visitors, students and staff, delivering a consistently professional and warm welcome.
• Monitor and control a range of shared inbox/spreadsheets and direct enquiries/queries to the appropriate member of staff or team across the organisation.
• Be responsible for clearing voicemail backlog and directing as appropriate.
• Processing reference requests in line with safeguarding and student data sharing rules.
• Provide reception cover during peak periods, absences and for key College events such as Open Evenings and Awards events.
• Prioritise tasks flexibly and independently, anticipating workload demands on a daily, monthly, and annual basis.
• Communicate clearly and confidently, both in person and over the phone, always maintaining a high standard of verbal professionalism.
• Demonstrate a proactive, problem‑solving mindset, taking ownership of issues and seeking practical solutions.
• Work to agreed Service Level Agreement timescales and actively work to improve response times and customer satisfaction.
• Maintain confidentiality and discretion, particularly when handling sensitive information or unexpected situations.
• Exhibit a calm, unflappable approach under pressure, with a consistently positive and self‑reliant attitude.
• Act as a central communication link in an emergency and as liaison point for staff

• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
• Strong interpersonal skills, maintaining an approachable demeanour to aid a positive first impression and rapport building
• Customer focused mindset with a commitment to providing exceptional service
• Problem solving abilities in order to…