Roots and Shoots is run by a small diverse team who bring their enormous passion and expertise to our vibrant community. The team consists of a professional, friendly and creative group of people from all backgrounds, who all put our students and the environment first. We value people highly, with a focus on equality of opportunity for all.
Receptionist
Reporting to Business Manager
Job Type: Permanent, Part Time, Term time only - 40 weeks per year.
Hours: 30 hours per week - 6 hours per day, 5 days a week. 8.40am - 3.40pm. 1 hour unpaid lunch per day.
Location: Kennington, London, SE11 6DN. No working from home, must be on site every day.
Salary: £18,720.00
Roots and Shoots is an independent, award-winning educational and environmental charity based in Kennington, South London. From a derelict site in 1982, it has grown to become a well-established and respected vocational training organisation with biodiverse wildlife gardens, offering a safe haven for both people and nature to flourish.
This is a key role within a busy front office. The Receptionist will be a key representative of the organisation and will frequently be the first on-site point of contact for a wide variety of visitors. The Receptionist will be frequently speaking to students with special education needs and disabilities, parents, venue hire clients, contractors and various other visitors to our site.
The majority of our venue hire client base are national and local level government departments and charities; professionalism and high quality hospitality is extremely important.
This is a highly varied role that requires quick thinking, strong verbal and written communication skills and good technical literacy. Accurate and timely data entry is critical to the success of the role.
Being familiar with working via the Google Workspace suite of productivity tools (Gmail, Google Sheets, Google Docs etc.) is beneficial but not essential if already familiar with Microsoft equivalents.
Job Purpose
Roots and Shoots has a wide variety of site users and visitors. The Receptionist is the first point of contact for many visitors as well as a key supporting team member, enabling the wider organisation to run smoothly though discreet gathering and sharing of information where appropriate.
The role provides professional support for the organisation in the following areas:
Front of House for all staff, students and visitors
Attendance Tracking and Education Administration - Leading the daily attendance tracking process
Site Health and Safety including Fire Marshall Team
Main Duties
Front of House
To act as an ambassador for the organisation for all incoming visitors.
Be the first person to answer the phone, providing support to callers and directing them or taking messages.
Having awareness of the key staff calendars and of expected visitors.
Assisting with general public enquiries and signpost visitors to the correct areas.
Providing support for student enquiries, either providing solutions or signposting students to the appropriate education team member.
Having awareness of the education timetable, and where students are expected to be attending.
To have an awareness of the venue hire calendar and signposting clients and their guests.
Attendance Tracking and Education Administration
Completing morning and afternoon attendance checks for all students each day.
Following up absences with students and their families / carers in a timely manner in accordance with the attendance tracking procedure.
Sharing information with education staff regarding the status of students.
Communicating student attendance concerns with management.
Playing an active and supportive role for the Education Team.
Supporting Education Managers with outgoing parent / carer correspondence.
Attending office team meetings to improve the operation of the organisation.
Having awareness of all student travel support needs and liaise with taxis and parents if issues arise.
Supporting students leaving for the day, ensuring they leave in the correct vehicle.
Security
To ensure that all visitors sign in/out and are given an appropriate lanyard.
To maintain site security, checking legitimacy of contracted professionals and unexpected visitors.
Redirecting unwanted visitors off site or calling for additional support when necessary.
Keeping the front door and reception area under control, handling the flow of visitors and minimising blockages.
Supporting the Business Manager
Providing general admin support for the Business Manager
Site
Ensuring the front office area is clean, tidy and complies with health and safety requirements.
Maintaining a welcoming environment for visitors.
Ensuring that stocks of consumables and refreshments are replenished.
Communicating when purchases need to be made.
To ensure that toilets are stocked with toilet paper and soap.
Communicate reports of site maintenance issues with the appropriate staff.
Fire Marshall (FM)
To act as a Fire Marshall in the Fire Marshall Team to support fire drills and actual fire alarms:
To attain and maintain Fire Marshall accredited training.
To follow the site evacuation procedures in the event of a fire alarm and playing a key role in ensuring all site users are safe.
ensure all registers and sign-in sheets are removed from Office during fire drills or alarms to ensure the site has been evacuated.
To act as the Assembly Point FM and lead the confirmation of registers by Tutors.
To play an active role in the FM Team and adhere to FM standards of practice.
Ad-hoc Support Tasks
Provide student support when they request it, redirecting students to relevant education staff.
Liaising with parents and students for the education department.
Relating upcoming issues with senior management.
Providing ad hoc staff support and resolving staff enquiries.
Occasionally providing ad hoc staff cover in other departments when urgently required.
Mitigating potential issues that arise in the front office.
Creating and updating the monthly Staff Newsletter.
Handling incoming deliveries and mail.
Supporting Biannual Community Events.
Working two weekend days a year at our biannual Community Events.
Supporting the Venue Hire Team.
Occasional help with meeting room preparation, food serving or clearing rooms.
Backup support in the event of a Venue Team staff absence.
Job descriptions cannot be exhaustive and the post holder may be required to undertake other duties, which are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.
Safeguarding Statement
Roots and Shoots is committed to the safeguarding of its learners, staff and visitors.
Safeguarding is a priority with arrangements in place to ensure learners feel, and are safe on college premises and during off site activities.
Roots and Shoots ensures safeguarding legislation and guidance are adhered to and taken into account when developing and revisiting policies, procedures and associated arrangements.
Roots and Shoots provides a safe physical environment for its learners and staff, ensuring that premises are of a good standard. Health & Safety arrangements are in place to ensure adherence to current legislation and guidance.
Applicants will be subject to recruitment and selection procedures designed to emphasise Roots and Shoots commitment to the safeguarding of its learners and staff. The procedures include questioning at interview stage, verification of appropriate qualification, acquiring references, and necessary safety checks.
Roots and Shoots has a designated Safeguarding Lead responsible for learner protection, supporting staff in carrying out their safeguarding duties, and working closely with other services.
Roots and Shoots has policies and procedures in place to deal effectively with learner protection and safeguarding issues together with recording and monitoring processes. It is a condition of employment that all staff are trained to a level appropriate to their safeguarding responsibilities.
Roots and Shoots commitment to safeguarding is paramount to the success of learners. Trustees, senior management team and the “Safeguarding Working Group” will continue to keep abreast of developments in this area and implement arrangements to continually improve the safety and awareness of its learners, staff and volunteers.