Business Support Officer – EK

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.

Key Responsibilities

• 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.

Essential Skills and Experience

• 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.
• Understanding of confidentiality, data protection/GDPR and appropriate information handling.
• Good IT skills and confidence using Microsoft Outlook, email and calendar functions.
• Experience using information, case management, document management or similar administrative systems.
• Ability to search records/casefiles, upload documents and maintain accurate information.
• Ability to work effectively with colleagues across different teams and services.
• Understanding of health and safety responsibilities within a public-facing environment.
• Commitment to equality, diversity, safeguarding and high-quality customer service.

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 sensitive situations.
• Highly organised and attentive to detail.
• Flexible and willing to undertake additional duties when required.
• Committed to confidentiality, safeguarding, equality and health and safety.
• A positive team player with a commitment to continuous improvement.

Location and Accessibility

This is a site-based reception role in the Peckham/Camberwell area. Candidates should consider their ability to travel reliably to the workplace and be available to commence duties promptly at 9:00am.

Safeguarding and Compliance

The postholder will be required to comply with all relevant organisational policies and procedures, including confidentiality, data protection, safeguarding, health and safety, equality and diversity, and statutory requirements applicable to Children’s Services.