Concierge

Concierge

Reports to: Assistant Manager

About Birchgrove

Birchgrove is a different kind of later living. Our neighbourhoods are places to feel genuinely at home - with your own front door, your own routines and the freedom to live life your way, alongside a welcoming community when you want it. We believe later life should feel lighter, easier and full of possibility, with beautiful homes, friendship, independence and the reassurance of support close by.

Why neighbours? Because this is their home. The people who live at Birchgrove are not defined by a building or a service; they are the people next door, the familiar face over lunch, the person you stop and chat to in the hallway. We get to know people as individuals - their stories, preferences and even their quirks - and we want everyone to feel part of something without ever losing their independence or sense of self. Calling people neighbours simply feels more like Birchgrove: warm, personal and rooted in belonging.

The role

As Concierge, you will often be the first person a neighbour, visitor or family member sees when they arrive. You will help set the tone for the neighbourhood: warm, calm, organised and genuinely welcoming.

The role brings together reception, hospitality, administration and practical support. You will help people find what they need, support events and food-and-beverage service, and make sure everyday enquiries are handled thoughtfully and efficiently. At its heart, this is a hospitality role: being present, helpful and welcoming, while keeping clear boundaries around personal care or clinical support.

The person

• Warm, friendly and confident speaking with a wide range of people.
• Someone who enjoys helping people and takes pride in making every interaction feel welcoming and easy.
• Organised, self-motivated and able to manage several priorities without losing the personal touch.
• A clear communicator with good telephone and administrative skills.
• Comfortable working as part of a team and helping colleagues when the neighbourhood is busy.
• Creative and willing to support events and community activity.
• Discreet and respectful when handling neighbour information or personal matters.
• Someone who keeps a good sense of what is happening across the neighbourhood and feels confident speaking up about problems, sharing ideas and suggesting practical solutions.
• Flexible to work shifts, including some weekends.

What you will be doing

• Welcome neighbours, prospective neighbours, families, visitors and contractors and help create a positive first impression.
• Manage routine reception enquiries in person and by telephone, dealing with them professionally or directing them to the right colleague.
• Support day-to-day reception administration, messages, bookings and other agreed neighbourhood tasks.
• Follow visitor, contractor, access, key and security procedures.
• Provide practical hospitality and customer-service support to neighbours as part of the day-to-day operation of the neighbourhood, without providing personal care or clinical support.
• Support activities, events and functions, including room set-up and welcoming guests.
• Deliver food and beverage service to a high standard, including hot drinks and bar service where required and permitted.
• Help keep reception and communal areas clean, tidy and welcoming.
• Work collaboratively with neighbours, families and colleagues while respecting confidentiality and individual boundaries.
• Report maintenance issues, hazards, incidents, concerns or unusual events promptly to the appropriate manager.

What we expect from everyone

• Be warm, helpful and respectful. Get to know people as individuals and remember that, for our neighbours, this is home.
• Take ownership. If you can help, do. If you cannot, make sure the right person knows and follow it through rather than letting something drift.
• Speak up if something does not feel right - whether it is a safety concern, inappropriate behaviour, a mistake or a concern about someone's wellbeing.
• Respect people's privacy and handle personal or confidential information carefully, sharing it only when there is a genuine need to do so.
• Work safely, complete the training required for your role and ask for help when you are unsure or something is outside your training, competence or authority.

Health, safety and wellbeing

• Follow food-hygiene and allergen procedures when serving food or drinks.
• Never guess or provide allergen information from memory. Use Birchgrove's approved allergen information and refer queries to an appropriately trained colleague whenever required.
• Follow security, visitor-management and emergency procedures at reception.
• Report hazards, incidents, accidents, near misses and maintenance defects promptly.
• Take part in fire drills and emergency exercises and understand the role expected of front-of-house colleagues during an incident.
• Follow manual-handling, lone-working and safe-working procedures relevant to the duties being carried out.
• Maintain clear professional boundaries and do not provide personal care, administer medication or give clinical advice.

What you can expect from us

• Work that matters. Whatever your role, you will help make everyday life easier, warmer and more connected for our neighbours.
• Room to grow. We invest in learning and development, with training plans, apprenticeships, leadership pathways and opportunities to progress as Birchgrove grows.
• Trust and a voice. We want you to use your judgement, share ideas and feel able to make things better rather than simply follow a script.
• A team that looks out for one another. We value kindness, collaboration and different perspectives, and we want people to feel welcome, respected and able to be themselves. Birchgrove is a Living Wage Employer and a Disability Confident Employer.
• Benefits that support you, including life assurance, healthcare cashback, employee assistance and mental health support, long-service recognition, free breakfast and lunch when working in our neighbourhoods, an electric-car salary-sacrifice scheme and onsite gym use at selected neighbourhoods, subject to eligibility and availability.
• The chance to grow with us. Birchgrove is continuing to expand, and we want our colleagues to share in that journey, bring ideas with them and feel proud of the part they play.

This job description sets out the main responsibilities of the role and is not exhaustive. You may be asked to carry out other reasonable duties that fit the nature and level of the role and the needs of the neighbourhood.