At a Glance
- Tasks: Be the friendly face of our school, managing reception and supporting admin tasks.
- Company: Community-focused school in Barking, dedicated to collaboration and support.
- Benefits: Gain valuable experience, develop skills, and work in a vibrant community environment.
- Other info: Exciting opportunity in a rapidly developing area with great transport links.
- Why this job: Join us to make a difference in students' lives while honing your professional skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in front-of-house or admin roles, with strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 24000 - 28000 £ per year.
We require a professional, highly organized front-of-house specialist to manage our busy school reception hub. The role involves acting as the central face and voice of the school, executing statutory visitor safeguarding protocols, and providing comprehensive administrative support to the wider operational team.
KEY TASKS & DAILY OPERATIONS
- Front-of-House Excellence: Welcome parents, multi-agency partners, contractors, and visitors with exceptional professionalism, ensuring all statutory safeguarding sign-in routines and security pass allocations are strictly maintained.
- Switchboard & Communication Management: Manage high-volume incoming telephone traffic and the central school email inbox, routing urgent inquiries and messages to pastoral, faculty, or senior leadership teams accurately.
- Student & Attendance Liaison: Coordinate morning intake processes, record student late arrivals on the central database, manage visitor logs for early collection, and assist with general student front-desk inquiries.
- Clerical & Systems Support: Assist the School Business Manager with essential administrative duties, including inputting data onto the internal Management Information System (MIS), sorting and distributing mail, and formatting school notifications.
- Emergency Operations Support: Maintain real-time, accurate digital visitor logs and evacuation registers, ensuring immediate readiness to support the site team during any emergency drill or building evacuation.
ENVIRONMENT & STRUCTURE
- Community Framework: Operating as a vital local community school managed in partnership with the local authority, our institution places a heavy emphasis on civic collaboration, deep parental engagement, and inclusive support networks.
- Behavior Systems: The campus implements highly consistent, school-wide behavior routines that maintain a quiet, respectful, and orderly atmosphere, ensuring the main reception remains a calm, productive, and focused workspace.
PROFILE REQUIREMENTS
- Experience: Strong previous experience in a busy front-of-house reception, customer service, or administrative role, with educational experience highly valued alongside transferable corporate or commercial skills.
- Technical Proficiency: High level of literacy in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and the proven capability to quickly master specialized school database tracking platforms and visitor systems.
- Interpersonal Skills: A calm, authoritative, and empathetic communication manner, with the ability to manage complex inquiries under pressure while maintaining absolute professional confidentiality.
REGIONAL CONTEXT
- Regeneration Hub: Based in Barking, the school is situated within one of East London's fastest-growing commercial and residential redevelopment zones, driven by massive infrastructure investments and community expansions.
- Connectivity: The location offers exceptional urban transport links, providing rapid access across London via the District Line, Hammersmith and City Line, London Overground, and c2c rail networks.
APPLICATION INTAKE
Please submit your current CV to begin the application process.
Front of House & Administrative Assistant | Community School | Barking employer: Marchant Recruitment
As a community school in Barking, we pride ourselves on fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment that prioritises professional development and civic engagement. Our team enjoys a collaborative culture, with opportunities for growth and the chance to make a meaningful impact within the local community, all while benefiting from excellent transport links and a vibrant regeneration area.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Front of House & Administrative Assistant | Community School | Barking
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the school! Research the community school’s values and mission. This will help you tailor your approach during interviews and show that you’re genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice your front-of-house skills! Role-play common scenarios you might face, like managing a busy reception or handling difficult inquiries. This will boost your confidence and prepare you for real-life situations.
✨Tip Number 3
Network with current or former staff if you can. They can provide insider tips on what the school values most in candidates and might even give you a heads-up about the interview process.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us.
We think you need these skills to ace Front of House & Administrative Assistant | Community School | Barking
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Front-of-House Skills:Make sure to highlight any previous experience you have in front-of-house roles. We want to see how you've welcomed visitors and managed busy reception areas, so share specific examples that showcase your professionalism and organisational skills.
Tailor Your CV to Us:When you're putting together your CV, think about the key tasks mentioned in the job description. We love it when applicants align their experiences with what we're looking for, so don’t be shy about tweaking your CV to reflect that!
Communication is Key:Since you'll be managing high-volume calls and emails, it's important to demonstrate your communication skills. Use clear and concise language in your application, and if you have any examples of handling complex inquiries, make sure to include them!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows us you’re keen on joining our community school!
How to prepare for a job interview at Marchant Recruitment
✨Know Your Front-of-House Role
Familiarise yourself with the core responsibilities of a front-of-house specialist. Understand the importance of visitor safeguarding protocols and how to manage high-volume inquiries. This will help you demonstrate your knowledge and readiness for the role.
✨Showcase Your Communication Skills
Prepare to discuss your interpersonal skills and provide examples of how you've handled complex inquiries in previous roles. Highlight your ability to remain calm under pressure, as this is crucial for managing a busy reception environment.
✨Demonstrate Technical Proficiency
Brush up on your Microsoft Office skills, especially Word, Excel, and Outlook. Be ready to talk about any experience you have with school database systems or similar platforms, as technical proficiency is key for this position.
✨Emphasise Community Engagement
Since the school values civic collaboration and parental engagement, think of ways you've contributed to community initiatives in the past. Share these experiences to show that you align with the school's mission and values.
