At a Glance
- Tasks: Provide a welcoming front of house service and support daily operations.
- Company: Join UKRI, a leader in research and innovation with a supportive culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, generous leave, and a fantastic pension scheme.
- Other info: Great opportunities for personal development and work-life balance.
- Why this job: Be the first point of contact and make a positive impact every day.
- Qualifications: Customer service experience and strong organisational skills are essential.
The predicted salary is between 31500 - 38500 £ per year.
Salary: £25,842 (FTE) per annum (pro rata).
Band: UKRI Band B.
Contract Type: Fixed Term (12 months).
Hours: Part Time – 25 hours per week.
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire.
Closing Date: Sunday 16th August 2026.
About the role
To provide a professional, efficient, and welcoming front of house service for staff, visitors, and stakeholders for both UKRI and external tenants such as DWP. The role ensures smooth day to day operations in working in reception, supporting security protocols, and delivering high quality administrative support in line with organisational standards. This role sits in the Workplace Experience function so a key part of organisational values through professional conduct and high-quality customer service.
Your responsibilities:
- Act as the first point of contact for all visitors, ensuring a courteous, inclusive, and professional welcome.
- This will include dealing with queries regarding; for example - building opening hours, car parking, meeting rooms.
- Overseeing visitor sign in, issuing passes, and following security and safeguarding procedures.
- Answer and route incoming phone calls; take and relay messages in a polite and courteous fashion.
- Providing support to Facilities Helpdesk team to assist in general enquiries and administrative tasks as required.
- Support emergency procedures, including evacuation lists and visitor accountability, carrying out specific duties in relation to emergency evacuations.
- Support all other areas within the Estates function.
Personal Specification
The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).
- Experience using Microsoft Office and standard office equipment (S).
- Strong interpersonal and customer service skills (S&I).
- High attention to detail and accuracy (I).
- Good organisational and multitasking skills (S&I).
- Experience in a customer-facing reception, or administrative role (S&I).
- Experience in managing competing priorities in a busy environment (I).
- Ability to multitask and remain calm under pressure (I).
- Experience using visitor management or booking systems (S&I).
Benefits
We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. UKRI are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning!
A list of benefits below:
- An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
- 30 days' pro-rata annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
- Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
- Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
- Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!
For further information on our benefits please see: Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact Recruitment@ukri.org
As this job does not fulfil the UK Government minimum criterion for obtaining sponsored migrant worker status, we will be unable to apply for sponsorship for anyone not eligible to work in the UK. At interview, all shortlisted candidates are required to bring with them identification documents and original documents that prove they hold or can obtain the right to work in the UK.
Administration Assistant in Swindon employer: UKRI
The MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment that fosters professional growth and collaboration. With a strong commitment to employee development, the LMB provides comprehensive training opportunities and encourages continuous learning, making it an ideal place for HR professionals looking to make a meaningful impact in the scientific community. Located in the vibrant Cambridge Biomedical Campus, employees benefit from a supportive culture that values innovation and teamwork, ensuring a rewarding career path in Human Resources.
