16415 - Evening Receptionist - Fixed Term up until June 2027 - Monday to Thursday

Overview of the job This is an administrative role based within the Probation Service (PS) Directorate in HMPPS. The job holder reports to the designated Line Manager and supports the provision of business specific and transactional office based activities.

The job holder works collaboratively with other team members to provide reception duties and a range of administrative support services.

The job holder may be expected to support a number of teams/functions within the operational area and is to offer support and cover during periods of absence, for which training will be provided.

The job holder must promote diversity and anti discriminatory practice in the performance of the post in a way that embraces Equality and values Diversity.

The post holder must adhere to all policies in respect of the sensitive/confidential nature of the information handled whilst working in this position.

NB: Core Hours include regular unsocial hours (evenings and/or weekends) as determined by the business need.

Summary To provide an effective and efficient first point of contact with all visitors, telephone callers and undertake administrative functions in accordance with service policy and procedures.

• To be the first point of contact for the Probation Service, greet people on probation and visitors professionally both face to face and via telephone and email, log their arrival and departure, ensure the appropriate member of staff is notified and issue visitor passes and security fobs as necessary.
• Use observation and situational awareness to diffuse potentially violent situations and recognise when additional support is required, whether from internal management or external security/policing, and to be alert to conversations that might indicate a safeguarding or risk issue, taking remedial action such as emailing the Probation Practitioner and updating Delius.
• Answer all enquiries related to basic information about the Probation Service and local Person on Probation support services such as food banks, referring more technical enquiries to an appropriate manager.
• Deal with all logistics for the building, including managing mail items, ordering PPE and office stationery, meeting room equipment, taking delivery of items and ensuring they reach the correct destination, and managing room, hot desk and car parking bookings. Support and service meeting rooms, including preparing for events and event registration as required.
• Pay bus fares and travel warrants to people on probation and handle day to day petty cash, including collection and transport of petty cash and travel warrants between Probation properties.
• Assist in maintaining health and safety and security aspects of the building, acting as key holder, operating physical security, testing fire and panic alarms, monitoring CCTV, assisting evacuation measures and, where necessary, acting as Fire Warden/First Aider and supporting risk assessments in the absence of the line manager.
• Log building faults and incidents, maintain a log of maintenance and repairs, and escalating issues through the appropriate channels, making decisions (within guidelines) on the urgency of faults to maintain building security.
• In the absence of the Senior Admin Officer, escort contractors and visitors around the building.
• When necessary, support the case administration of Persons on Probation by providing confidential and high level administrative support to operational teams, including processing and updating computer based and manual files, using a range of computer software to provide comprehensive administrative support, producing documentation and correspondence, accessing databases for information as required, and scanning and archiving data, some of which is sensitive and highly confidential.

The duties and responsibilities described above describe the post as it is at present and are not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.