Lodge Manager

Pembroke College, Oxford; Oxford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

University staff pension

Free lunch

Generous annual leave

Professional development opportunities

Supportive working environment

Job summary

Pembroke College, Oxford is seeking an experienced Lodge Manager to lead its Porters’ Lodge, the first point of contact for students, Fellows, staff, visitors and contractors. The role requires strong people management and a calm, decisive approach in a 24/7 environment.

You will oversee front-of-house, access control, security, emergency procedures and budget oversight, working with College colleagues to ensure hospitality, safety and operational resilience across all Lodge functions.

Qualifications

• Strong people-management experience.
• Experience of managing staff on rotating shifts or 24-hour service environments.
• Good health and safety, fire safety, first aid and emergency-response knowledge.
• Experience developing policies, procedures and service standards.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Lodge team, set clear expectations and foster a service-focused culture.
• Manage 24-hour staffing, rotation planning, leave, sickness and handovers.
• Oversee front-of-house reception, information accuracy and confidentiality.

Skills

People management

Staff scheduling

Health and safety

Policy development

Communication

Decision making

IT skills

ILM Level 3

University environment

Access-control systems

Emergency response

IOSH training

Education

ILM Level 3

Tools

SALTO access-control

CCTV systems

Job description

Salary: £40,000 – £45,000 per annum (depending on experience)

Location: Central Oxford

Contract: Permanent, Full-Time

Pembroke College, Oxford, is seeking an experienced, people-focused and highly organised Lodge Manager to lead its Porters’ Lodge, a vital service at the heart of College life. This is an exciting opportunity to shape a welcoming, professional and secure first point of contact for students, Fellows, staff, visitors, guests and contractors.

The Lodge operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and plays an essential role in the day-to-day life of the College. As Lodge Manager, you will lead and develop the team of Lodge Receptionists, ensuring consistently high standards of hospitality, security, safety, communication and operational resilience.

Reporting to the Director of Operations and working closely with colleagues across the College, you will combine confident people leadership with practical operational management. You will oversee front-of-house services, access control and security procedures, emergency preparedness, staffing and rotas, budgets and service improvement, helping the Lodge respond effectively to the needs of a diverse and active College community.

This role will suit someone who enjoys leading from the front, builds trust through clear communication and sound judgement, and can remain calm and decisive when priorities change or challenging situations arise.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership and team management

• Lead, motivate and develop the Lodge team, setting clear expectations and fostering a collaborative, inclusive and service-focused culture.
• Manage staffing and rotas for a continuous 24-hour service, including shift cover, annual leave, sickness absence and effective handovers.
• Oversee induction, training, one-to-ones, appraisal and performance management, supporting high standards of conduct and accountability, and supporting professional development.

Front-of-house and service excellence

• Ensure the Lodge provides a consistently welcoming, professional and responsive reception service for the College community and its visitors.
• Oversee Lodge reception and communications, ensuring information is accurate, records are maintained and confidentiality is respected.
• Resolve complaints, complex enquiries and service issues calmly and effectively, using feedback and lessons learned to improve the service.

Security, safety and emergency response

• Lead and manage the operational management of College security and access control, including keys, access cards, visitors, contractors, CCTV and electronic access-control systems.
• Maintain effective security procedures and risk controls; manage and record incidents, escalating concerns and liaising with emergency services, the police and University Security Services where appropriate.
• Coordinate the Lodge response to fire alarms, medical emergencies, accidents, security threats and other serious incidents, ensuring staff are trained and prepared.
• Work with Estates and other colleagues to review risk assessments, fire and evacuation arrangements, and relevant health and safety procedures.

College community, resources and continuous improvement

• Work with the Welfare Team and colleagues to support student welfare, safeguarding and good order, maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
• Coordinate Lodge staffing, reception, access and security arrangements for major, ceremonial and academic events.
• Manage the Lodge budget within delegated authority and oversee equipment, systems, supplies, contractors and service providers.
• Develop and review policies, procedures and service standards; identify improvements to efficiency, customer service, security and operational resilience.
• Maintain accurate operational records and handle personal, security and other sensitive information in line with College policies and data-protection requirements.

For full details please refer to the Job Description below.

Benefits include

• Membership of the University staff pension scheme.
• Free lunch when College kitchens are open.
• Generous annual leave entitlement.
• Opportunities for professional development and training.
• A supportive and collegial working environment.

About You

You will bring proven experience of managing a front-of-house, reception, security, hospitality, facilities or comparable operational service, alongside the confidence and judgement to lead people and manage competing demands. You will be approachable and professional, able to build effective relationships at all levels, and comfortable making timely, proportionate decisions under pressure.

Essential experience and skills

• Strong people-management experience, including motivating and developing staff, performance management, rota planning and managing operational priorities.
• Experience of managing staff on rotating shifts or in an extended-hours or 24-hour service environment, and flexibility to support out-of-hours or emergency arrangements when required.
• Good working knowledge of health and safety, fire safety, first aid, security and emergency-response responsibilities, including implementing procedures and risk controls.
• Experience of developing and implementing policies and procedures, maintaining high service and security standards, and managing budgets and resources effectively.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to deal calmly and professionally with difficult, distressed or challenging individuals.
• Sound judgement, resilience and the ability to stay clear-headed and make decisions during incidents or emergencies.
• Strong organisational and IT skills, including Microsoft Office, and the ability to maintain accurate records and handle confidential information appropriately.
• A relevant management qualification, such as ILM Level 3, or equivalent management experience.
• Experience in a university, college, residential, hospitality, security or similarly complex environment, particularly in a student-facing setting.
• Familiarity with electronic access-control systems such as SALTO, CCTV and/or fire-alarm systems.
• Experience of emergency response, incident investigation, major events or liaison with the police, security services and other external agencies.
• A relevant health and safety qualification, such as IOSH, and/or relevant first-aid, fire-safety or security training.

Working Hours

The Porters’ Lodge provides a continuous service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The role therefore requires flexibility and may involve working outside normal office hours, including evenings, weekends and public holidays, as well as participation in emergency or out-of-hours arrangements. Please note that the precise contractual hours and working pattern should be confirmed in the final advert.