Porter (Nights)

St Edmund's College, University of Cambridge; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Daily food allowance

Free car parking

25 days + bank holidays

Discounts at restaurants & shops

Onsite gym

Death in service

LinkedIn Learning access

Disability Forum access

Job summary

St Edmund’s College in Cambridge is seeking a reliable Night Porter to join the Porters’ Lodge team. The role involves customer service, reception duties, security monitoring and responding to out-of-hours incidents during night shifts (22:30–07:00).

Permanent, full-time, the position operates on a 5-on/3-off rota with a salary of £28,618 per year plus a night-shift premium. The successful candidate will be calm under pressure, adept with IT, and committed to safeguarding the College community.

Qualifications

• Customer service or reception experience.
• Confidence handling security or site-safety tasks.
• Good IT skills and ability to use standard software.

Responsibilities

• Greeting visitors and acting as the first point of contact, both virtually and face-to-face.
• Delivering excellent customer service to students, guests and staff, including check-ins and access control.
• Responding to out-of-hours emergencies, including security incidents, fire alarms and first-aid situations.
• Contacting facilities support out of hours when required.
• Checking vehicle parking permissions, issuing notices and reporting as appropriate.
• Supporting College security by monitoring activity on site, conducting patrols and maintaining awareness of individuals on the premises.
• Challenging unknown persons where necessary to maintain a safe environment.
• Handling deliveries, sorting and franking post.
• Recording cash receipts and storing financial information securely.
• Supporting College events and assisting with start- and end-of-term procedures.

Skills

Customer service

Reception

Security

IT systems

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

Job description

Salary: £28,618 per annum, £15.65 per hour + an additional £1.39 per hour for shifts worked between 11PM to 6AM.

Location: St Edmund’s College, Cambridge

Contract: Permanent, Full Time (working a 5‑on / 3‑off rota) The role is primarily based on night shifts (22:30–07:00). On occasion, and with prior notice, the College may require you to work an alternative shift pattern.

Are you a night owl who enjoys delivering excellent customer service and helping to keep a community safe? Eddie’s is looking for reliable and proactive individuals to join our friendly but busy Porters’ Lodge team.

The Porters’ Lodge is at the heart of the College, acting as the main point of contact for students, Fellows, staff, visitors and guests. Our Porters play a vital role in the day‑to‑day running of the College, with particular responsibility for safety, security and providing calm, supportive assistance during out‑of‑hours emergencies.

Job responsibilities

• Greeting visitors and acting as the first point of contact, both virtually and face‑to‑face.
• Delivering excellent customer service to students, guests and staff, including check‑ins and access control.
• Responding to out‑of‑hours emergencies, including security incidents, fire alarms and first‑aid situations.
• Contacting facilities support out of hours when required.
• Checking vehicle parking permissions, issuing notices and reporting as appropriate.
• Supporting College security by monitoring activity on site, conducting patrols and maintaining awareness of individuals on the premises.
• Challenging unknown persons where necessary to maintain a safe environment.
• Handling deliveries, sorting and franking post.
• Recording cash receipts and storing financial information securely.
• Supporting College events and assisting with start‑and end‑of‑term procedures.

The successful candidate

The successful candidate will be calm under pressure, confident working independently and able to respond to students and guests with empathy and professionalism. Strong prioritisation skills are essential, as you will often be managing multiple issues at once.

• Customer service, reception or conference/hospitality experience.
• Confident use of Microsoft Word, Excel and IT systems.
• Experience in a college, security or site‑safety environment.
• An SIA licence is desirable.

As well as a great salary and friendly team you will also receive:

• Working daily allowance for food and drinks*
• Free car parking (where available)
• 25 days plus bank holidays (increasing with length of service) (Full Time Equivalent)
• Discounts at restaurants, shops & more
• Use of the onsite outdoor gym
• Death in service
• Access to LinkedIn Learning & Business Disability Forum

About St Edmund’s College

St Edmund’s College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. Our vibrant student body is made up of around 420 postgraduates and 130 mature undergraduates. With over 260 senior members and around 120 staff, you will be joining a dynamic and growing College with an ambitious vision for its role in shaping the future of higher education and collaborative research.

The maturity of our community means we have earned a reputation as the friendly college. Relaxed, non‑hierarchical and diverse, we pride ourselves on being a place in Cambridge where people of all backgrounds are welcomed, feel at home, and can flourish. We therefore welcome applications from candidates of all demographic backgrounds.

Closing date for completed applications: 16th August 2026

Interviews will be held throughout the period that the advert is live and thereafter.

If you have informal enquiries about the post, please email the Head Porter, Frank Gelder, on [e-mail]

In applying for this role, you will provide personal data which the College will process in accordance with its data protection obligations and itsData Protection Policy.

Any offer of employment is subject to evidence of your right to work in the UK and the receipt of satisfactory references.

Please note that this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship, as it does not meet the required criteria.