Reception Team Leader

UKRI; Eastleigh; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a proactive Reception Team Leader to manage a dynamic team at a cutting-edge research facility. This role involves ensuring exceptional visitor experiences, leading a team dedicated to customer service excellence, and collaborating with various departments to enhance operational efficiency. The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced environment, demonstrating strong leadership skills and a commitment to continuous improvement. Join a vibrant team where your contributions will help shape the future of scientific exploration and innovation.

Benefits

30 days annual leave

Flexible working hours

Pension scheme

Employee discounts

Subsidised restaurant

Qualifications

• Experience in leading customer service in a busy environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and data analysis.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage the reception team and ensure high-quality customer service.
• Oversee visitor management and STFC hosted events.
• Analyze system data to improve performance and efficiency.

Skills

Customer Service

Data Analysis

Communication Skills

Organizational Skills

Problem Solving

Education

5 GCSEs including English and Maths

Level 3 qualification in relevant area

IOSH / H&S qualification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Access Control System (C Cure)

Web Intranet Management

Job description

Science and Technology Facilities Council
Salary: £36,650 (plus a responsibility allowance of up to 10%, dependent on skills and experience)
Contract Type: Open-ended
Hours: Full-time (flexible working available)
Location: Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Harwell, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX
Closing date: 18th May 2025

Together, our scientists, technologists, engineers and business support team explore the unknown and turn what they find into work that changes the world around us. Whether it’s sending probes into space or finding new ways to treat cancer, everyone here plays a vital role in making a positive difference to society.

Come and discover how much you can achieve when you’re surrounded by world-leading experts, encouraged to constantly learn and empowered to explore your curiosity.

Key role remit and accountabilities

The Reception Team Leader’s core role is to manage the day to day running of R75 and R100 Receptions, ensuring the team provide professional visitor related service, delivering high levels of customer service with staff, tenants, contractors and visitors.

Working with STFC staff, tenants, contractors and visitors providing a proactive, professional, and efficient visitor management services to all, ensuring the customer’s expectations are managed and appropriately actioned.

The role holder will have the ability to maintain quality, challenge and develop work and operating processes along with managing and motivating a team to ensure professional and efficient customer service is always delivered.

There will be a requirement to interrogate and analyse system data to identify trends taking a proactive approach to resolving issues, always looking at ways to improve performance and efficiency.

The role holder will be self-motivated with an excellent customer focused approach, with an interest in STFC and Estates functions.

As a member of the STFC Estates Services department, the post holder will proactively support the Estates remit to deliver flexible, customer focused and efficient services that support the delivery of STFC’s vision, values, and objectives. The Estates Services teams need to be agile and able to adapt to the ever-changing needs of our diverse customer base, therefore, it is expected that the post holder will demonstrate a flexible and adaptable approach.

Key Responsibilities

• Line management of the reception team, including dealing with any first line employee queries and overall performance management.
• Coach, develop staff and support team building to ensure consistency of quality of customer service.
• Facilitate the development of the reception function and activity, to include standard operating processes and practice to ensure consistency.
• Align and develop practice with other sites in relation to visitor management practice and procedure.
• Manage rota and cover of R75/R100 Reception areas and Site Pass Office to cover planned and unplanned absence.
• Overseeing the management of STFC hosted Events with the Reception Team and liaising with hosts of the Event, ensuring processes are followed and met.
• Actively engage and implement Estates communication channels to provide customers with accurate and timely information which may impact on their day-to-day operations.
• Update web intranet pages to reflect services available and the customer processes to access them.
• Oversee management for the allocation of STFC Parking Permits, ensuring associated Permit policy is kept up to date.
• Build effective working relationships with STFC departments and collaborators.
• Ensure activities are delivered and managed in line with STFC SHE (H&S) Codes.
• Collaborate closely with the Security manager to ensure co-ordination of activities.
• Oversee management of Access Control System (C Cure), assigning access to personnel, deal with queries and report faults to Vindex/Estates.
• Build effective working relationships with all STFC managers and staff.
• Address and resolve complaints seeking to learn lessons or provide constructive feedback to colleagues accessing visitor related services.
• Proactively look for ways of improving procedures and processes within the reception areas.
• Attending appropriate training to support the role and service delivery.
• Adhering to all GDPR procedures in the managing of sensitive / personal information.

Estates and Corporate Responsibilities

As a member of STFC’s Estates Services, proactively support the Estates remit to deliver flexible, customer focused and efficient services that support the delivery of STFC’s vision, values and objectives.

The Estates Services team needs to be agile and able to adapt to the ever-changing needs of our diverse customer base; therefore, it is expected that the post holder will demonstrate a flexible and adaptable approach.

All members of the Estates team will, from time to time, be expected to lead or participate in STFC and Estates projects that may be outside their normal remit.

Qualifications
Essential

• 5 GCSE level passes (or equivalent or vocational experience), subjects to include English and Maths (grade 5 min)
  

Desirable

• Level 3 qualification in relevant area
• IOSH / H&S qualification

Knowledge and Experience

• Experience of leading and delivering customer service / reception support in a busy environment.
• A proficient user of Microsoft Office packages including Word, PowerPoint, Excel and SharePoint, able to learn new IT systems and processes quickly.
• Demonstrate ability to analyse and work accurately with data.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Organisationally effective with ability to manage competing deadlines and switch between multiple workflows.
• Confidence and experience to effectively resolve difficult situations.
• Evidence of contributing and engaging in continuous improvement in the workplace.
• Outstanding customer focus and professional attitude to service.
• Experience in recording, maintaining, managing and extracting data from IT systems.

Job related aptitudes and personal qualities
Essential

• Have a ‘can do’ attitude and the ability to manage competing demands and pressures whilst always remaining calm and professional.
• Professional and personable outward manner and conduct.
• Ability to learn quickly and engage with new environments, systems and processes.
• Ability to build positive working relationships with colleagues at all levels.
• Self-motivation with the ability to work independently, using initiative and sound judgement as well as work effectively as part of a team.
• Commitment to own professional development.
• Able to actively engage in change.

STFC values their employees by offering a benefits package designed to provide an excellent work/life balance including 30 days’ annual leave, 10.5 public and privilege holidays, flexible working hours, exceptional average salary pension scheme, social and sporting activities and societies and a subsidised restaurant.

We ask some of the biggest questions in the universe, to answer some of the biggest challenges in the world. Together, our scientists, technologists, engineers and business support team explore the unknown across every field you could think of. And they turn what they find into work that changes the world around us.

What could you achieve with the world-leading facilities and experts of one of Europe's largest research organisations by your side?

Join us and discover what’s possible by submitting your CV and covering letter which outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified, along with your motivation for STFC and the role.

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. You can check your eligibility here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y

About The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

As one of Europe’s largest research organisations, we ask the biggest questions in the universe to find answers that change the world around us. We seek understanding. We’re proud of the impact we make. And we’re committed to helping build a globally competitive, knowledge-based UK economy. Being part of all this means contributing to work that pushes boundaries and creates possibilities. You’ll work with, and learn from, true experts. Whatever your role, you’ll be free to question, and encouraged to share ideas. And, in a positive and supportive culture, you’ll discover just what a difference you can make when you’re equipped and inspired to excel.

We’re a place where curious minds thrive. Not bound by profit, we explore ideas that others don’t, ask questions that others won’t, and discover answers that others are not equipped to find. And, alongside Mars landings and black holes, we also explore diverse, international projects in everything from science and engineering to computing and technology. Whether it’s at the cutting edge or behind the scenes, our work is intellectually challenging. It’s very often ground-breaking. And it’s endlessly, irresistibly fascinating.

For more information about STFC please visit https://stfc.ukri.org/

You can also visit our careers site https://www.stfccareers.co.uk/

About UK Research Innovation (UKRI)

UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.

Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.

More information can be found at www.ukri.org.

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI.

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit ‘How we support EDI in the workforce’.

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

How to apply

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.