Receptionist

Ministry of Justice; Bradford; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 26,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave

Pension scheme

Training and development

Hybrid working

Flexible benefits

Job summary

The Ministry of Justice is seeking an administrative Reception/Admin Assistant within the Probation Service Directorate. The role involves front-desk duties, handling telephone and email enquiries, and delivering a range of office-based support to multiple teams.

Core hours include unsocial times, with hybrid working available. You will manage mail, room bookings, safety checks, and confidential filing, contributing to a secure and efficient site.

Qualifications

• GCSE A-C including Maths and English (and Welsh where applicable) or proven track record in commensurate role.
• IT qualification equivalent, i.e. ECDL/CLAIT or equivalent work experience to the competency level of ECDL.

Responsibilities

• First point of contact for Probation Service and greet visitors professionally face to face and via telephone/email.
• Diffuse potentially volatile situations with tact and diplomacy and escalate safeguarding/risk issues as needed.
• Answer enquiries about the Probation Service and local support services.
• Logistics: manage mail, PPE, stationery, meeting rooms, room/hot desk bookings, events and registrations.
• Handle petty cash and travel warrants; support day-to-day financial tasks.
• Support health, safety and security: key holder duties, alarms, CCTV, evacuations, Fire Warden/First Aider as required.
• Provide confidential admin support to operational teams: file processing, databases, scanning and archiving.

Skills

Reception

Customer service

ICT skills

Office administration

Education

GCSE A-C including Maths & English

IT qualification (ECDL/CLAIT)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

This role will involve some late night and weekend working. 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.

Responsibilities

• To be first point of contact for Probation Service and greet people on probation and visitors professionally both face to face and via telephone and email, logging their arrival and departure, ensuring the appropriate member of staff is notified and issue visitor passes and security fobs as necessary.
• Through observation and situational awareness to use tact and diplomacy to diffuse potentially violent situations and recognising where additional support is required, be that internal management or external security/policing presence, and to be alert to conversations that might indicate a safeguarding/risk issue and take appropriate remedial action such as emailing the Probation Practitioner and updating Delius.
• Answer all enquiries, while on Reception, relating to basic information about the Probation Service and local Person on Probation support services such as the provision of food banks, referring more technical enquiries to an appropriate manager.
• To deal with all logistics for a building including managing all mail items, ordering PPE and office stationery, meeting room equipment, taking delivery of items and ensuring they get to the right destination and managing room, hot desk and car parking bookings, support and service meeting rooms including preparing for events and event registration as required.
• To pay bus fares/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.
• To assist in maintaining Health and Safety and security aspects of the building, including acting as key holder, operating the physical security of the building, the testing of fire alarms, testing panic alarms, monitoring CCTV and assisting evacuation measures and where necessary to act as Fire Warden/First Aider and in the absence of a line manager to support risk assessments where trained.
• To log building faults and incidents and keep a log of maintenance and repairs escalating issues through the appropriate channels and making decisions (within guidelines) on the urgency of the faults in order to maintain the security of the building. In the absence of the Senior Admin Officer escorting contractors and visitors around the building.
• Where necessity arises to support the case administration of Person on Probation by providing a confidential and high-level administrative support service to operational teams, to include:
  • Process and update computer based and manual files and filing systems
  • Use a range of computer software in providing comprehensive administration support
  • Produce a range of documentation and correspondence
  • To access databases for information as necessary and input information as required
  • Scanning and archiving data, some of which is sensitive and highly confidential

Qualifications

• GCSE A-C Grade (or equivalent) including Maths and English (and Welsh where applicable) or proven track record in commensurate role
• IT qualification equivalent, i.e. ECDL/CLAIT or equivalent work experience to the competency level of ECDL

Hours of Work (Unsocial Hours) Allowances

Additional payments are made for working unsocial hours.

Additional Information

Some roles in probation require employees to have access to additional intelligence systems that require a higher level of vetting. An example of this, is the multi-agency 'Visor' system. If you are applying for a role that requires you to access systems such as Visor, you will be expected to undertake additional vetting for this once you commence in post, in addition to the pre-employment checks. We will be adding successful individuals to a merit list for 12 months for any other opportunities that may arise in the near future, which may include both full and part time working. From 22 July 2025, the Government increased the salary threshold and skills level for Skilled Worker visas. This role does not meet the eligibility criteria for sponsorship in accordance with the current immigration rules if you looking to apply for a Skilled Worker Visa for the first time. The Department cannot consider sponsoring you for this role unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously since before 22 July 2025. If you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously, please raise this during your vetting checks and eligibility will be assessed in accordance with the immigration rules and transitional provisions in place. If you are applying for this role and you do not meet the new eligibility criteria for sponsorship (or the transitional provisions), you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK in light of these changes. Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom. Please note: If your first skilled worker visa/Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) was issued after 22nd July 2025, and you have previously held a student, graduate, or dependant visa, you would not be eligible for sponsorship for this role as the salary offered is below the threshold. If you currently hold a skilled worker visa and have been a skilled worker visa holder continuously since before 4 April 2024 (Please note that the visa can have been issued after this date as long as the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) was issued before you may still apply). The Department will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service. You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria here.

Annual Salary

If you are successful in the recruitment process and join the Probation Service, your starting salary will be £23,250. The Probation Service offers the opportunity for annual pay progression.

Benefits

• Annual Leave: Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years' service, plus public holidays. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro‑rata basis
• Pension: The National Probation Service is covered by the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) run through the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF). Please visit www.gmpf.org.uk for further information. Please note: Any current Civil Servant who is a member of the PCSPS, by accepting an offer of employment to the National Probation Services will be opted out of the PCSPS and auto enrolled into the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Training: The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
• Networks: The opportunity to join employee‑run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.
• Eligibility: All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post.
• Support: A range of 'Family Friendly' policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
• For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone's circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review. For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks. Some of MoJ's terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the HMPPS' Flexible Working policy.

Core Behaviours

• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service

Ability

• Must have proven proficiency in ICT skills across the full range of Microsoft Office applications
• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills

Experience (Desirable)

• Has worked in criminal justice field
• Has experience of working in high pressure/stressful working environments
• Has experience in customer relations, GCSE A-C Grade (or equivalent) including Maths and English (and Welsh where applicable) or proven track record in commensurate role, Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order:

• To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail [e-mail]);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ([e-mail]);
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team. For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces. For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.