Receptionist

Bedford ESOL; Dunstable; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 26,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in Dunstable is seeking a Receptionist to join their Customer Services team. The successful candidate will provide high-quality service, manage front desk operations, and support the organization during recruitment events. This part-time position offers a competitive salary, excellent development opportunities, and emphasizes a commitment to student success.

Benefits

27 days annual leave plus Bank holidays

People’s pension

Retail and Leisure Discounts

Qualifications

• GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Maths.
• Experience in customer-facing roles.
• Confident in handling challenging situations.

Responsibilities

• Manage the reception area efficiently, ensuring a professional environment.
• Deliver high-quality, friendly customer service.
• Assist with administrative tasks and manage CRM communications.

Skills

Customer Service

Communication

Teamwork

Organisation

Education

GCSE in English

GCSE in Maths

Job description

Role: Receptionist

Location: Central Bedfordshire College – Kingsway Dunstable Campus

Salary/Benefits: Salary is between £23,557 and £25,849 per annum (Pro-Rata) DOE and Qualifications, 27 days annual leave plus Bank holidays, People’s pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.

Hours/Weeks: 23.5 hours per week – 52 weeks per year – hours may differ slightly during non-Term-Time hours but this will be confirmed and clarified at interview stage.

Contract Type: Permanent – Part Time

About the role:

We are currently seeking a Receptionist to join our Customer Services department at The Bedford College Group.

As a Receptionist, you play an important role in the success of our students through:

• Front Desk Operations – Manage the reception area efficiently, ensuring a professional, welcoming environment for all visitors, staff, and students, while maintaining health, safety, and safeguarding standards.
• Customer Service Excellence – Deliver high-quality, friendly, and responsive service in line with the College’s customer charter, handling enquiries in person, by phone, and via email or CRM systems.
• Administrative Support – Assist with tasks such as preparing course welcome packs, managing stock levels, processing student parking permits, and handling post and lost property.
• CRM & Communication Management – Accurately record customer interactions and respond to enquiries using the College’s CRM system, ensuring timely and effective communication across departments.
• Team Collaboration & Events – Work closely with the Advice & Admissions team and wider directorate, supporting recruitment events like Open Days and Enrolment, and contributing to a positive team culture.

About you:

• Qualifications & Customer Service Experience – Holds GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Maths, with experience in customer-facing roles and handling challenging situations positively.
• Communication & Interpersonal Skills – Communicates confidently and professionally in person, by phone, and in writing, maintaining a friendly, calm, and helpful approach at all times.
• Organisation & Teamwork – Works effectively in a busy, open-plan environment, prioritising tasks, managing peak periods, and contributing positively to a collaborative team culture.
• Professionalism & Values – Demonstrates a professional appearance and behaviour, aligns with College values (Caring, Continuous Improvement, Educational Excellence, Inclusive, Student Centred, Teamwork), and promotes the College’s reputation.
• Safeguarding & Flexibility – Maintains appropriate boundaries with students, upholds safeguarding and health and safety standards, and is flexible with working hours and travel across campuses.

For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.

Interviews to be held: TBC

Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisational VISION values:

• Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
• Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
• Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
• Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
• Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
• Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.

About The Bedford College Group
The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.

Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire:Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College andTreshamCollegein the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough;ShuttleworthCollege,a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for MotorsportalongsideSilverstonerace circuit.To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.

Safeguarding our Students
The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.

Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.