Receptionist

Ministry of Justice; Newcastle upon Tyne; Hybrid; GBP 22,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A public service organization in Newcastle upon Tyne is seeking an administrative professional to provide essential support within the Probation Service. Responsibilities include reception duties, managing logistics, and offering administrative support to various teams. The successful candidate will need strong ICT skills and effective communication abilities. This role offers a hybrid working arrangement, with the expectation to cover occasional late hours.

Benefits

Annual Leave – 25 days on appointment, increasing to 30 days after five years

Local Government Pension Scheme

Extensive training and development opportunities

Employee-run networks for diverse groups

Flexible working options and job-share

Paid paternity, adoption, and maternity leave

Free annual sight tests for eligible staff

Qualifications

• Proven proficiency in ICT skills across Microsoft Office.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience working in customer relations.

Responsibilities

• Be first point of contact for visitors and people on probation.
• Manage logistics and maintenance for the building.
• Provide high-level administrative support to operational teams.

Skills

IT skills

Communication skills

Diplomacy

Observation

Education

IT qualification equivalent to ECDL

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

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

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

Hours of Work (Unsocial Hours) Allowances Additional payments are made for working unsocial hours. New entrants to the Civil Service will be expected to join at the entry point salary for the advertised band. Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Department’s pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules. This is an office based role, working Monday-Friday and there will be a requirement to cover late night reporting and to cover at other offices in the area as the need arises. There is an expectation to cover other office locations within the Newcastle‑Upon‑Tyne PDU areas. It is a requirement of the Receptionist role that late night reporting is covered – this involves working outside of usual office hours, no later than 7 pm, once per week in order to support Probation Practitioners to facilitate appointments for those who cannot attend during usual working hours.

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.

Skills & Competencies

• 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 Desired

• 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, Abilities will be assessed but these are not shared in advance.

Benefits

• Annual Leave – 25 days on appointment with increase to 30 days after five years’ service, plus public holidays.
• Pension – The National Probation Service is covered by the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) run through the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF).
• Training – The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
• Networks – Employee‑run networks are available for minority ethnic origin, disabilities, caring responsibilities, women, and LGBTQ+ staff.
• Family Friendly – Opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Flexible benefits – voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Information for Applicants

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 these principles, you may raise a formal complaint following the sequence below:

• To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5358 – Monday to Friday 8 am – 6 pm) or via email [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 the recruitment process and in the workplace.