Receptionist

Howells LLP; Sheffield; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday Entitlement

Flexible Working

Contributory pension scheme

Group Life Assurance

STAR award

Job summary

Howells Solicitors is looking for a professional and approachable Receptionist to join our Client Services team at our Sheffield office. You will be a first point of contact, delivering a warm welcome and excellent service to clients, visitors and colleagues.

You will support a busy office, be courteous, well-organised and confident communicating in person and over the telephone. The role reports to the Head of Client Services.

Qualifications

• Candidate should be courteous, organised and confident when communicating with people in person and on the phone.
• Professional and approachable, able to provide a warm welcome to clients, visitors and colleagues.
• Experience in reception or customer-facing roles is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Meeting and greeting clients professionally and notifying the relevant person of their arrival.
• Providing refreshments to clients as and when required.
• Handling calls professionally and directing messages to the right person.

Job description

Receptionist

Howells Solicitors is looking for a professional and approachable Receptionist to join our Client Services team at our Sheffield office.

As one of the first points of contact for the firm, you will play an important role in providing a warm welcome and an excellent service to our clients, visitors and colleagues. You will help ensure the smooth and efficient running of reception while supporting a busy office environment.

The successful candidate will be courteous, organised and confident communicating with people both in person and over the telephone. The role reports to the Head of Client Services.

Receptionist Responsibilities

The receptionist’s main responsibilities and duties are:

• Meeting and greeting clients professionally ‘with a smile’ and advising the relevant person of their arrival
• Providing refreshments to clients as and when required
• Handling all telephone calls in a professional and courteous manner, ensuring all calls are directed correctly and messages get passed to the appropriate person
• Give directions to offices when required
• Give accurate and timely information concerning office opening times, department information, work types and any other questions clients may have
• Answer all calls within agreed timescales using the agreed protocols
• Prepare and maintain details of staff availability to take calls
• Where staff are unavailable to take calls, deal with the call in accordance with agreed protocols and the requirements of the caller
• Keep a log of all incoming calls
• Ensuring all incoming faxes/web enquiries are distributed quickly and efficiently
• Making suitable appointments for clients where required
• Ensuring the reception area, including outside areas and interview rooms are kept clean and tidy at all times
• Ensuring sufficient levels of marketing materials are kept in reception
• Ensuring there are sufficient levels of stationery in stock and that the stationery cupboard is kept in a neat and orderly state
• Booking meeting rooms
• Dealing with payments from clients including cheque and card payments
• Carrying out weekly checks to ensure panic alarms in interview rooms are in working order, ensuring a record is kept and reporting any faults
• Maintaining and updating Health & Safety records including fire alarm, security alarm, fire extinguishers, emergency lighting etc and reporting any faults
• Take responsibility for the security of the office
• Other administrative duties, including typing as and when required
• Provide holiday/sickness cover for Barnsley and Rotherham offices as and when required

About Howells Solicitors

Howells Solicitors is a well-established and highly regarded law firm serving clients across South Yorkshire—and nationwide in select areas of law.

With offices in Sheffield, Rotherham, and Barnsley, we provide expert legal advice and representation to individuals and families, offering both private and legal aid services. Our focus is on delivering high-quality, personal legal support across a broad range of areas, including family law, wills and probate, criminal defence, and civil litigation.

Howells offer a wide range of benefits including:

Holiday Entitlement

We understand the importance of quality time – especially if you have a family at home. We know time away from work matters—especially with family commitments. Our generous holiday allowance helps you properly switch off:

• 23 days, rising by 1 day per year to a maximum of 28
• 3 discretionary days over Christmas plus 8 bank holidays

Plenty of time for family, travel, and recharging.

Flexible Working

We’re committed to a healthy work‑life balance and offer flexibility across many roles, including:

• Flexible start and finish times through our flexi‑time scheme
• Up to 4 additional flex days per year on top of annual leave

So you can succeed at work without sacrificing what matters at home.

Howells offer a wide range of benefits including:

• Potential for firmwide bonus
• Contributory pension scheme
• Group Life Assurance (death in service)
• STAR (Special Thanks and Recognition) award
• Training and development opportunities
• Social fund
• Contractual Sick Pay Entitlement
• Contractual Maternity Pay Entitlement
• Recruitment Bonus Payments
• Voluntary benefits e.g. Westfield Health scheme, cycle to work scheme, staff savings scheme

We’re proud to offer a workplace where your success is nurtured—and your wellbeing supported every step of the way.

Equal Opportunities

Howells Solicitors is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and during employment. If you require any adjustments to support your application, please let us know.

If you have any questions regarding this vacancy please contact our HR team on 0114 249 6763 or email [e-mail]

Please note, individual feedback will not be given due to the number of applicants we receive.

Contract Type: Full Time

Closing Date: 31/10/2026

Years Of Experience: