Receptionist & Administration Assistant

Blue Cross UK; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 24,000; Part time

Job summary

A nonprofit organization focused on animal welfare is looking for a Reception and Administration Assistant in Ipswich. This part-time role offers a salary of £23,993 per year. Key responsibilities include providing excellent customer service and managing administrative tasks. The ideal candidate will have strong reception experience and excellent communication skills.

Benefits

38 days holiday

Wellbeing support programmes

Pension scheme

Professional fees paid

Life assurance

Annual volunteer days

Qualifications

• Experience in delivering high level reception service in a fast paced environment.
• Good standard of verbal and written communication.
• Strong administration skills, including the use of computerised systems.

Responsibilities

• Greet clients and provide administrative support at the rehoming centre.
• Manage stock, coordinate pet movements, and handle cash.
• Collaborate with colleagues to optimize service delivery.

Skills

Reception service experience

Verbal and written communication

Public interaction

Strong administration skills

Cash handling

Education

NVQ Level 2 or 3 in Customer Care

Job description

Application Deadline: 12 October 2025

Department: Rehoming & Fostering Services

Location: Suffolk

Compensation: £23,993 / year

Overview

Contract: Permanent, part time, 4 days (30 hours)

Salary: £23,993 FTE

Location: Ipswich IP2 8NQ

Closing date: Sunday 12 October 2025

Interview date: Friday 24 October 2025

Join our team as a Reception and Administration Assistant at our rehoming centre in Suffolk!

Are you passionate about providing exceptional customer service and administrative support that makes a real difference? Here’s your chance to become an integral part of our Blue Cross team, where you’ll play a crucial role in delivering our mission to help more pets in need.

More about the role

As our Reception and Administration Assistant, you’ll be the welcoming face and organisational backbone of our rehoming centre. From greeting clients with a warm smile to ensuring our administrative processes run smoothly, you’ll be at the heart of everything we do.

In this role, you’ll engage with clients in person, over the phone, and through digital channels, providing them with non-judgemental support and assistance. You’ll maintain a clean and inviting front of house environment, ensuring all materials are up-to-date and in line with Blue Cross branding. You’ll manage administrative tasks efficiently, including stock management, pet movement coordination, and cash handling.

Your collaboration with colleagues across departments will be essential as you work together to deliver outstanding client service and optimise administrative processes. Collecting and analysing visitor feedback, you’ll continuously strive for excellence and contribute to the training and development of team members and volunteers, sharing your expertise and fostering growth.

Working pattern

This is a part-time role, working 30 hours a week over four days on the following working pattern:

Week 1: Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday

Week 2: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

If you excel in an environment where you can see the difference you make every day, then this is the role for you. Interested? Then apply and let’s work together to see if this is the role for you.

About you

We’re looking for someone who demonstrates empathy, resilience, and a positive mindset, even in emotionally charged environments. Thriving in a diverse, fast-paced environment, you enjoy taking on new challenges and excel in problem-solving, organisation, and attention to detail.

Knowledge, skills, and experience

• Experience in delivering high level reception service in a fast paced and often emotional environment.
• Good standard of verbal and written communication.
• Experience of dealing with the public, managing enquiries by phone, email enquiries and face-to-face.
• Strong administration skills, including the use of computerised systems.
• Experience of handling and managing cash and spreadsheets.
• Current full driving licence.

It would be great (but not essential) if you also had:

• NVQ Level 2 or 3 in Customer Care
• Experience of working in a similar role or working in a pet welfare role/environment.
• An understanding for the voluntary sector
• Experience of working in a team and mentoring others
• Understanding of safeguarding issues.

For more information about this rewarding role, please take a look at the attached job description.

How to apply

Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date on Sunday 12 October 2025.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response.

Blue Cross benefits

Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today.

In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.

Our generous benefits package includes:

• Full time equivalent of 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays)
• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support
• Free access to GP via MetLife- 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family
• Health cash plan
• Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme
• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution
• Professional fees paid with Continuing Professional Development and personal development support.
• Life assurance
• 20% discount on Pet Plan pet insurance
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• Recognition scheme
• Annual volunteer days
• Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers

To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the "why work for us" page on our website.