Receptionist & Administration Assistant

Blue Cross; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 18,000 - 22,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

38 days holiday rising to 43 with long

Wellbeing support

GP access via MetLife

Health cash plan

Employee assistance programme

Pension scheme

CPD/Development support

Life assurance

Pet insurance discount

Family-friendly policies

Recognition scheme

Volunteer days

Job summary

Blue Cross in Manchester is seeking a part-time Receptionist & Administration Assistant to join our Rehoming & Fostering Services team. You will be the welcoming face at front of house, handle a range of admin tasks, stock and cash handling, and support clients with empathy and clarity.

The role involves 30 hours per week with a rotating schedule and is permanent, offering a supportive environment in a busy charity setting.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering high-level reception service in fast-paced emotional environments.
• Excellent verbal and written communication.
• Experience dealing with the public via phone, email and in person.
• Strong administration skills with computerised systems.
• Experience handling cash and spreadsheets; full driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Greet clients and maintain a welcoming front-of-house environment.
• Manage administrative tasks and ensure branding compliance.
• Coordinate stock and pet movements; assist with cash handling as required.
• Collaborate with colleagues to improve client service and processes.

Skills

Reception service

Customer service

Communication

Organisational skills

Cash handling

Face-to-face enquiries

Problem solving

Education

NVQ Level 2/3 in Customer Care

Tools

Computerised systems

Spreadsheets

Job description

Receptionist & Administration Assistant

Application Deadline: 16 November 2026

Department: Rehoming & Fostering Services

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Manchester

Reporting To: Assistant Manager - Client Services

Compensation: £19,981 / year

Description

Contract: Permanent, part time – 30 hours per week

Salary: £19,981 per annum, (£24,976 FTE)

Location: Radcliffe, M26 1NQ

Closing date: 16th November 2026

Interview date: 25th November 2026

We’re recruiting a part time Reception & Administration Assistant for our Rehoming & Fostering Team in Manchester.

Are you passionate about delivering outstanding customer service and administrative support that truly makes a difference? This is your opportunity to become a valued part of the Blue Cross team, where you'll play a key role in advancing our mission to support 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, advice & behaviour unit. 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.

This role is available on a permanent, part-time basis working 30 hours per week;

Week 1: Sunday, Monday, Thursday and Friday

Week 2: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and 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.
• Experience working with volunteers.
• Experience of working with the public
• Experience of public speaking
• 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.

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

Using AI in your application

We’re happy for you to use AI tools to help you prepare your application, for example to organise your thoughts, improve clarity or check spelling and grammar. However, your application must be an honest reflection of your own skills, experience and achievements, and AI should not be used to write your application for you or create examples that aren’t your own.

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.