Veterinary Receptionist

Blue Cross UK; Greater London; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

38 days holiday (43 with service)

Wellbeing support programs

GP access via MetLife, private presc.

Health cash plan

Employee assistance programme

Pension scheme with enhanced employer

CPD and personal development support

Life assurance

Pet insurance discount (20%)

Family-friendly policies

Recognition scheme

Annual volunteer days

Charity worker discounts

Job summary

Blue Cross UK is seeking an experienced receptionist for Victoria animal hospital in London. You will be the friendly face for visitors, clients and callers, delivering a calm, professional reception and handling a high volume of enquiries in a busy veterinary setting.

This full-time, permanent role offers 42 hours per week with 8.5-hour shifts between 8am and 8pm, Monday to Friday, plus one weekend in four.

Qualifications

• Experience in a busy reception or front-of-house role.
• Experience handling a high volume of telephone and face-to-face enquiries daily.
• Experience dealing with challenging, sensitive or emotionally charged customer interactions professionally and empathetically.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and remain organised in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to adapt to different people and situations.
• Good administrative and IT skills, including experience using Microsoft Office and digital systems.
• Demonstr demonstrable resilience and ability to work effectively in an emotionally demanding environment.
• Able to demonstrate and apply Blue Cross values.

Responsibilities

• Welcoming visitors and providing a professional and friendly reception service.
• Acting as the first point of contact for customer enquiries, both in person and over the telephone.
• Managing a high volume of calls and face-to-face enquiries.
• Providing clear and accurate information to customers and visitors.
• Processing bookings, payments, appointments and administrative requests.
• Dispensing medication, admitting and discharging patients under veterinary supervision.
• Maintaining accurate records using Microsoft Office and digital systems.
• Supporting customers who may be upset, anxious or experiencing challenging circumstances.
• Managing competing priorities while maintaining excellent customer service.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues to ensure the smooth day-to-day operation of the service.

Skills

Reception experience

High-volume inquiries

Empathy / emotional resilience

Multitasking

Strong communication

MS Office & digital systems

Resilience and professionalism

Blue Cross values

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Description

Are you an experienced receptionist who thrives in a busy customer-facing environment? Do you remain calm under pressure, enjoy helping people and have the confidence to support customers during challenging or emotional situations?

We're looking for a friendly, organised and resilient Receptionist to be the welcoming face of Blue Cross. As the first point of contact for visitors, clients and callers, you'll play a vital role in ensuring every interaction reflects our commitment to providing compassionate support to pets and their owners.

More About The Role

As a Receptionist, you will provide a professional and welcoming reception service, supporting a high volume of visitors, customers and telephone enquiries. Working in a fast-paced environment, you'll balance front-of-house responsibilities with administrative tasks while ensuring customers receive a positive experience.

This role can be emotionally demanding at times, as you may support pet owners who are anxious, distressed or facing difficult circumstances. You'll need to be empathetic, resilient and able to communicate clearly while managing expectations professionally.

This full-time, permanent role involves working 42 hours per week. You will work 8.5-hour shifts between 8am and 8pm, Monday to Friday, plus one weekend in every four.

What You Will Be Doing

• Welcoming visitors and providing a professional and friendly reception service
• Acting as the first point of contact for customer enquiries, both in person and over the telephone
• Managing a high volume of calls and face-to-face enquiries
• Providing clear and accurate information to customers and visitors
• Processing bookings, payments, appointments and administrative requests
• Dispensing medication, admitting and discharging patients under veterinary supervision
• Maintaining accurate records using Microsoft Office and digital systems
• Supporting customers who may be upset, anxious or experiencing challenging circumstances
• Managing competing priorities while maintaining excellent customer service
• Working collaboratively with colleagues to ensure the smooth day-to-day operation of the service

About You

You’ll be an experienced customer service professional who enjoys working with people and takes pride in delivering a positive customer experience. You’ll be confident managing a busy reception environment, balancing multiple demands and communicating with empathy and professionalism.

You’ll have strong organisational skills, be comfortable using digital systems and have the resilience to work effectively in an environment where conversations can sometimes be emotional or sensitive.

Essential Qualifications, Skills, And Experience

• Experience in a busy reception or front-of-house customer service role
• Experience handling a high volume of telephone and face-to-face enquiries daily
• Experience dealing with challenging, sensitive or emotionally charged customer interactions professionally and empathetically
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and remain organised in a fast-paced environment
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to adapt to different people and situations
• Good administrative and IT skills, including experience using Microsoft Office and digital systems
• Demonstrable resilience and ability to work effectively in an emotionally demanding environment
• Able to demonstrate and apply Blue Cross values

Desirable Qualifications, Skills, And Experience

• Experience with appointment booking systems
• Experience working in animal welfare, veterinary, healthcare, charity or care environments
• Understanding of animal welfare issues and the challenges faced by pet owners

The first stage of the recruitment process will be a competency-based interview. Candidates who are successful at this stage will be invited to attend a second-stage taster session, providing an opportunity to gain first‑hand insight into the role and what it involves.

Application Deadline

Application Deadline: 25 October 2026

Closing date: Sunday 25th October 2026

Interview date: 2nd & 3rd November 2026

Position Details

Department: Veterinary Services

Location: Victoria animal hospital

Compensation: £27,973 / year

Contract: Permanent, full time (42 hours per week)

Salary: £27,973 plus £3,954 London Weighting Allowance

Work hours: Full time, 42 hours per week. 8.5-hour shifts between 8am and 8pm, Monday to Friday, plus one weekend in every four.

Blue Cross Benefits

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.