Front Desk Attendant

Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart; Cedar Grove (NJ); On-site; USD 25,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

The Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart is seeking a Front Desk Attendant to provide a welcoming, safe, and secure first impression on campus. Located in Princeton, NJ, this on-site role supports campus safety with front desk operations, access control, and visitor management.

Responsibilities include monitoring entrances, coordinating with administrators, and responding to emergencies with calm, professional judgment.

Qualifications

• Experience in security, law enforcement, military, education, coaching, or customer-service roles is a plus.
• Strong observational and situational-awareness skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with students, families, and staff.
• Ability to remain calm, use good judgment, and de-escalate tense situations.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a visible and professional presence at the front desk and campus.
• Build relationships with School constituents to foster trust and open communication.
• Monitor entrances, exits, buildings, and parking areas.
• Assist with access control, visitor management, and sign-in processes.
• Monitor security cameras, alarms, and safety systems as assigned.
• Assist with arrival/dismissal, events, and active drills as needed.
• Respond promptly to safety, security, medical, or other emergencies and coordinate with local responders.

Skills

Observational awareness

Interpersonal skills

Public interaction

De-escalation

Teamwork

Basic computer skills

Background checks

Job description

Front Desk Attendant

Princeton, NJ | Campus Safety | Facilities and Campus Safety

Job Description

Position: Front Desk Attendant

Department: Operations

Position Status: On-Site, 10 Month

Work Schedule: Part time or full time, working until 7:00PM. Occasional weekends.

Compensation Range: Minimum hiring salary of $22/hour

Position Summary

The Front Desk Attendant serves as a visible, approachable presence on campus, working collaboratively with school administrators and other members of the community to help maintain a safe, secure, and welcoming environment for students, faculty, staff, families, and visitors. The role blends traditional safety functions with the relationship-building and judgment required in an independent school setting, where the Front Desk Attendant is a friendly, recognizable face at the front desk.

Essential Responsibilities

• Maintain a visible and professional presence at the front desk, and throughout the school campus.
• Build relationships with all School constituents, engendering trust and open communication.
• Monitor entrances, exits, buildings, parking areas, and other designated areas.
• Assist with access control and visitor management in accordance with school policies, including use of the door access control and visitor sign platform and processes.
• Monitor security cameras, alarms, and other safety/security systems as assigned.
• Assist with directing vehicle traffic during dismissal.
• Assist with arrival, dismissal, special events, athletic events, and other activities as assigned.
• Participate in emergency drills (fire, active-intruder, lockdown, shelter-in-place, evacuation) and support the school's broader emergency preparedness planning.
• Respond promptly and appropriately to safety, security medical, or other emergencies when necessary.
• Contact and coordinate with local police, fire, EMS, or other emergency personnel when necessary.
• Document incidents accurately and promptly.
• Help enforce school safety procedures while interacting respectfully and calmly with students and members of the school community, using de-escalation rather than confrontation as a first approach.
• Support after-hours for school-sponsored events, rentals, or evening programs, including unlocking and securing facilities. Occasional requests to assist with school dances, or weekend events may occur.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding students, families, employees, and school operations, including sensitive matters such as custody restrictions, protective orders, or medical alerts affecting specific students.
• Serve as a mandated reporter and act promptly in accordance with New Jersey law and school policy if there is reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or neglect.
• Perform other operations, security and safety-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in security, law enforcement, military service, or equivalent experience in education, coaching, youth programming, counseling, or a customer-service/hospitality role requiring public interaction, is a plus.
• Strong observational and situational-awareness skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to build rapport and trust with students, families, and staff.
• Ability to remain calm, use sound judgment, and de-escalate tense situations without relying on a purely enforcement-first approach.
• Professional, approachable demeanor and the ability to interact appropriately with children, adolescents, parents, faculty, and visitors.
• Ability to work independently while also functioning effectively as part of a team.
• Basic computer skills and ability to complete electronic or written reports.
• Bilingual or multilingual ability is a plus, particularly for communicating with vendors and their employees.
• Current CPR/AED and First Aid certification preferred, or willingness to obtain.
• Must be able to successfully complete required background and employment screening, including criminal history (fingerprint-based) and reference checks.
• A valid driver's license to operate campus vehicles as required by the defined schedule.
• Applicants certified under New Jersey's Security Officer Registration Act (SORA) is a plus. This is an unarmed position; armed SORA certification is not required.
• Willingness to complete and maintain mandated-reporter training in accordance with New Jersey law.
• Black Seal Boiler License is a plus.

Physical Requirements

The position requires the ability to walk and stand for extended periods, patrol school buildings and grounds, respond quickly to emergency situations, and occasionally assist with physical activities associated with emergency response. Reasonable accommodations may be provided where appropriate.