Department: Accommodation and Hospitality Services

Job description

Location: Varley Park

Job title: Reception and Conference Assistant

Post number: CA5120/CA5141

Grade: 3

Responsible to: Senior Residences and Catering Officer/Duty Manager

Main areas of

responsibility:

1. To provide a professional hotel-style front-of-house customer service for students, accommodation guests and conference delegates.

2. To provide administrative support for the site management team.

3. To provide site based assistance to the South Coast Conferences team.

Specific duties:

1. To provide a professional hotel-style front-of-house customer service for students, accommodation guests and conference delegates.

1.1. To staff the reception desk at the main entrance to the Hub building, ensuring the provision of a customer-oriented and efficient front-of-house service for the facilities.

1.2. To deal with enquiries in relation to all activities that take place at Varley Park, maintaining detailed knowledge of student accommodation-related activities, hospitality services and the conference facilities.

1.3. To ensure that the reception area presents a customer- friendly and well-serviced image at all times.

1.4. To welcome, receive and direct visitors and delegates to functions, events and conferences, as appropriate.

1.5. To oversee the site post service by receiving, storing and distributing mail for students and accommodation guests.

2. To provide administrative support for the site management team.

2.1. To provide general administrative support in all areas of the business including hospitality, accommodation and conferences. To word process, copy, distribute and file a range of written material such as reports, documentation and correspondence.

2.2. To provide assistance to the hospitality team by typing and presented menus, signage and other promotional point-of-sale material.

2.3. To process purchase orders and raise invoices using the university financial system.

2.4. To have appropriate working knowledge of all systems associated with student accommodation, conference accommodation and hospitality bookings i.e. Salto and Kinetics, and to use these systems on a daily basis.

3. To provide site based assistance to the South Coast Conferences team.

3.1. As required provide efficient and effective information for the coordination of events, to ensure they run smoothly. Use discretion to identify and resolve first line problems or difficulties, referring to manager or supervisor as necessary.

3.2. To show prospective clients around the conference facilities and to provide sales support for the central office team when meeting with both existing and potential customers.

3.3. To undertake other duties appropriate to the level and nature of the role and in keeping with delivering excellent service to all users of the facilities at Varley Park.

3.4. To meet and greet the conference organisers on arrival, ensuring keys are issued, orientation, and that they are familiar with the fire exits. To issue welcome packs and review any last minute changes to timings.

3.5. Prior to the clients’ arrival ensure the room is set up according to the Kinetics function information, equipment is working and appropriate signage is in place.

3.6. On the day respond to any conference organiser or delegate requests such as admin or support services.

Selection criteria: The criteria below indicate the qualities that are needed to do the job well. Candidates for the post will be selected according to the extent to which they satisfy them, and their evidence of potential for developing the rest further. Most of the criteria must normally be met in order to qualify for selection.

Essential:

· Knowledge/qualifications:

- extremely well developed customer service skills acquired through front-of-house work experience.

- A high standard of literacy and numeracy.

- Fast, accurate word processing and presentation skills equivalent to SA Stage II.

- Competence with using spreadsheets and databases.

· Communication: ability to write clearly; ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with a wide range of audiences that include students, colleagues, university staff, visitors and guests to the facility.

· Technical skills: good level of computer literacy, including familiarity with standard MS Office software; demonstrable ability to learn new software quickly; understands the need for well produced and appropriately placed public messaging.

- Training of relevant software will be provided.

· Sensitivity: listens well and sympathetically; considers others' needs and perspectives.

· Self-motivation: meets objectives on own initiative; committed to continuous self-development.

· Teamwork: flexible, co-operative, helpful.

· Organisation: A systematic and analytical approach with the ability to organise work and time effectively and to cope with changing priorities, sometimes at short notice.

· Response to change: adaptable; interested in learning and developing to meet changing situations.

· Physical: able to use display screen equipment as a major part of the job, in accordance with health and safety guidelines.

Desirable:

· Experience within a similar role.

· Experience of Kinetics booking system.

This job description sets out the duties of the post at the time it was drawn up. Such duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or level of responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot of themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post.

DH 03.2013