Reception

Overview

This is a great opportunity to join a busy, people-focused reception team where your calm, welcoming approach will help visitors, colleagues and councillors feel supported from the moment they arrive.

Are you a friendly, professional, and customer-focused individual who enjoys helping people and delivering excellent service?

We are looking for a Receptionist to join our team at The Gateway, providing a welcoming and efficient front-of-house service for visitors, councillors, employees, and members of the public.

As the first point of contact, you will play a key role in creating a positive experience for everyone visiting the building. You will greet visitors, manage sign-in procedures, issue and collect visitor passes, respond to enquiries, and ensure appropriate staff are notified when their visitors arrive.

12-Month Fixed-Term Contract Location: The Gateway

About us

Buckinghamshire Council’s Customer Service Centre provides a wide range of support to residents, visitors, councillors and colleagues across the organisation. The reception team at The Gateway is an important part of that service, providing a professional, welcoming and reliable front-of-house presence for everyone using the building.

You will be joining a supportive and customer-focused team that takes pride in helping people, sharing knowledge and working together to keep services running smoothly. The team works closely with colleagues across the Council, so applicants can expect a varied role with plenty of opportunity to learn about different service areas and develop their confidence in a front-facing environment.

About the role

This is a key role because reception is often the first impression people have of The Gateway and, in many cases, of the Council. You will help create a safe, organised and welcoming environment, making sure visitors are greeted professionally and directed to the right place quickly.

You will receive support from experienced colleagues and managers, with opportunities to build your knowledge of Council services, develop your customer service skills and gain confidence in handling a wide range of enquiries.

The role is ideal for someone who enjoys variety, face-to-face contact and being at the centre of a busy building. No two days are the same, and your contribution will make a visible difference to the experience of visitors and colleagues.

In this varied and rewarding position, you will:

• Provide a professional, friendly, and efficient reception service.
• Welcome and assist visitors, staff, councillors, and members of the public.
• Respond to general enquiries and direct customers to the appropriate service area.
• Manage visitor records and security pass processes.
• Maintain accurate information and communications within the reception area.
• Support building security procedures and visitor management processes.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to deliver excellent customer service.

 

Fixed

As a ‘fixed’ worker, you’ll spend most of your time in the same location, which will likely be a fixed office or location where your role is performed. Typically, you’ll be based in the same location as the rest of your team, because you provide a particular service from that fixed location or need access to information there.

On-the-go:

Our ‘on-the-go’ roles mean you’ll usually start and finish your day from a base, moving around between different locations throughout the day. You won’t need a fixed desk to work from, but you’ll have access to our network where you can keep up to date with admin and the latest staff updates.

Mobile:

A ‘mobile’ role gives you the flexibility to schedule your own diary, so you can meet with colleagues and clients in a variety of locations. You’ll access digital folders and resources on your laptop and be able to use the network wherever you are based. Working from home will be common, as well as meeting your team in the office where necessary.

Any-Desk:

As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. You will be required to work from the office a couple of times a week, depending on your role and team requirements.

About you

We are looking for someone who:

• Has excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Enjoys working with people and delivering outstanding customer service.
• Has experience working in a customer-facing environment.
• Is organised, reliable, and able to manage competing priorities.
• Remains calm and professional in a busy reception setting.
• Works well as part of a team.
• Has basic ICT skills, including Microsoft Office applications.
• Can take accurate messages and communicate information clearly.

What You'll Bring

• A positive and welcoming approach.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Attention to detail and good organisational abilities.
• The ability to converse confidently with customers and provide advice in clear spoken English.

Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE/NVQ Level 1 or 2 standard (or equivalent).
• GCSE English (or equivalent).
• Willingness to work towards a Level 2 Customer Service qualification.

Join Us

If you are passionate about providing excellent customer service and enjoy working in a busy, people-focused environment, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today and become the welcoming face of The Gateway.

Other information

Please see the attached job summary for further information on this role and person specification.

This is an office-based role at The Gateway, as the post provides face-to-face reception cover. Working arrangements will be agreed in line with service needs, with any training or administrative activity supported by the wider team.

Number of positions available: 1

Closing date: 29/07/2026

Interview date: 30/07/2026

Interview type: In person at The Gateway. The interview will include questions focused on customer service, communication, organisation and working in a busy front-of-house environment.

If you would like to have an informal conversation with the recruiting manager, please contact: Marie White

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent cautions and/or unspent convictions

For further information on how long it takes for cautions and convictions cautions to become spent, please refer to our guide on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (updated 2023) | Nacro

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Business Unit

Resources cover a wide range of specialisms, including Human Resources, Finance, ICT and Business Operations. Our main focus is supporting the other directorates to provide the best possible service to our residents. To do that, we have to make sure we have the right people in the right roles across the organisation. From our finance teams, working strategically to ensure the best value from public money; to HR keeping our employees healthy and happy, each service is vital in making sure Buckinghamshire Council has what it needs to run effectively and efficiently.

As well as providing high quality services to other areas of the Council, you could also be helping us build on the revenue which comes from our external clients. If you are ambitious, customer-focussed and bursting with new ideas, we want to hear from you.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/