Apprentice Reception/Admin Assistant
East London Foundation Trust has a strong commitment to providing high-quality care to those who need our services, as well as a strong culture of learning and of developing individuals and teams.
We are recruiting for a customer service apprentice (Receptionist/Administrator) to join the team on a fixed term basis. This is a level 2 apprenticeship post.
Based within a busy environment, the post holder will have responsibility for providing high quality confidential, professional, and responsive customer service to the patients and other customers at ELFT. This will mainly include all reception duties, such as greeting visitors, answering the phone, email communications as well as back filling for staff during leave periods. Service will be provided in the workplace, digitally or via the telephone. They may be one-off or routine contacts and include dealing with patient queries, escalating issues, taking messages, fixing problems, providing information, welcoming patients and being the first point of contact for all patients, staff and visitors.
The post holder will need to be professional, well-organised, team orientated and highly motivated to join our multi-disciplinary team.
As an apprenticeship role, the post holder will also be required to complete their assigned apprenticeship standard within the allotted fixed term period. The department will provide an average of six hours per week for the post holder to evidence their knowledge, skills and behaviour to the training provider
Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
1. Toreceiveallincomingcallsandallvisitorstotheserviceanddealwiththemappropriatelyinacourteousandhelpfulmanner.
2. Tobeawareoftheteamsdailymovements,wheretocontactthemandtocallthemwhenrequiredandappropriate.
3. Toassistinprovidingaflexibleadministrativeserviceandtoundertakeseveralofficedutiesattherequestofthelinemanager;acrossseverallocationsinsomeinstances.
4. Toco-ordinateandoversee anyroombookingsandreportanyproblemstothe appropriate person
5. Todealwitharangeofqueriesfromthepublicandotheragenciesinapoliteandhelpfulmanner,whilstworkinginreceptionalsobytelephoneandfacetofaceencounters,seekingadviceandguidancefrom teammembersasappropriate.
6. Ensureallmessagesarecorrectlyrecordedandpromptlypassedtorelevantteammembers/otherpersonnel.
7. Whenappropriate,andwithagreementwiththelinemanager,beresponsibleforadhocandoneoffsecretarial/admindutiesforpractitioners/directors/managerswithintheservice
8. Tomaintainofficefilingsystemsandensureinformationrelatingtousersoftheserviceisaccessibletorelevantstaffmaintainingconfidentialityatalltimes.
9. Whenrequired,bookcouriersandensuremailisfrankedandsentoutinatimelymanner.
10. Toreceiveregularonetooneandteamsupervisionfromthelinemanager.
11. Toworkflexiblyinorderthatessentialprioritytasksarecoveredanddealtwith.
12. Touseinformationtechnologyforarangeofpurposes.
13. Toreporttothelinemanageranyissuesthatareofconcernrelatingtohealthandsafetyofthebuilding.
14. Tohaveexcellentverbal,writtenandcommunicationskills
15. Toassist withinductingnewstafftoreceptionadministrationsystems
16. Tohavetheabilitytoremaincalmandsensitiveindifficultandstressfulsituations.
17. Whenrequiredbeapointofcontactfortaxidrivers/managersandresponsibleadhocbookings forstaff/serviceusers.
18. Ensureallsecurityguidelinesarefollowedwhenreceivingvisitors,deliveriesandmaintenancepersonnel.
19. To understand reporting lines and who would be the best person to contact in a variety of situations.
Behaviours and personal qualities
1. Use a range of questioning skills, including listening and responding in a way that builds rapport, determines customer needs and expectations and achieves positive engagement and delivery
2. Use appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication skills, along with summarising language during face to face communications; and/or
3. Use appropriate communication skills, along with reinforcement techniques (to confirm understanding) during non-facing customer interactions.
4. Use an appropriate ‘tone of voice’ in all communications, including written and digital, that reflect the organisation’s brand.
5. Provide clear explanations and offer options in order to help customers make choices that are mutually beneficial to both the customer and your organisation.
6. Be able to organise yourself, prioritise your own workload/activity and work to meet deadlines.
7. Demonstrate patience and calmness.
8. Show you understand the customer’s point of view.
9. Use appropriate sign-posting or resolution to meet your customers needs and manage expectations.
10. Maintain informative communication during service recovery.
11. Treat customers as individuals to provide a personalised customer service experience.
12. Uphold the organisations core values and service culture through your actions.
13. Demonstrate personal pride in the job through appropriate dress and positive and confident language.
14. Use communication behaviours that establish clearly what each customer requires and manage their expectations.
15. Take ownership from the first contact and then take responsibility for fulfilling your promise.
16. Frequently and consistently communicate and work with others in the interest of helping customers efficiently.
Apprenticeship Standard and personal development
1. To undertake professional and personal development as agreed with line manager and participate in regular supervision and appraisal.
2. To attend staff, administration and team meetings
3. AdoptandimplementagreedservicedevelopmentsinlinewiththeDirectorateandTrustobjectives
4. Responsibleforownpersonaldevelopment
5. Take ownership for keeping your service knowledge and skills up to date
6. Consider personal goals and propose development that would help achieve them.
7. Act on and seek feedback from others to develop or maintain personal service skills and knowledge
8. Share personal learning and case studies with others, presenting recommendations and improvement to support good practice.
This advert closes on Wednesday 12 Mar 2025