The work undertaken by The James Hutton Group is right at the top of the global agenda when it comes to tackling problems such as the impact of climate change and threats to food and water security.
Critical to successful delivery of our work is engaging effectively with our many audiences from the initial point of engagement with the Hutton either by phone or email; to entering our buildings and creating a good first impression.
This post is focused on supporting the venue services side of the Hutton’s operations to ensure that all who engage with the Hutton at the first point of contact are supported appropriately either online or in person to reach their intended outcome. It will also provide an effective front-of-house service for all colleagues and campus tenants.
Previous experience is essential and can involve either a suitable qualification combined with practical experience or longer-term practical experience.
Main purpose of job
To provide a professional venue support service for external visitors and a professional reception service for colleagues and campus tenants.
Main duties of postholder
Welcome and reception
* First point of contact for all visitors and contacts: greeting all colleagues and visitors/contractors in a welcoming and professional manner, supplying and managing access cards and lanyards and providing visitor information and directing visitors to right room/host.
* Answering and directing calls and enquiries for both sites in a professional and helpful way. Monitor the info@hutton mailbox and reply or forward on to the correct person or team.
* Issuing instructions and inductions to visitors in respect to health, safety and welfare First point of contact for first aid and for emergencies including activating alarms and providing defibrillators.
* Receiving and sorting mail and samples for receipt and issue including franking and completing customs forms for shipments out with the UK and arrange collections.
Event support management
* Oversee the entire booking process for prospective clients, from initial inquiry through to final confirmation. This includes managing room setups according to established standards during venue tours, handling catering requests, and processing invoices.
* Serve as the primary point of contact for clients, ensuring seamless communication and addressing any needs or concerns throughout the booking process.
* Following standards for ensuring rooms are set out properly when showing prospecting clients the space, to following the processes for managing initial enquiries through to formal confirmation of a booking and follow up invoicing and being key contact on the day for events liaison.
* Act as the key liaison on the day of the event, ensuring that all aspects of the venue and services are executed according to client specifications and organisational standards.
* Arranging transport for staff and visitors as necessary.
Clerical
* Supporting colleagues with a range of clerical activities including photocopying, printing, laminating, data entry, preparation of documents, purchase orders and stationery.
* Selling of merchandise from a reception shop and carrying out financial transactions using cards requiring understanding of products.
* Encouraging visitors to ‘tap to donate’ for selected fundraising campaigns and to understand the rationale to encourage visitors to take action.
This is a temporary post and hours will be as follows:
1st and 2nd May – 9am – 2pm
5th May - 16th May – 8am – 1pm
19th May – 9th June – 8am – 5pm
10th June – 13th June – 8am – 1pm
Please note, this post is currently offered on a temporary basis only, but there may be a possibility of a permanent position of 25 hours per week.
Qualifications/Skills/Knowledge
Essential Qualifications
* Minimum HND/NVQ/SVQ level 3 or equivalent professional qualification.
* Two years’ experience in a similar environment.
Essential Skills
* Strong interpersonal and communication skills to work with a wide range of stakeholders.
* Good standard of written and verbal communication skills.
* Ability to organise own work effectively, prioritising competing workloads and working to tight timescales.
* Good computer/software literacy.
* Good attention to detail and accuracy.
* Creative, proactive, flexible and able to work to agreed deadlines.
* Experience of working within /or for a similar working environment
Essential Experience
* Customer - facing experience.
Desirable Experience
* Venue/reception experience.
Additional Notes and Requirements
* There is no option of hybrid working – this is a place-based post.
* Willingness to ‘get stuck in’ to whatever appropriate task may need doing in the context of Venue Support activities.