GENERAL INFORMATION

Salary
£23,583 - £25,210
Working Pattern
Full Time
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Region
North East
Closing Date
30-Sep-2025
Business Unit
PDU Newcastle Upon Tyne (2021)
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
Other
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
9727

DESCRIPTIONS & REQUIREMENTS

Job description

SUMMARY

To provide an effective and efficient first point of contact with all visitors, telephone callers and undertake administrative functions in accordance with service policy and procedures.
Responsibilities, Activities & Duties

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• To be first point of contact for Probation Service and greet people on probation and visitors professionally both face to face and via telephone and email, logging their arrival and departure, ensuring the appropriate member of staff is notified and issue visitor passes and security fobs as necessary.
• Through observation and situational awareness to use tact and diplomacy to diffuse potentially violent situations and recognising w additional support is required, be that internal management or external security/policing presence, and to be alert to conversations that might indicate a safeguarding/risk issue and take appropriate remedial action such as emailing the Probation Practitioner and updating Delius.
• Answer all enquiries, while on Reception, relating to basic information about the Probation Service and local Person on Probation support services such as the provision of food banks, referring more technical enquiries to an appropriate manager.
• To deal with all logistics for a building including managing all mail items, ordering PPE and office stationery, meeting room equipment, taking delivery of items and ensuring they get to the right destination and managing room, hot desk and car parking bookings, support and service meeting rooms including preparing for events and event registration as required.
• To pay bus fares/travel warrants to people on probation and handle day to day petty cash including collection and transport of petty cash and travel warrants between Probation properties.
• To assist in maintaining Health and Safety and security aspects of the building, including acting as key holder, operating the physical security of the building, the testing of fire alarms, testing panic alarms, monitoring CCTV and assisting evacuation measures and w necessary to act as Fire Warden/First Aider and in the absence of a line manager to support risk assessments w trained.
• To log building faults and incidents and keep a log of maintenance and repairs escalating issues through the appropriate channels and making decisions (within guidelines) on the urgency of the faults in order to maintain the security of the building. In the absence of the Senior Admin Officer escorting contractors and visitors around the building.
• W necessity arises to support the case administration of Person on Probation by providing a confidential and high-level administrative support service to operational teams, to include:

o Process and update computer based and manual files and filing systems o Use a range of computer software in providing comprehensive administration support
o Produce a range of documentation and correspondence
o To access databases for information as necessary and input information as required
o Scanning and archiving data, some of which is sensitive and highly confidential
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.

EXPERIENCE

Desirable

• Has worked in criminal justice field
• Has experience of working in high pressure/stressful working environments
• Has experience in customer relations

QUALIFICATIONS DESIRABLE

• IT qualification equivalent, i.e. ECDL/CLAIT or equivalent work experience to the competency level of ECDL
  Additional Information
  New entrants to the Civil Service will be expected to join at the entry point salary for the advertised band.
  Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Department’s pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules.
  This is an office based role, working Monday-Friday and t will be a requirement to cover late night reporting and to cover at other offices in the area as the need arises.
  T is an expectation to cover other office locations within the Newcastle-Upon-Tyne PDU areas’

It is a requirement of the Receptionist role that late night reporting is covered – this involves working outside of usual office hours, no later than 7pm, once per week in order to support Probation Practitioners to facilitate appointments for those who cannot attend during usual working hours.

• Must have proven proficiency in ICT skills across the full range of Microsoft Office applications.
• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills

JOB DESCRIPTION ATTACHMENT

• 
  PS-JES-0109 Receptionist v2.0.pdf (Job Description Attachment)

ABILITIES

Abilities will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. Word Limit
250
Must have proven proficiency in ICT skills across the full range of Microsoft Office applications.
Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills

EXPERIENCE

We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• To be first point of contact for Probation Service and greet people on probation and visitors professionally both face to face and via telephone and email, logging their arrival and departure, ensuring the appropriate member of staff is notified and issue visitor passes and security fobs as necessary.
• Through observation and situational awareness to use tact and diplomacy to diffuse potentially violent situations and recognising w additional support is required, be that internal management or external security/policing presence, and to be alert to conversations that might indicate a safeguarding/risk issue and take appropriate remedial action such as emailing the Probation Practitioner and updating Delius.
• Answer all enquiries, while on Reception, relating to basic information about the Probation Service and local Person on Probation support services such as the provision of food banks, referring more technical enquiries to an appropriate manager.
• To deal with all logistics for a building including managing all mail items, ordering PPE and office stationery, meeting room equipment, taking delivery of items and ensuring they get to the right destination and managing room, hot desk and car parking bookings, support and service meeting rooms including preparing for events and event registration as required.
• To pay bus fares/travel warrants to people on probation and handle day to day petty cash including collection and transport of petty cash and travel warrants between Probation properties.
• To assist in maintaining Health and Safety and security aspects of the building, including acting as key holder, operating the physical security of the building, the testing of fire alarms, testing panic alarms, monitoring CCTV and assisting evacuation measures and w necessary to act as Fire Warden/First Aider and in the absence of a line manager to support risk assessments w trained.
• To log building faults and incidents and keep a log of maintenance and repairs escalating issues through the appropriate channels and making decisions (within guidelines) on the urgency of the faults in order to maintain the security of the building. In the absence of the Senior Admin Officer escorting contractors and visitors around the building.
• W necessity arises to support the case administration of Person on Probation by providing a confidential and high-level administrative support service to operational teams, to include

It is a requirement of the Receptionist role that late night reporting is covered – this involves working outside of usual office hours, no later than 7pm, once per week in order to support Probation Practitioners to facilitate appointments for those who cannot attend during usual working hours.

• Must have proven proficiency in ICT skills across the full range of Microsoft Office applications.
• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skill