Hr administrator and reception support jobs

Context

Childhood First enables children and young people to recover from early life abuse and relational trauma, to enjoy life and to achieve their potential. We do this through the provision of specialist therapeutic residential care and treatment, together with family and network support. We are also a UKCP Training Organisational Member accredited with Middlesex University, providing in-house clinical training to its clinical staff.

Merrywood House, provides placements for up to 8 young people aged between 10 and 17 years old.

Purpose

The Receptionist/Administrator plays a key role in supporting the senior staff team and ensuring the smooth running of the home by delivering a professional reception service and effective administrative support.

What you will bring to the role

· Experience in a receptionist or administrative role

· Strong organisational and communication skills

· Confidence using Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook

· Ability to work with discretion in a confidential environment

· A warm, professional and approachable manner

Task

· Welcoming visitors and managing telephone and email enquiries

· Providing administrative support to senior staff

· Maintaining children’s and staff records

· Supporting recruitment and HR administration

· Ordering office supplies and liaising with IT providers

What we will do for you

· Personal and professional development and training

· 10 days annual leave plus public holidays

· Employee benefits package including life assurance

· Up to 6% employer pension contribution

· Relocation package and recruitment referral scheme

For further information, please visit the Childhood First website. 

To apply, please send us your CV and a supporting statement outlining your suitability for the role.

Closing date: Saturday 31st January 2026

Interview Date: Week Commencing 2nd February 2026

Childhood First is committed to safeguarding children. We follow safer recruitment guidelines and all appointments will be subject to a satisfactory Enhanced DBS and references. 

This is a key role at Southwark Cathedral supporting the Dean and the Sub-Dean. This secretarial role will primarily feature management of a busy personal diary, correspondence and broader administrative support for the Dean in his capacity as Dean of Southwark, Chair of Chapter and CEO of the Cathedral. The role holder will also support the Cathedral team as the Office Administrator – responsible for a range of office duties relating to staff wellbeing & socials, office equipment & spaces and the Cathedral’s general enquiries email address.

Start date: Immediate

Salary: £32,250

Hours of work: 35 hours per week (excluding lunch breaks). Some flexibility will be required to allow attendance at early morning or evening meetings and events.

How to apply: Please complete the application form on the Church of England Pathways website 

Closing date: 11:59pm Thursday 29th January 2026

Interviews: Tuesday 10th February and Wednesday 11th February 2026

Main Duties and Responsibilities

For the Dean

• Manage the Dean’s diary: including making appointments, arranging meetings, scheduling preaching and other liturgical arrangements, programming annual schedules (such as Bishops Staff Meetings, chaplaincy and wider public commitments) - keeping Outlook diaries up to date with any changes and making travel arrangements;
• Prepare the Dean’s weekly diary file, including the preparation of any meeting papers or briefs for the week ahead;
• Provide administrative support for the Dean in relation to their attendance at meetings associated with the governance of the Cathedral, including Chapter, Finance Committee, Fabric Advisory Committee and Board of Enterprises. This will include liaising with colleagues on the Dean’s availability for upcoming meetings, any research the Dean requires and preparation of paper packs for such meetings. Minute taking will not usually be required, but may be requested from time to time in liaison with members of staff usually responsible for the minutes;
• Draft, file and send outgoing correspondence on the Dean’s behalf and process incoming correspondence;
• Support the Dean in all their working relationships including building and maintaining excellent relationships with Chapter Members and Committee Members, the Bishop’s staff and with the wider Diocese, as well as with congregation members, neighbours, commercial partners, professional advisers and other third-party organisations relating to the Dean’s work;
• Set up meetings including room set up and refreshment provision as required;
• Assist the Dean with the processing of their expenses;
• Work with the Governance & Committees Manager on Gifts Registry declarations for the Dean;
• Provide administrative support to bodies the Dean chairs, e.g. Southwark Cathedral Development Trust, the Deans Fund and other Cathedral-associated bodies;
• Update the Cathedral database in support of the Dean’s work.
• Provide administrative and practical support for Dean’s events e.g. lectures, receptions and breakfasts with local stakeholders

For the Sub-Dean

• Supporting the Sub-Dean with diary management: making appointments, arranging meetings, and scheduling preaching and other liturgical arrangements;
• Assist with inducting new parishioners: management of database, organising Welcome Evenings etc.;
• Assist with administration relating to the Cathedral’s schools: preparing the liturgical rota, filing and distribution of school clergy admissions forms;
• Other administrative support on an as needed basis

Office Administration 

• Receiving, distributing and responding to emails sent to the Cathedral’s general information email address;
• Ordering stationery, office equipment and consumables in line with the Cathedral’s approach to sustainability and ethical buying;
• Ensuring the Cathedral’s printing and franking equipment is kept fully functional, and liaising with our contractors when issues arise;
• Ensuring that the staff keep offices, reception area, print room, stationery area, staff kitchen and facilities clean, tidy and supplied;
• Co-ordinating Staff Meetings, including booking suitable space and organising refreshments for the meeting;
• Organising staff social events, outings and meals;
• Providing administrative support on Cathedral projects as and when they arise.
• Ensuring the Cathedral’s First-Aid kits are kept supplied and in date.

General Duties and Expectations

• Provide general administrative assistance in the context of a busy office;
• Support other teams on an ad hoc basis when required;
• Promote the mission, purpose and values of the Cathedral;
• Ensure that the highest standards of professional performance are maintained & ensure professional skills are regularly updated through participation in training and development activities.

The main duties and responsibilities of your post are outlined in your job description. This list is not exhaustive and is intended to reflect your main tasks and areas of work. Changes may occur over time and you will be expected to agree any reasonable changes to your job description that are commensurate with your salary and in line with the general nature of your post. You will be consulted about any changes to your job description before these are implemented

About the role:

This is a hands-on, people-facing role for someone who takes pride in creating spaces that really work. As our Facilities Manager, you’ll be the driving force behind safe, welcoming and well-run workplaces that allow our teams to focus on what matters most - supporting people out of homelessness. From the moment someone walks through the door of one of our offices, your work will be felt. If you’re someone who spots what needs fixing, improves things before they become problems, and enjoys being right at the heart of an organisation, this role is for you.

Based full-time at our Head Office in King’s Cross, you’ll be visible, present and involved - working on site five days a week and travelling across London to our other offices and services. No two days will look the same. One day you might be problem-solving with a manager, walking a site, or supporting a health and safety issue; the next you could be leading a refurbishment, improving how a space is used, or making sure contractors are delivering what they promised. You’ll manage a small facilities team, oversee reception services, and work closely with colleagues across Single Homeless Project (SHP) to make sure our buildings actively support the work happening inside them.

This is a role for someone who likes ownership and momentum. You’ll need to be practical, organised and confident making decisions - but also warm, approachable and collaborative. If you’re excited by the idea of being a visible leader, enjoy balancing detail with big-picture thinking, and want your work to directly enable frontline services across London, we’d love you to bring your energy, ideas and grit to SHP.

About you:

• You have hands-on facilities management experience and know how to keep buildings safe, functional and fit for purpose.
• You’re confident handling a wide range of property and technical issues, and know when to fix, escalate or bring in the right expertise.
• You hold a relevant Health & Safety qualification and are comfortable leading on compliance in busy office environments.
• You’ve procured and managed facilities contracts before and are confident holding suppliers and contractors to account.
• You’re a strong, people-focused communicator with experience managing staff and delivering a reliable, high-quality service to colleagues.

About Us:

We’re London’s leading homelessness charity – and we get things done.

In a city where hundreds are forced into homelessness every day, our work has never been more needed or more challenging. And we’re not shying away. We’re rolling up our sleeves to make change and helping over 10,000 Londoners every year. We prevent homelessness, provide safe places to live and give people the opportunity to rebuild their lives and transform their futures. And we never give up. 

We’re here for Londoners wherever they are on their journey. We start with trust, building relationships that help people feel safe, supported, and ready to move forward. Every day, we put people first in everything we do, challenging injustice and barriers that keep people from the safety, stability and opportunity they deserve. We stand alongside people as they rebuild and shape a future that feels their own. 

Joining Single Homeless Project means joining a team that’s bold, compassionate and determined to do better for the people we support and for each other. You’ll work alongside colleagues with lived experience, in a space that’s trans-inclusive, disability-friendly, and actively striving to be anti-oppressive and equitable. 

We’re not perfect, but we’re real. We listen. We learn. And we push forward, together. Because this isn’t just a job. It’s a chance to lead with empathy, spark change, and help build a London where no one is left behind.

Important info:

Closing date: Sunday 25th January at midnight

Interview date: Wednesday 4th and Thursday 5th February Online via Microsoft Teams

There will be a second stage in person at our head office in Kings Cross for progressed candidates. 

This post will require a basic DBS check to be processed (by SHP) for the successful applicant. 

Please note applications are reviewed for AI use in application questions. Applications requiring sponsorship will not be accepted or progressed.