Receptionist

Role: Receptionist (Afternoons)

Location: Bedford College – Cauldwell Street Campus

Salary/Benefits: Salary is between £23,557 and £26,754 per annum (Pro-Rata) DOE and Qualifications, 27 days annual leave (Pro-Rata) plus Bank holidays, People’s Pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.

Hours/Weeks: 20 hours per week – 52 weeks per year – Working hours are 13.00 to 17.00 Monday to Thursday, and 12.30 to 16.30 on Friday.

Contract Type: Permanent – Part Time

This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have theRight to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.

About the role:

We are currently seeking a Receptionist to join our Customer Contact and Admissions department at The Bedford College Group.

As a Receptionist, you play an important role in the success of our students through:

• Front‑of‑House Leadership & Customer Experience– Deliver an exceptional, welcoming and professional reception service, acting as the main point of contact for visitors, students and staff while upholding the College’s customer service standards.
• Reception Operations & Communications – Manage the front desk efficiently by handling calls, emails and enquiries, preparing ID cards and permits, coordinating visitor sign‑in and parking, maintaining tidy reception areas and updating CRM records accurately.
• Administrative & Support Duties – Process post and parcels, manage the “New Staff” inbox, support cashing‑up and service open/close procedures, complete stock checks and ensure course welcome packs and materials are accurate and ready.
• Student & Event Support – Provide frontline assistance to students, guide part‑time learners to classrooms, support College events such as Open Days, Discovery Days and Enrolment, and contribute to wider Directorate activities.
• Compliance, Safeguarding & Professional Standards – Follow health & safety, GDPR and safeguarding procedures, maintain professional conduct and appearance, and participate in mandatory training and development across campuses.

About you:

• Qualifications & Core Skills – GCSE‑level English and maths (A*–C/9–4 or equivalent) with strong ability to use the internet, email and maintain both computerised and manual record systems.
• Customer Service & Front‑of‑House Experience– Experience working in customer‑facing or reception environments, handling challenging situations professionally and consistently creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere.
• Professional Conduct & Communication – Confident and polite communicator in person, by phone and in writing, demonstrating calmness, patience and professionalism, including adherence to dress codes and service standards.
• Teamwork, Organisation & Values – Able to prioritise tasks in a busy open‑plan environment, work effectively within a team, uphold College values (Caring, Continuous Improvement, Educational Excellence, Inclusive, Student‑Centred, Teamwork) and maintain high performance even during peak activity.
• Safeguarding, Flexibility & Reliability – Committed to safeguarding and maintaining appropriate boundaries, willing to update skills, aware of health & safety requirements, flexible to work evenings/Saturdays and able to travel independently across campuses.

For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.

Interviews to be held: 23 February 2026

Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisationalVISION values:

• Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
• Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
• Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
• Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
• Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
• Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.

About The Bedford College Group
The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.

Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.

Safeguarding our Students
The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.

Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.