Receptionist

Working for a prestigious, long established organisation in a Georgian Grade 1 Listed building in the heart of the West End as part of the Front of House team, you will provide reception and switchboard services on a rota of 08:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday adopting a hands on approach to ensure all staff and visitors receive a welcoming experience whilst at the Society.

The Royal Society also operates as a large conferencing and event service to external clients so acting as a first point of contact for our staff, Fellows and delegates. You will liaise with our onsite conferencing and catering teams to ensure they receive the standard of service they have come to expect.

You will work alongside our onsite security team ensuring that all visitors are welcomed and provided with the correct ID to maintain the security of the building.

Reports to: Assistant Facilities Management 

Pay band: B

Salary: £32,416 pa

Contract type: Full-time, permanent (35 hours per week)

Location: Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AG plus the option for some hybrid remote working
Closing date for applications: 30 November 2025

Interviews will be held: 11 December 2025

Reception duties

• Be welcoming to everyone coming to the Royal Society’s building at Carlton House Terrace. Build rapport with staff, Fellows, visitors and clients by remembering them and their relationship to the business.

• Carry out all tasks specified in the Reception Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and make sure that the standards set out are being achieved and continuously improve on to achieve excellence.
• Be the lead liaison between the Client and Duty Manager for events.
• Work together with other teams, to be proactive. Provide support to staff working in Conferencing, AV and Catering serving as the first point of contact for clients and dealing with their queries.
• Ensure all visitors, Fellows, staff, contractors onsite are signed in and given the right ID pass for their access level.
• Use the phone, MS teams and radio to communicate with other teams, and ensure that visitors and guests get to where they need to go.
• Keep the front of house Outlook calendar, trackers and other systems up to date with visitor notifications and car parking requests. Administer private parking – logging car details and ensuring control of the car park is maintained.
• Manage Lost property involving tagging items individually and storing them safely.
• Provide check in services for Fellows using the bedrooms ensuring they have allocated key card for the room. Provide reports for the Security team so they have the correct information about overnight occupancy in the building.  
• Ensure all visitors are signed in and out each day and collate visitors number reports on a weekly basis.
• Maintain the signing in system to ensure record is always up to date.
• Respond to radio request for FM service requests for events, including cleaning and maintenance requests.

Facilities, administration, security and safety tasks

• Support the Assistant Facilities Manager with maintaining the Facilities Help log sheet. Updating this as requested, with reactive maintenance and service requests.
• Ensure all visitors are signed in and out each day and collate visitors number reports on a weekly basis.
• Ensure the reception area is always kept neat and tidy.
• Keep the Reception SOP up to date and regularly reviewing this with the Assistant Facilities Manager to maintain it is fit for purpose.
• Work closely with the security team throughout the day and ensure a handover is given at the start and finish of each shift.
• Reply to e-mails received to the ‘Reception’ mailbox, and ensure that requests are answered quickly, and forwarded on to the Facilities team or other teams.
• Booking car parking spaces and disabled parking spaces.
• Be a designated Fire Warden and support Facilities team with the management of evacuation and fire drills.
• Be aware of the Society’s security and safety procedures and be vigilant help monitor so that issues are quickly reported, escalated and resolved.

Essential

• Ability to work alone or as part of a small team.
• Computer literate and able to communicate clearly using MS Teams, outlook, and over the radio.
• Proven interpersonal skills and customer service experience in front facing role.
• Trained receptionist or possess practical experience of communicating well and in an inclusive way.
• To be well organised and have attention to detail
• Feel comfortable and stay focused when dealing with multiple requests, and lots of people at the same time.
• Be able to make decisions to support customer needs and expectations.
• Fire Warden (training will be be provided)

Desirable

• First Aid trained