Duty Manager | Reception Manager

• Coordinating daily operations and ensuring reception and administrative services run smoothly.
• Organising staffing and workloads so that the right people are in the right place at the right time.
• Monitoring key workflows, including appointments, prescriptions, electronic tasks, documents, correspondence and laboratory reports.
• Prioritising urgent work, setting clear deadlines and escalating concerns appropriately.
• Supporting clinical session planning and ensuring appointment availability meets service requirements.
• Providing day-to-day leadership, guidance, training and performance support to team members.
• Leading team huddles and communicating important operational updates.
• Maintaining a professional, welcoming and well-organised environment for patients, visitors and colleagues.
• Supporting patients with complex enquiries or concerns and assisting with complaint resolution.
• Responding effectively to service pressures, late-running clinics, incidents and emergencies.
• Ensuring practice policies, CQC requirements, health and safety procedures and mandatory checks are followed and recorded.
• Providing hands-on support across reception and other administrative functions when required.

Essential

• A welcoming, professional and patient-focused approach.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the confidence to communicate with patients, colleagues and senior managers.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise effectively in a busy and changing environment.
• Ability to remain calm, make sound operational decisions and escalate concerns appropriately.
• Ability to lead, motivate, support and develop team members.
• Ability to work independently, use initiative and contribute effectively as part of a wider team.
• Flexible and reliable, with the ability to work 30 hours per week across Stratford Health Centre and The Forest Practice according to operational requirements.

Essential

• Good standard of general education, including English and mathematics at GCSE/Level 2 or equivalent, or demonstrable equivalent literacy and numeracy skills.

Desirable

• Qualification in leadership, management, business administration or healthcare management.
• NHS leadership or primary care management training.

Essential

• Experience of working in a busy administrative, reception or customer-facing environment.
• Experience of supervising, coordinating or providing day-to-day guidance to a team.
• Experience of organising staffing, allocating work and managing competing priorities.
• Experience of monitoring workflows and ensuring urgent tasks are completed or escalated appropriately.
• Experience of handling complex enquiries, complaints or difficult situations professionally.
• Experience of maintaining accurate records and handling confidential or sensitive information.
• Competent use of standard computer systems, including email, document management and Microsoft Office applications.

Desirable

• Experience of working within general practice, primary care or another NHS healthcare setting.
• Experience of preparing staff rotas and coordinating cover for planned or unexpected absences.
• Familiarity with primary care workflows, including appointments, prescriptions, clinical correspondence, electronic tasks and test results.
• Experience of supporting formal complaint investigations.
• Experience of using EMIS Web.