Lead Receptionist

• Coordinate the daily allocation of reception duties, ensuring workloads are distributed fairly and essential service requirements are maintained.
• Monitor telephone cover, reception activity and patient access workflows, responding to changing demands throughout the day.
• Support the organisation of staff rotas, breaks and cover arrangements in accordance with agreed procedures.
• Act as the first point of contact for routine reception queries, providing guidance and support to colleagues.
• Monitor outstanding work and help ensure tasks are completed accurately and within expected timescales.
• Maintain a professional, organised and welcoming reception environment.
• Identify operational pressures and take appropriate action within delegated authority.

• Support the induction and training of new reception team members.
• Assist colleagues with practice systems, processes and day-to-day procedures.
• Promote consistent working practices, professional standards and effective teamwork.
• Identify training needs and opportunities for improvement, raising these with the Operations Manager where appropriate.
• Provide constructive guidance and feedback to colleagues.
• Escalate persistent performance, conduct or staffing concerns to the Operations Manager in line with practice procedures.

• Support the delivery of a courteous, efficient and patient-centred service.
• Assist with difficult or complex patient interactions, maintaining professionalism and escalating concerns where necessary.
• Support the effective management of telephone enquiries, online consultation workflows and appointment-related administrative processes.
• Ensure reception staff follow agreed procedures and communicate accurate information to patients.
• Recognise when an enquiry requires clinical assessment and ensure it is directed to an appropriately qualified clinician.
• Support the consistent application of practice processes while recognising the importance of confidentiality, safeguarding and patient safety.

• Undertake administrative responsibilities delegated by the Operations Manager to support the smooth running of the practice.
• Assist with the coordination and monitoring of administrative workloads, outstanding tasks and agreed deadlines.
• Help maintain accurate records, trackers, rotas and operational documentation.
• Support the implementation of new procedures and communicate relevant updates to the administrative team.
• Identify recurring issues, inefficiencies and opportunities to improve administrative processes.
• Work collaboratively with the wider administrative and clinical teams to support practice priorities.
• Provide operational updates to the Operations Manager, highlighting significant issues, risks or decisions requiring management input.

• Coordinate the reception team and maintain day-to-day service continuity when the Operations Manager is unavailable.
• Make routine operational decisions relating to workload allocation, reception cover and established procedures.
• Provide initial guidance to staff and resolve routine operational issues where appropriate.
• Implement agreed management decisions and ensure instructions are communicated consistently.
• Escalate significant staffing concerns, complaints, safeguarding matters, clinical risks, policy exceptions and decisions outside their authority to the Operations Manager or the appropriate senior member of the practice team.

Essential

• Experience in a reception, administrative or customer-facing role.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise competing demands in a busy environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to support and guide colleagues while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving and the confidence to use initiative within agreed responsibilities.
• Reliability, flexibility and a strong sense of accountability.
• The ability to remain calm and professional when dealing with challenging situations.
• Good IT skills and confidence learning new systems and processes.
• An understanding of confidentiality, information governance and the importance of patient safety.
• A commitment to providing a respectful, inclusive and patient-focused service.

Desirable

• Previous experience working within a GP practice or another healthcare setting.
• Experience coordinating workloads, allocating duties or supporting the day-to-day running of a team.
• Experience supporting the induction or training of colleagues.
• Familiarity with primary care systems and administrative workflows.
• Previous experience in a senior receptionist, team leader or supervisory role.