Job Advert: Receptionist - Enfield Probation

Pay: £12.86 per hour Booking Number: (phone number removed) Company: Enfield Probation (HMPPS - Probation Service Directorate) Job Role: Receptionist Location: Enfield PDU, 39 Silver Street, Essex, EN1 3TD Working Hours: Full-time, office-based (includes regular unsocial hours such as evenings and/or weekends) Contract End Date: 02/11/2026 (with potential to extend, not guaranteed)

Overview of the Role

We are seeking a professional and reliable Receptionist to join Enfield Probation within the Probation Service Directorate (HMPPS). This is a key administrative role providing front-line reception duties and essential office-based support.

You will act as the first point of contact for visitors, people on probation, and telephone callers, while also supporting a range of administrative and building management functions. The role requires discretion, strong communication skills, and the ability to work calmly in a sometimes high-pressure environment.

Key Responsibilities

Act as the first point of contact, greeting visitors and people on probation professionally in person, by phone, and via email

Log arrivals and departures, notify staff of visitors, and issue visitor passes and security fobs

Use tact and situational awareness to de-escalate potentially challenging situations and identify safeguarding or risk concerns, escalating appropriately

Provide basic information about Probation Services and local support services, referring complex queries to managers

Manage building logistics including mail, PPE and stationery orders, meeting rooms, hot desks, and car parking bookings

Support meetings and events, including room setup and event registration

Handle petty cash, travel warrants, and bus fares for people on probation

Support health, safety, and security of the building (key holding, fire alarms, panic alarms, CCTV monitoring, evacuations)

Log building faults and maintenance issues and escort contractors when required

Provide confidential administrative support to operational teams when needed, including:

Updating computer-based and manual records

Producing correspondence and documentation

Scanning, archiving, and handling sensitive information

Essential Skills & Abilities

Proven proficiency in Microsoft Office applications

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Ability to work collaboratively and deliver a quality service at pace

Strong organisational skills and attention to detail

Behaviours Required

Delivering at Pace

Communicating and Influencing

Changing and Improving

Managing a Quality Service

Experience (Desirable)

Experience working in the criminal justice sector

Experience in high-pressure or stressful environments

Customer service or reception experience

Qualifications

Essential:

GCSEs A*-C (or equivalent) including Maths and English, or a proven track record in a similar role

Desirable:

IT qualification (e.g. ECDL/CLAIT) or equivalent practical experience

Eligibility & Security

All candidates are subject to security and identity checks

External candidates must complete a 6-month probation period

Staff must declare membership of any organisation considered racist by HMPPS

Brook Street is proud to support the Armed Forces Covenant and as such, we guarantee to interview all candidates who are veterans or spouses/partners of military personnel, and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy.

As a Disability Confident Leader, and holder of the Gold Award status from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, Brook Street, as a supplier to the Public Sector Resourcing Framework (PSR), will offer you a guaranteed interview with a PSR Sourcer.

Should you identify as a candidate with a disability and/or as a veteran or spouse/partner of military personnel and meet all the essential criteria for the role, we encourage you to reach out to us via the Brook Street website. Here you will find a link to register your interest and state the role that you are interested in. We are committed to engaging with you.

In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates/military spouses/partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, Brook Street will interview the best candidates from within that group