The Castle is recruiting for a Reception Team Leader. This is a full time (37.5 hours per week) position.

Salary: £24,954 to £31,193 Dependent On Experience

(Duty managing accounts for approximately 10% of the total time: as a minimum 1.5hrs a week, plus 1x 8 hour shift a month + CPD) 

About The Castle  
The Castle offers a diverse and wide range of Climbing facilities to cater for all. Based in Stoke Newington, the Centre itself is a Grade II listed Victorian Water pumping station, with a Café, shop, outdoor boulders and community gardens. A friendly and enthusiastic team we are passionate in providing the highest quality facilities in a fun, motivated, and inclusive environment. Sustainability is an important part of the Centre's vision and values and is integrated into every aspect of the business, especially within our Café, where we try to source a lot of our produce from the community gardens onsite. 

Reception Team Leader 
Reporting to the Operations Manager, the Reception Team Lead will be responsible for day-to-day management and driving and maintaining the efficient operations and ongoing development of the reception function. They will have direct responsibility for training and organising the Reception Team, through which they will be responsible for ensuring the proper operations of the centre's health and safety policy with regard to customer registration and visits, as well as maintaining the paper and digital records that support it. This is a lively and busy centre with an open reception with lots of variety 

Occasionally there will be a requirement to cover the duty manager role; holding responsibility for the operations of the centre during opening hours and is the designated First Aider when the centre is open. It oversees all the day's activities for both staff and customers; ensuring that safety procedures are followed. Providing a friendly, efficient service for our customers and support the staff in the centre working in their specialist roles. Training will be provided where necessary.  

Core Role Duties (90%): RECEPTION TEAM LEADER 

• Ensure the efficient operation of the reception function 
• Working cooperatively with other FoH Team Leads to prepare the FoH Staff roster 
• Training, day-to-day management and supporting the ongoing development of the Reception Staff 
• Keeping Reception training and reference documentation up to date 
• Deep understanding of social/corporate/other courses/products 
• Ensuring that Trade/VIP/Nominated Climber Registrations are current; 
• Working with reception team to check that courses/private tuitions have been appropriately staffed 
• Working with the Events and Communities to ensure that the centre diary is up-to-date and accurate 
• Ensuring the proper operation of the Castle's Security Information Policy with regard to the Reception Function 
• Ensuring the proper operation of the centre's health & safety policy with regard to customer registrations and visits 

Additional Role Duties (10%): DUTY MANAGER 

• Working collaboratively with the other Duty Managers, Shop, Reception, Instructors, and Cafe to ensure the smooth operation of the centre 
• Responding to and dealing with incidents and accidents which occur within the Castle and being the designated first aider when on shift 
• Ensure the correct operation of the centre's safety policy with regard to customer registration and visits and maintain the paper records which support it 
• Provide friendly and effective advice on best practice and safety to all within the centre, including non-climbing activities 
• Preparation of the centre to open, and ensure the appropriate closing at the designated time 
• Act as an information point to support staff to ensure the smooth running of the centre and respond to customer queries and directing them to the appropriate manager 
• Checking/identifying/foreseeing/correcting and escalating issues in bookings and instructor allocations in the Castle Diary such as errors, empty courses etc. This may also include finding short notice/on the day cover for departments when department managers are unavailable 
• Supporting the Reception team with customer bookings and processing/facilitating customer entry using our till system 
   

These job descriptions reflects some of the present requirements of the post (i.e. it is not exhaustive), and as duties and responsibilities change/develop, the job description will be reviewed and subject to amendment in consultation with the post-holder.

Skills  

• Proven record of good time management skills 
• Proven record of excellent customer service skills 
• For in house staff: Attendance of and taking part in team meeting and events. 
• Excellent face to face communication skills 
• Excellent team working skills (For in house staff: proven within own team) 
• Excellent telephone manner  
• Good knowledge of standard IT packages (e.g. word, excel, etc.) 
• Desirable: Excellent knowledge of reception IT systems (Teams, Outlook, RGP, Capitan) 
• Desirable: Excellent Castle product knowledge (courses and memberships, refunds, gift cards) 
• Good relations with other teams within the castle (particularly Office and Bookings) 
   

Aptitude 

• Ability to bring the team together 
• Easily adapts working habits to organisational change 
• Ability to work independently 
• Naturally proactive in promoting good customer service 
• Able to lead by example in promoting good working practices 
• Able to deal with difficult situations in a calm and respectful manner 

 
Personal Qualities 

• Commitment to a high standard of customer service. 
• Treats all colleagues with respect   
• Proactively offers solutions to issues  
• Will be able to act as a bridge between management and reception staff to implement changes 
   

Relevant Experience & Qualifications 

• Essential: Demonstrable ability to lead others. 
• Preferential: Experience of training/organising/leading a team of people. 
• Beneficial:  CWI; Valid first aid certificate; Having participated on Castle courses (introduction to climbing and leading); Bookings assistant training. 

 
Apply Now!
If this sounds like you, we'd love to hear from you! 

Please send your CV and a Covering Letter saying why you want to work for the Castle. Applications via email: workforthecastle@castle-climbing.co.uk

Closing Date for Applications: Monday 5th December.

Interviews will be held shortly after.