Job Title:
HQ Receptionist/ Executive Support
Reporting to:
Head of Operations (Assistant CEO)
Date of Issue:
April ****
Our Vision:
A community where every person is safe, connected and has the opportunity to thrive
Our Mission - We are tireless in leading societal change through evidence-based, innovative work in the community.
About COPE Galway
COPE Galway has been providing essential social services in Galway for 60 years.
We respond to the needs of people experiencing homelessness, women and children subjected to domestic abuse, and we support older people towards healthy, independent ageing.
Our vision is for a community where every person is valued, cared for, and supported at every stage of life.
COPE Galway is deeply embedded in the Galway community.
We are founded on the belief that together we can make a positive difference in the lives of the people we serve and our community.
Our People
Our People, COPE Galway staff and volunteers, are the driving force behind everything we do.
Their passion, commitment, and professionalism enable us to deliver a wide range of services, support more people, and make a real impact in the community.
We have a diverse range of roles, from frontline support workers and social care professionals to catering, community engagement and other professional roles.
Each role is crucial in ensuring we deliver our services effectively and make a positive impact in the community.
Working with COPE Galway
Joining our team means you will make a lasting, positive impact on the lives of the families and individuals we support and contribute to driving meaningful social change in the community.
Whether you are a frontline worker directly supporting clients or in an administrative role, you are vital to our efforts to address critical issues like homelessness and domestic abuse and to ensure that older people are valued and supported.
At COPE Galway, we prioritise the development and wellbeing of our people.
We offer a supportive work environment, with opportunities for ongoing training, personal and professional growth, and leadership development.
The Role
This is a reception and executive administration support role which focuses on providing assistance to the Head Office functions of COPE Galway, in particular to the Assistant CEO (Head of Operations) and CEO.
The Head Office functions at COPE Galway cover a range of areas including high level management of the organisation; Head of Operations, Human Resources, Finance, Development (Marketing and Fundraising), Volunteering, Advocacy, Property, Change management, and the smooth running of the office.
This is a dynamic role which requires adaptability, flexibility, initiative, and the ability to multi-task and prioritise effectively.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Front of House
Warmly greet visitors, clients, and service users and ensure they feel welcomed and supported
Treat staff and clients who you interact in the course of your work with dignity and respect at all times
Provide clear, friendly, and professional assistance to all enquiries
Assess visitor needs and direct them to the appropriate person or service
Handle interactions from service users that may be in distress, with empathy and compassion, escalating as appropriate
Handle complaints or concerns with empathy and escalating when appropriate
Opening, recording and distribution of post
Ensure the reception area is tidy, organised, and presents a positive first impression
Offer general information about the organisation, services, and procedures
Have a flexible calm approach and a "Can Do" attitude which contributes to a positive working environment
Administration Support
Office Management duties such as booking meeting rooms and catering requirements
Oversee the calendar booking system for COPE Galway owned and operated vehicles situated at Head Office
Manage and order office supplies and manage access and conditions of the storerooms, meeting rooms, internal offices and office utilities such as kitchen area
Processing purchase orders, expenses, and invoices
Establishing, maintaining and further developing administration and filing systems both physical and virtual
Coordinating the cleaning of the office and operation of the rota for cleaning of the shared kitchen
Assist with receiving and distributing donations received into head office
Oversee and coordinate shared email correspondence and calendar/diary management through Outlook for Head Office
Managing the archiving and disposal of head office and service records in accordance with company policy in conjunction with the Head of Operations and other Service and Department Heads
In general, be alert to improving systems and processes that serve to streamline, improve efficiencies, and support compliance requirements
Work in such a way as to build a procedure manual to support the role so that its ongoing tasks, processes, calendar events are recorded to ensure continuity
Support other Head Office functions with administrative tasks
Executive Support
Schedule appointments, meetings, or room bookings as required
Coordinate arrangements and documentation for key meetings such as Board, Management and key Committee meetings
Take the minutes of meetings and follow up on actions and tasks arising from these meetings as necessary and directed to do so
End-to-end coordination of Board cycles (agenda planning, papers, timelines)
Maintain Board records in line with governance and compliance standards
Support governance processes (e.g. declarations of interest, action logs)
Prepare reports and collate statistics, generating reports regularly as required
Other supportive duties as directed in support of the CEO and Assistant CEO
Health and Safety
Promote a positive and proactive culture of health and safety within Head Office
Ensuring that weekly fire safety and other Health and Safety checks are carried out
Familiarise yourself with the COPE Galway Safety Statement and all relevant Health and Safety policies and procedure
Be vigilant to any Health, Safety and Welfare risks in the workplace, making every effort to ensure your own personal safety and the safety of others and contribute to the ongoing development and updating of Health and Safety practices
Bring any Health and Safety related concerns to your line manager or Health & Safety Representative
General
Work effectively with other COPE Galway personnel when performing your duties
Engage in supervision sessions on a regular basis with designated supervisor
Maintain confidentiality in respect of the staff, clients and the organisations activities
Operate within the COPE Galway Code of Practice and organisational Policies and Procedures including the Confidentiality, Child Protection and Dignity at Work policies
Participate in relevant training and development courses as agreed with the Head of Operations and Human Resources
Undertake other duties as might be reasonably assigned from time to time in consultation with the Head of Operations
PERSON SPECIFICATION
The ideal candidate exudes a warm can-do attitude, is adaptable, eager to learn, and comfortable handling a variety of tasks.
They will have excellent computer skills and good communication skills and be comfortable working on their own initiative.
The person will have a proven record of working in a similar role and will have an interest in and commitment to working for an organisation involved in working with and supporting people who are disadvantaged.
The person will have strong interpersonal skills and an ability to foster a warm and welcoming environment.
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
Have a minimum of two years' experience of working in an office environment in a similar or comparable role
Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office with significant experience including Microsoft Teams, PowerPoint, Word and Excel and the ability to produce tables, graphs, reports etc.
Demonstrate a high level of accuracy and attention to detail with proven experience of supporting senior management meetings
Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage deadlines and competing priorities
Aware of, understand and maintain appropriate professional boundaries
Excellent verbal, written and inter-personal communication skills demonstrating a professional and warm manner both in person and on the telephone
Ability to handle interactions of a sensitive nature with professionalism and confidentiality
Flexible approach to work with the ability to work on own initiative both alone and as a member of a team, demonstrating an openness and willingness to adapt to change
Committed to the vision, mission and values of COPE Galway and believe they are appropriate, ensuring that own attitudes and beliefs don't negatively impact on the workplace
DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS
Previous experience as a personal assistant to a senior manager
A level 7 or higher qualification
Core competencies
Satisfactory references required for this role.
Key terms and conditions of employment
Type of contract:
Permanent
Hours of work:
37 hours per week (Monday to Friday)
Method of pay:
Monthly by credit transfer
24 days per annum
Equal Opportunity Employer
COPE Galway is an equal opportunity employer.
We are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process and working environments for all our employees.
Data Privacy and Applicant Declaration
The information you provide in this application form will be processed in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Your personal data will be used solely for the purpose of assessing your suitability for the role and, where applicable, to prepare an employment agreement.
Your data will be stored securely and accessed only by authorized personnel involved in the recruitment process.
We will retain your information only for as long as necessary to fulfil these purposes or as required by law.
You have the right to access, rectify, or request the deletion of your personal data at any time by contacting Data Protection Officer, ****** / ***********.
We will never ask for payment or personal financial information during the hiring process.
If anyone contacts you requesting such information, it is a scam and should be reported immediately.
By submitting this application, I confirm that all information provided by me in this application and any accompanying documents is true and complete to the best of my knowledge.
I further confirm that I have disclosed any previous employment with COPE Galway, where applicable.
I understand that if any information provided is found to be false, misleading, or incomplete, my application may be rejected, any offer of employment withdrawn, or my employment with COPE Galway terminated.
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