Standby Reception & Administration Assistant

Standby Reception & Administration Assistant

Application Deadline: 20 August 2026

Department: Rehoming & Fostering Services

Employment Type: Zero Hours

Location: Southampton

Compensation: £14.24 / hour

Description

Contract: Zero hours contract

Salary: £12.71 plus £1.53 per hour

Location: Southampton, SO30 2HL

Closing date: Thursday 20th August 2026

Interview date: TBC

Join our team as a Standby Reception and Administration Assistant at our Rehoming Centre in Southampton!

Are you passionate about providing exceptional customer service and administrative support that makes a real difference? Here's your chance to become an integral part of our Blue Cross family, where you'll play a crucial role in delivering our mission to help more pets in need. This is a zero hours contract.

More about the role

As our Standby Reception and Administration Assistant, you'll be the welcoming face and organisational backbone of our Rehoming Centre. From greeting clients with a warm smile to ensuring our administrative processes run smoothly, you'll be at the heart of everything we do.

In this role, you'll engage with clients in person, over the phone, and through digital channels, providing them with non-judgemental support and assistance. You'll maintain a clean and inviting front of house environment, ensuring all materials are up-to-date and in line with Blue Cross branding. You'll manage administrative tasks efficiently, including stock management, pet movement coordination, and cash handling.

Your collaboration with colleagues across departments will be essential as you work together to deliver outstanding client service and optimise administrative processes. Collecting and analysing visitor feedback, you'll continuously strive for excellence and contribute to the training and development of team members and volunteers, sharing your expertise and fostering growth.

You will be on a zero hour's contract and therefore you will not have regular hours of work but will be on standby to work shifts as and when required.

About you

We're looking for someone who demonstrates empathy, resilience, and a positive mindset, even in emotionally charged environments. Thriving in a diverse, fast-paced environment, you enjoy taking on new challenges and excel in problem-solving, organisation, and attention to detail.

Knowledge, skills, and experience

• Experience in delivering high level reception service in a fast paced and often emotional environment.
• Good standard of verbal and written communication.
• Experience of dealing with the public, managing enquiries by phone, email enquiries and face to face.
• Strong administration skills, including the use of computerised systems.
• Experience of handling and managing cash and spreadsheets.
• Current full driving licence.

It would be great (but not essential) if you also had:

• NVQ Level 2 or 3 in Customer Care
• Experience of working in a similar role or working in a pet welfare role/environment.
• Experience working with volunteers.
• Experience of working with the public
• Experience of public speaking
• An understanding for the voluntary sector
• Experience of working in a team and mentoring others
• Understanding of safeguarding issues.

Blue Cross benefits

Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today.

In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.

Our generous benefits package includes:

• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support
• Free access to GP via MetLife- 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family
• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution
• Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers

To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the 'why work for us' page on our website.