Pay: £12.71–£14.00 per hour, depending on experience
Job Title: Senior Optical Assistant / Practice Coordinator
Location: Carlton and Stanley Opticians, Shevington, Wigan
Senior Optical Assistant / Practice Coordinator
Carlton and Stanley Opticians is a long-established independent optometry practice providing eye examinations, medical eyecare, spectacles, contact lenses, and related services to the local community.
We are known for our high standards of care, personalised service, friendly atmosphere, and loyal patient base. We are looking for an experienced optical professional to join our team in a senior role, helping to support the smooth day-to-day running of the practice while delivering an outstanding experience for our patients.
This is an ideal opportunity for someone with strong optical assistant experience who is ready to take on greater responsibility within an independent practice.
Optical experience is essential.
Main purpose of the role
To provide excellent front-of-house care, optical assistance, administrative support, and day-to-day coordination within the practice. The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring the practice runs smoothly, patients feel welcomed and valued, and high standards are maintained at all times.
Key responsibilitiesPatient care and communication
- Be the first point of contact for patients, suppliers, and outside organisations
- Meet and greet patients in a warm, professional, and caring manner
- Manage appointments, bookings, amendments, and confirmations
- Support patients with queries regarding appointments, spectacles, contact lenses, and services
- Establish eligibility for NHS services and explain charges clearly and confidently
- Help maintain an excellent patient journey from arrival through to collection
Optical and dispensing support
- Assist patients with frame selection and spectacle choices
- Dispense single vision, bifocal, and varifocal spectacles
- Carry out minor frame repairs and adjustments
- Process spectacle and contact lens orders
- Arrange collections and ensure orders are followed through efficiently
- Support contact lens teaches where required
Clinical support
- Prepare consulting rooms before clinic and close down afterwards
- Take information from patients with urgent eye problems and pass concerns promptly to the optometrist
- Record pre-screening data and assist with diagnostic testing, including visual fields
- Carry out post-clinic administrative procedures
- Support patient education on eye care and contact lens care
Administration and practice support
- Keep the practice organised, tidy, clean, and well stocked
- Create, update, and maintain paper and electronic patient records
- Process post, supplier invoices, NHS forms, and other practice paperwork
- Support social media and general practice administration
- Use the till confidently, including cash, card, and cheque payments
- Carry out end-of-day cashing up and basic reporting
- Set up and amend direct debit or standing order payments where applicable
- Assist with reconciling NHS and other customer payments
Senior / lead responsibilities
- Help support the smooth day-to-day running of the practice
- Monitor diary flow and help maximise clinic efficiency
- Maintain high standards of presentation, organisation, and customer service across the practice
- Support stock control and ordering processes
- Help guide and support other team members during the working day
- Take responsibility for delegated tasks and follow them through reliably
- Escalate issues to the directors where appropriate
- Support practice performance through strong organisation, patient care, and attention to detail
Personal profile
We are looking for someone who is:
- Experienced in optics
- Friendly, confident, and well presented
- Caring and professional with patients
- Organised, accurate, and efficient
- Calm under pressure and able to prioritise workload
- Confident using Microsoft Word, Excel, email, and the internet
- Reliable, honest, and trustworthy
- Able to work well as part of a team
- Comfortable taking initiative and responsibility in a busy practice environment
Independent practice experience would be an advantage.
Hours
- Full-time, minimum 37.5 hours per week
- Days to be confirmed
- Must be able to work Saturdays
- We are closed on Sundays
- Some travel to our other practices may occasionally be required for sickness cover, holidays, and training
Salary and benefits
- £12.71 to £14.00 per hour depending on experience
- 28 days paid annual leave including bank holidays
- Company pension via NEST
- Employee discount
- Company events
- Opportunity to develop further and progress into a more senior role for the right candidate
Start date: As soon as possible
Job Type: Full-time
Experience:
- Optical: 2 years preferred
Work Location: In person
GOOD LUCK!
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £12.71-£14.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Store discount
Experience:
- Optical: 1 year (preferred)
Work Location: In person
