Job Overview
At Laine Theatre Arts, the Receptionist / Student Administrator provides a professional and welcoming front-of-house service whilst ensuring the effective administration of student records, attendance monitoring and student information systems. The role acts as the first point of contact for students, staff, visitors and external agencies, delivering an efficient and customer-focused reception service that reflects the College's values and commitment to excellence.
The Receptionist / Student Administrator is responsible for maintaining accurate attendance records, managing student data throughout the student lifecycle, coordinating student profile information including statutory HESA data, and producing reports that support student engagement, compliance and strategic decision-making. The role plays a key part in identifying attendance concerns, maintaining high-quality student records and ensuring compliance with College policies and statutory requirements.
Working closely with colleagues across Student Services and the wider College, the Receptionist / Student Administrator contributes to the continuous improvement of administrative processes and participates in collaborative approaches to student support, helping to ensure students receive timely, coordinated and student-centred services.
Key Responsibilities
Reception & Front of House
- Act as the first point of contact for students, staff, visitors and external agencies.
- Provide a professional, welcoming and efficient reception service.
- Manage telephone, email and face-to-face enquiries.
- Operate visitor sign-in procedures in accordance with safeguarding requirements.
- Maintain reception and public-facing areas to a high standard.
- Receive, distribute and record incoming post and deliveries.
- Support general administrative duties within Student Services as required.
Attendance
- Monitor and record daily student attendance across all programmes.
- Ensure attendance records are accurate and maintained in accordance with College policy.
- Follow up unexplained absences in line with College procedures.
- Produce daily, weekly and termly attendance reports.
- Identify attendance patterns and students at risk of disengagement.
- Escalate attendance concerns, persistent absence and emerging trends to the Head of Students to enable timely intervention and support.
- Maintain attendance records relating to interventions under the Attendance Policy.
- Support the implementation and administration of the College Attendance Policy.
Student Records & Data Management
- Manage and maintain accurate student records across all College information systems.
- Update student contact details, emergency contacts and personal records.
- Ensure student information remains accurate, current and GDPR compliant throughout the student lifecycle.
- Coordinate the collection, maintenance and input of student profile data required for HESA reporting, ensuring accuracy, completeness and compliance with statutory reporting requirements.
- Maintain secure electronic and paper-based student records.
- Produce student profile and attendance reports as required.
- Support data audits and quality assurance activities.
- Ensure all student information systems remain accurate and up to date.
Data Reporting
- Produce attendance statistics and trend reports.
- Assist in the preparation of reports for the Senior Leadership Team.
- Monitor data quality and identify discrepancies.
- Provide accurate student records and HESA-related information to support internal and external reporting requirements.
- Support compliance reporting where required.
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of attendance, student records and information systems.
Compliance
- Maintain confidentiality at all times.
- Comply with GDPR, safeguarding, Prevent and all College policies and procedures.
- Escalate safeguarding concerns through the appropriate reporting procedures.
- Ensure all attendance records and student information are maintained accurately and securely.
- Participate in multidisciplinary Student Services meetings where appropriate to coordinate support for students with complex or ongoing needs.
General Duties
- Participate in College induction and enrolment activities.
- Attend relevant training and Student Services Team meetings.
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of Student Services administrative processes.
- Support College events and student engagement activities where appropriate.
- Undertake any other duties reasonably required within the scope of the role.
Person Specification
This section outlines the knowledge, experience and capabilities required to effectively deliver an excellent reception service whilst maintaining accurate student records and supporting student engagement across the College.
Essential
- Previous experience in a busy customer-facing administrative or reception role.
- Experience maintaining accurate electronic records and databases.
- Experience managing confidential information with discretion.
- Experience producing reports and working with data.
- Experience prioritising competing demands and meeting deadlines.
- Excellent administrative and organisational skills.
- Outstanding attention to detail and accuracy.
- Excellent communication and customer service skills.
- Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office and database management systems.
- Ability to analyse attendance patterns and identify emerging concerns.
Ability to maintain accurate student records across multiple systems.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Understanding of confidentiality, GDPR and data protection legislation.
- Ability to work independently whilst contributing positively to a collaborative team.
- Ability to remain calm, professional and approachable within a busy student-facing environment.
Desirable
- Experience working within Higher Education, Further Education or a student services environment.
- Experience of attendance monitoring and intervention processes.
- Experience maintaining student records throughout the student lifecycle.
- Experience inputting or managing statutory data returns, including HESA.
- Experience supporting enrolment and induction activities.
- Experience using student information systems or Management Information Systems.
- Understanding of Higher Education student records and statutory reporting requirements.
- Knowledge of HESA data returns.
- Understanding of safeguarding responsibilities within an educational setting.
- Knowledge of attendance monitoring and student engagement processes.
- Awareness of the Equality Act 2010 and GDPR within Higher Education.
Skills and Attributes
- Friendly and approachable manner.
- Excellent customer service skills.
- Highly organised and proactive.
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Strong administrative and organisational skills.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving ability.
- Calm and professional under pressure.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Positive and proactive approach.
- Ability to maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality.
- Flexible and adaptable.
- Commitment to delivering an outstanding student experience.
- Commitment to continuous learning and professional development.
- Ability to build positive working relationships with students, colleagues and external stakeholders.
We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities, and are dedicated to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion throughout our recruitment process and employment practices.
Pay: £35,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
