Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:

Receptionist / Head Receptionist

Reports To:

Practice Coordinator via Branch Manager

Location:

Charter Veterinary Surgeons, 16 West Road, Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 4ER

Date Written:

October 2025

Job Overview:

Our aim within the practice is to treat our patients as though they were our own animals, and to treat our clients in the way we would wish to be dealt with ourselves.

This philosophy should be carried through all levels, in terms of our demeanour, appearance, professionalism and communication (between staff, clients and external providers such as laboratories and suppliers). We all have a part to play in ensuring the smooth running of the various aspects of the practice.

Purpose of Position:

To have responsibility for the provision of a professional, effective and organised client reception. To provide excellent customer service for clients along with administrative and clerical support to the management, nursing and vet teams.

Roles & Responsibilities:

Train and oversee all Receptionists within the team.

Complete all receptionist team appraisals and regular 121.

Complete receptionist RTW and seek guidance if futher action is required.

Delegate tasks responsibly and appropriately ensuring that everyone in the team is aware of standards of operation and duties.

Effectively manage and coordinate the rota for the team under the supervision of the Practice Coordinator.

Support in the recruitment of new members for the team and oversee their job- related training.

To be responsible for managing debt management within the team.

To ensure that insurance claims are processed correctly within the team.

Ensure paperwork is filed and stored in a tidy and organised manner, oversee archiving and storage of consent documents.

Management of petty cash.

Oversee the management of the animal health club, liaising with head office as required.

Greet clients with a smile and engage in "small talk" to put clients at ease, respond effectively to client enquiries via the telephone or in person and relay accurate messages to other staff.

Make client appointments, book ops, process enquiries, requests and messages. Create new client files, update and monitor existing files, keep computer records up-dated.

Organise veterinary appointments and liaise with the vets to ensure the day runs as efficiently as possible.

Take payments, processing and monitoring accounts. To ensure that daily banking routines are completed.

General clerical duties including ordering stationery, photocopying and sending faxes, dealing with the mail and reminders as required.

Be aware of worming and vaccination policies. Accurately assess client needs and offer appropriate services or products, liaising with the vets and nurses as required. Pass on queries to other members of staff when they fall beyond the limits of your knowledge.

Supply products prescribed by suitably qualified personnel according to training and authorisation. Ensure maintenance of good stock control.

To be able to multi task and work in a fast paced environment whilst remaining calm under pressure.

Keep the reception areas and waiting room clean and tidy at all times. Take a pride in the appearance of these areas and organise interesting displays and notices.

Partake in reports and stock takes when necessary.

Oversee the team to ensure the reception area is fully operational and efficient at all required times including holidays and in the event of people being off sick.

To ensure that the Reception team complete all administrative duties such as booster reminders or any other tasks as may be requested by the Branch Manager.

Where necessary, delegate tasks responsibly and appropriately ensuring everyone in the team are aware of standards of operation and duties

Respond effectively to any complaints or seek assistance from senior member of staff if necessary to ensure client satisfaction.

Reconcile daily banking and adjust any errors and liaise with HO.

Additional notes:

As the Willows group has many branches it might be necessary for you to support other practices and be considerate of their needs as well as the needs of your own branch. Occasionally due to unforeseen circumstances, staff may need to be seconded to facilitate cover at other surgeries, and your co-operation in supporting the logistics of this may be required.

At Charter Congleton you will be joining a team of:-

- 4 vets

- 6 nurses

- Practice Coordinator (who looks after all Charter branches)

- 4 reception/administrators

There are 3 consulting rooms and we operate to 15-minute consultation times.

This is a full time role working an average of 40 hours a week which will include Saturdays to be worked on a rota. Monday to Friday shifts working between 8:15 am to 7:00 pm and Saturdays 8:30 am to 1pm.

Holiday entitlement is 30 days per year (including Bank Holidays) with the opportunity to buy up to an extra 10 days or sell 2 days per year pro rated for part-time hours. Benefits also include a workplace pension scheme, uniform, enhanced family friendly benefits, colleague pet discounts and life insurance at 1 x annual salary. We also offer HealthShield benefits which cover the everyday health needs of our teams by providing cashback for dental, optical and physiotherapy costs, alongside offering wellness services such as a Virtual GP Surgery and Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). We also offer the opportunity to take a paid day to volunteer elsewhere for a charity once a year. A CPD allowance is in place for Receptionists based on 1 day and 250 per year for full-time hours.

Apply by sending a cover letter and CV to Julie-Ann Goryl via the email recruitment@willowsvetgroup.co.uk quoting job reference 73 which must be received by the closing date of

5 pm Sunday 9th November 2025

.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 26,634.00-31,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Additional leave Company events Cycle to work scheme Employee discount Enhanced maternity leave Enhanced paternity leave Health & wellbeing programme Life insurance Paid volunteer time Sick pay
Work Location: In person