Department: BIC Services
Responsible to: Assistant Centre Manager
Salary: £14,414.40 pro rata
Working Hours: 22 hours per week, 12.30pm – 5.00pm Monday – Thursday, and 12.30pm – 4.30 pm Friday
Benefits: Free onsite parking, pension, healthcare, cycle scheme, flexible working plus café
The North East Business and Innovation Centre is an established, not for profit enterprise agency and offers a range of business support and property services throughout the North East region. Working with a broad range of clients from aspiring entrepreneurs to public sector bodies, the BIC is dedicated to supporting an entrepreneurial culture in the region.
We are seeking to appoint a highly motivated individual with a proven track record in Customer Service. Working as part of a busy team within the North East Business & Innovation Centre this is a varied role. The North East BIC is a busy environment offering serviced business premises, conference facilities and business support to the 140 companies on site.
The successful candidate will be responsible for contributing to the smooth running of the department and to support the wider team.
Job Purpose
This is a dual-role position combining reception and room hire coordination duties. The postholder will be responsible for the professional and efficient management of front-of-house operations, while also coordinating the booking and servicing of meeting and conference facilities across the BIC. The role requires excellent communication, organisation, and customer service skills, as well as the flexibility to support a busy and varied operational environment.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Reception Duties
- Operate the main reception desk, meet and greet visitors, and ensure they are directed appropriately.
- Provide professional telephone support for tenants and staff, forward messages as necessary.
- Maintain an up-to-date key register and issue keys, fobs, and access cards, ensuring accurate system updates.
- Manage incoming and outgoing mail, including use of franking and electronic tracking systems.
- Maintain client information in PMS systems.
- Handle ad-hoc client services such as photocopying, scanning, laminating, faxing then adding charges to PMS.
- Order and manage stationary supplies as required.
- Create memo regarding miscellaneous post, distribute and update the system.
Room Hire Coordination
- Manage all aspects of room hire bookings, including scheduling, confirmations, and client communications.
- Ensure rooms are prepared to client specifications, including layout, IT requirements, and signage.
- Arrange catering services and refreshments in a timely manner (within 24 hours of request).
- Raise purchase orders and issue sales invoices for room hire and catering on a weekly basis.
- Maintain booking diaries and ensure key departments are updated (Reception, Post Room, Restaurant, BIC Services).
- Ensure where possible all rooms are replenished for the following day.
- Collate and report monthly usage statistics to BIC Management.
- Update the PMS system with relevant client and booking information.
- Inputting of monthly tenant charges/allocating internal bookings.
- To attain networking events and promote the room hire services offered by the BIC.
- Maintain audit-ready documentation and system records for internal and external review.
Additional Duties
- Provide general administrative support to management and clients as required.
- Be flexible in supporting other departments within BIC during periods of high demand or staff absence.
- Occasionally provide cover or support at other BIC centres as needed.
- Assist the Space and Facilities Administrators with general duties and tasks, as and when required, to support the effective operation of BIC Services.
- Provide general cover within the department for sickness and holidays.
Skills and Experience Required
- Proven experience in a customer-facing role, ideally within a reception or facilities environment.
- Strong organisational and administrative skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Proficiency in IT applications including Word, Excel, and PMS/database systems.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both face-to-face and via telephone.
- Sound understanding of basic invoicing and purchasing processes.
- Ability to work flexibly, both independently and as part of a team.
- A customer-focused attitude with a proactive and practical approach to problem-solving.
- Flexibility to attend networking events.
- Attend relevant training courses at the request of BIC Management team.
- Attend any relevant training courses in line with your duties as requested.
For further details of the vacancy or to send a CV and covering letter please email: jacqui.danks@ne-bic.co.uk
Deadline for completed applications: 5pm Thursday 4th September 2025