Receptionist - UAE Only

About the Company:

Sharjah American International School (SAIS) is a prominent educational institution in the United Arab Emirates. It follows an American curriculum and offers education from kindergarten through to grade 12. SAIS is known for its diverse student body and rigorous academic programs, designed to prepare students for higher education and future careers. The school emphasizes a well-rounded education that includes extracurricular activities, sports, and community involvement. SAIS aims to provide a supportive environment that fosters academic excellence and personal growth among its students.

Purpose

The receptionists are essential in ensuring schools are safe, welcoming and operate efficiently. A school receptionist uses customer service and clerical skills to keep administrative tasks organized, communicate with people who contact the school and assist visitors who enter the facility. They often interact with administrators, teachers, students, families, and guests and serve as primary contact for the school.

School receptionists often serve as representatives of the school. As the first contact a person meets when they enter the school, school receptionists must make a positive impression on visitors. Some receptionists may have essential duties, while others take on a more in-depth role. Besides regular duties, a school receptionist might perform finance, marketing, and human resources tasks.

Duties & Responsibilities

1. Communicate with parents, students, and guests.
2. Perform typical clerical duties.
3. Provide administrative support to staff.

School receptionists use communication skills daily to correspond with students, staff, families, and visitors to the school by phone, email or in person. They greet students, parents and visitors who enter the school, address family concerns and answer questions for guests. Although they don't have teaching roles, school receptionists often communicate with children at school, help them with specific tasks and assist teachers with student supervision and care as needed. They may also correspond with other organizations, such as government or media agencies.

School receptionists usually perform regular clerical duties, such as answering phone calls and emails, accepting postage and freight the school receives and maintaining an organized filing system. They may use software like bookkeeping programs, education platforms and office software suites to help them complete tasks and store records efficiently. To perform their duties, they typically use standard office equipment, like copying machines, scanners, printers, multi-line phone systems and intercoms.

School receptionists may provide varying administrative support to teachers, administrators and other staff members as needed. They often relay important messages throughout the school and schedule meetings for staff. In some schools, receptionists may help students and teachers by placing supply orders, assisting in the classroom during projects and helping students and children find educational resources.

School receptionists typically work in school offices during regular hours. They may arrive shortly before school begins and stay until teachers dismiss students to finish their work. Their work environment may vary based on the time of day. For example, they may be swamped in the morning and at the end of the day when students arrive and leave school. During this time, they may answer questions from families and make announcements about activities or updates.

During the rest of the day, school receptionists may have more independence to perform their clerical duties in a relatively quiet environment. Teachers and administrators may share some of the same office space, but receptionists usually have desks and storage areas where they keep their supplies and complete their duties. School receptionists take breaks from their other responsibilities to prioritize greeting guests, answering phone calls and responding to emails.