Faculty/Administrative/Service Department s3

Post Details Last Updated: 17/03/2016 Faculty/Administrative/Service FHMS – School of Veterinary Medicine Department Job Title Receptionist (Veterinary Pathology Centre) Job Family Professional Services Job Level 2a Responsible to PA to Head of the School of Veterinary Medicine Responsible for (Staff) N/A Job Purpose Statement

To provide professional and efficient support to the Veterinary Pathology Service. To act as one of the first points of contact for clients wishing to use our post-mortem examination (PME) and histopathology service offered at the University and to provide accurate, knowledgeable and timely advice to external organisations.

Through the provision of this service, the post holder will build relationships with key clients and enhance the engagement of the PME services, subsequently increasing the University’s income.

Key Responsibilities This document is not designed to be a list of all tasks undertaken but an outline record of the main responsibilities (5 to 8 maximum) 1. Deal with a wide range of enquiries by phone, in person and email ensuring that they are dealt with in an efficient and professional manner; 2. Assist in collating data from Veterinary Surgeons, farmers and other scientific institutions using pre-determined and dedicated forms; sending out reports from post-mortem examinations to private vets (as email attachments); 3. Liaise with internal colleagues, including pathology centre staff on submissions and enquiries from private vets; 4. Assist in meetings, including preparing the agenda, taking minutes and circulating; 5. Service and manage all invoicing required for the pathology service. 6. Ensure reception area is maintained to a high standard. 7. Keep up to date with University events in order to be able to direct visitors appropriately. 8. Receipt and manage deliveries including sorting mail.

N.B. The above list is not exhaustive. All staff are expected to:  Positively support equality of opportunity and equity of treatment to colleagues and students in accordance with the University of Surrey Equal Opportunities Policy.  Work to achieve the aims of our Environmental Policy and promote awareness to colleagues and students.  Follow University/departmental policies and working practices in ensuring that no breaches of information security result from their actions.  Ensure they are aware of and abide by all relevant University Regulations and Policies relevant to the role.  Undertake such other duties within the scope of the post as may be requested by your Manager.  Work supportively with colleagues, operating in a collegiate manner at all times. Help maintain a safe working environment by:  Attending training in Health and Safety requirements as necessary, both on appointment and as changes in duties and techniques demand.  Following local codes of safe working practices and the University of Surrey Health and Safety Policy. Elements of the Role This section outlines some of the key elements of the role, which allow this role to be evaluated within the University’s structure. It provides an overview of what is expected from the post holder in the day-to-day operation of the role. Planning and Organising

 Most work is immediate, responding to routine daily enquiries.  The post holder will set his/her own short-term priorities, using past experience to plan time-frames and referring issues to the line-manager when complex and conflicting priorities arise.

Problem Solving and Decision Making

 The post holder will be the first point of contact for telephone enquiries and so it is essential to have high level of knowledge of the service and staff roles in order to direct enquiries to relevant people.  The post holder will use established guidelines to advise vets whether a submission is eligible for PME. In case of doubt, the call will be passed to a “triage vet”  The post holder may occasionally experience more unusual queries for which there is no formal guidance on trouble shooting. In this case, the post holder will be required to use previous experience and judgement to determine the appropriate course of action, ensuring that the issue is clearly recorded in writing so the actions taken can become a precedent for use in future situations. Where an enquiry requires input from another party, the post holder is expected to pass these on to the relevant individuals within the Faculty or indeed elsewhere in the University. This includes escalating problems to their line manager when the post holder perceives this to be the most appropriate action to take. They will, however, spend the majority of their time working autonomously. The post holder will need to recognise the impact that they have on customers for the pathology service and therefore it is vital that they raise issues and areas of concern to ensure the appropriate action is taken. This requires an understanding of who to refer issues on to, and the resources available both internally and externally.  It is vital for the post holder to keep up to date with changes to the pathology services and any relevant Vet School events so that these can be conveyed to our veterinary customers. The post holder will attend relevant training sessions. Failure to provide accurate and timely advice could cause the loss of potential clients and consequently the loss of income. Continuous Improvement

 As a key team member interfacing with customers and sub-contractors, the post holder is encouraged to make recommendations for minor improvements to our service delivery, implementing them under the guidance of their line manager.

Accountability

 During training and in the early stages of their appointment, daily supervision is anticipated. Once the post-holder is familiar with their role then weekly team meetings will provide the opportunity for issues to be raised. The external profile of the role is such that any important issues must be raised with the team leader immediately. Dimensions of the role

 The post holder has no budgetary or supervisory responsibility.

Person Specification This section describes the sum total of knowledge, experience & competence required by the post holder that is necessary for standard acceptable performance in carrying out this role.

Qualifications and Professional Memberships

Vocational qualifications plus some relevant work experience; E Or Learning gained through work experience of several years. Will include short courses and other formal training.

Technical Competencies (Experience and Knowledge) This section contains the level of Essential/ Level competency required to carry out the role (please refer to the Competency Framework for clarification where needed Desirable 1-3 and the Job Matching Guidance). Excellent attention to detail to undertake careful and precise data entry into predetermined E 2 fields through a user-friendly interface Familiarity with Microsoft software including Word and Outlook E 2 Ability to exercise discretion, sensitivity and confidentiality to the highest of standards E 2 Experience in planning meetings, preparing agendas and taking minutes D n/a A knowledge of farming, livestock, veterinary or medical terminology and/or experience in a D n/a similar environment (e.g. in a vet or medical practice)

Special Requirements: Essential/ Desirable n/a

Core Competencies This section contains the level of competency required to carry out this role. (Please refer to the competency Level framework for clarification where needed). n/a (not applicable) should be placed, where the competency is not a requirement of the 1-3 grade.

Communication 2 Adaptability / Flexibility 2 Customer/Client service and support 2 Planning and Organising 1 Teamwork 2 Continuous Improvement 1 Problem Solving and Decision Making Skills 1 Managing and Developing Performance n/a Creative and Analytical Thinking n/a Influencing, Persuasion and Negotiation Skills n/a Strategic Thinking & Leadership n/a

This Job Purpose reflects the core activities of the post. As the Department/Faculty and the post holder develop, there will inevitably be some changes to the duties for which the post is responsible, and possibly to the emphasis of the post itself. The University expects that the post holder will recognise this and will adopt a flexible approach to work. This could include undertaking relevant training where necessary. Should significant changes to the Job Purpose become necessary, the post holder will be consulted and the changes reflected in a revised Job Purpose. Organisational/Departmental Information & Key Relationships Background Information

The new School of Veterinary Medicine accepted its first students in 2014. New purpose-built buildings include a world- class Veterinary Pathology Centre (VPC). The School has a “One Health” focus, being concerned with animal health and welfare and beyond this, with links between animal and human health. The surveillance post-mortem service that the School will deliver on behalf of the Government for approximately half of registered livestock farms in England is an important part of our activity within the One Health area. In addition the VPC delivers pathology services (post-mortem examinations and histopathology) to the scientific and veterinary community.

Department Structure Chart

Relationships

Internal  PA to Head of the School of Veterinary Medicine (Line Manager)  Project Manager (Functional manager) & Project Team to discuss and implement them under the authorisation of the Line Manager.  Colleagues within the School of Veterinary Medicine to arrange appropriate meetings and for advice when needed.

External  Sub-contractors and private Veterinary Surgeons, regional government veterinary research institutes to arrange for the provision of the services and communicate the outcomes of the PMEs.