Kent Association for the Blind provides a comprehensive rehabilitation service to visual and hearing impaired people of all ages and abilities across Kent.

We are seeking to appoint a confident and dynamic individual to provide professional, friendly and comprehensive administrative support to the Guide Communicator (GC) Service.

You will be an experienced administrator with excellent IT skills in a range of software including Microsoft Packages and databases. Experience of working under your own initiative and making effective decisions is essential for this role.

The successful candidate will be organised and friendly, with excellent written and spoken communication skills. The ability to prioritise effectively to manage a large and varied workload is essential. Additionally applicants should have good numeracy skills, an excellent telephone manner and the ability to exercise tact, patience and diplomacy when dealing with enquiries from colleagues and service users.

Experience of planning and scheduling work rotas is desirable, but full training will be provided.

For further information and to apply, please download an application pack below or call 01622 691357.

Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 20th March 2017.
Interviews: Wednesday 5th April 2017.


Main purpose of post
To provide a professional, friendly and comprehensive administrative service supporting the work of the Guide Communicator (GC) Service.

Main duties

- Act as first point of contact for the Guide Communicator Service, respond to enquiries (by email, post, telephone and in person) to ensure matters are dealt with promptly and passed to colleagues as necessary.
- Be responsible for typing of letters, memos, reports, agendas, minutes and other materials, in appropriate house style, as required by the Service Manager/Deputy.
- Be responsible for inputting and processing the Guide Communicator timesheets on the KAB GC Database; generate and review data quality reports and correct errors as required before submitting for monthly payroll run. Deal with queries that arise in relation to timesheets and payroll and pass necessary information to the relevant department or Manager to deal with.
- Process new Service User (SU) information and input onto the GC database; ensure that all Service User records are kept up to date.
- Together with the Service Manager/Deputy help to develop, maintain and monitor the Guide Communicator timetable and work rotas. Including re-assigning Guide Communicators and Service Users as necessary.
- Be responsible for arranging holiday, sick and incidental cover for staff and ensuring that suitable holiday and emergency cover is in place, re- assigning GC’s among SU’s as necessary.
- On a rota with the Service Manager/Deputy provide out of hours’ emergency contact for Guide Communicators via the office mobile phone. Report any emergency incidents to the Service Manager/ Deputy.
- Liaise with the Head Office Administrator to ensure correct and timely completion of GC DBS forms.
- Administer the initial induction of new Guide Communicators and support the Service Manager/Deputy in the organisation and preparation of training programs and materials for new Guide Communicators.
- Deal with invoice queries from Finance Department and purchasers, passing relevant information to the Service Manager/Deputy as necessary.
- To be responsible for collecting, collating and maintaining a range of statistical information using the KAB GC database and spreadsheets, in order to design and produce reports as required.
- Set up and maintain filing systems as required. Develop and maintain systems for the secure storage, retention and retrieval of digital and paper-based materials including scanning and shredding of paperwork in line with KAB policies.
- Control stationary supplies for office use, replenishing where necessary.
- Organise and attend meetings, events and conferences where appropriate, including booking rooms, arranging catering, preparing and circulating agendas and confidential minutes in a variety of formats (written, large print, audio etc.). Take minutes when required.
- Identify possible safeguarding concerns, appropriately document these concerns and raise them with the Service Manager or Deputy within the required timescales. Follow protocols in relation to safeguarding vulnerable adults and children, supporting referrals as required.
- Deputise for other administrative colleagues from time to time, assist with the day to day running of the Sight Centre and be a keyholder.
- Undertake relevant training to ensure continued personal development relevant to the area of work.
- Perform other duties that Chief Executive of KAB or their authorised Deputy may consider appropriate.

Person Specification
Essential Criteria
To be able to demonstrate:

-Experience in providing administrative support in a fast-paced and demanding environment, including developing office systems.
-Experience of working under own initiative and making effective decisions, within limits of responsibility.
-Experience of prioritising workload.
-Excellent IT skills in a range of software including MS Outlook, Excel, Word, Explorer, PowerPoint and the willingness to train in additional IT skills as and when required, particularly in-house systems.
- Experience of using a variety of databases and knowledge of effectively manipulating and interrogating the data produced.
- Experience of dealing effectively with members of the public in person, signposting or an advice/support giving role.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including good telephone and listening skills.
- Effective minute taking skills.
- A commitment to using technology to bring about process and systems improvements.
- Accurate copy and report typing skills (typing speed minimum 50 words per minute).
- Accuracy and attention to detail, the ability to manage a heavy and diverse workload, prioritise effectively and meet deadlines.
- Good numeracy skills.
- Tact, patience and diplomacy. The ability to maintain a sensitive and professional approach towards colleagues and service users, mindful of confidentiality and anti-discriminatory practices.
- Empathy with KAB’s aims, values and objectives.

Desirable criteria
- An understanding of the issues relating to sight impairment.
- An understanding of Health and Social Care.
- An administrative or secretarial qualification.
- Experience of planning and scheduling work rotas.

This job description is not exhaustive, but is provided to assist the post holder to know what her/his main duties are. It may be amended from time to time without change to the levels of responsibility appropriate to the grade of the post and in discussion with the post holder.

KAB is an equal opportunities employer.