Reception & Administration Assistant

**Introduction**:
WIMR is one of Australia’s leading medical research institutes located at the heart of the Westmead Health Precinct, designated as the lighthouse precinct for Biomedical technology by the NSW Government. WIMR is an independent medical research institute governed by a Board. It is a multi-disciplinary institute with research across key themes being:

- Infection and Immunity
- Cancer
- Liver and Metabolic
- Neuroscience and Vision
- Cardiorespiratory

Closely affiliated with the University of Sydney and Westmead Hospital, the Institute’s research extends from the laboratory to the patient using the basic tools of molecular and cell biology, genetic epidemiology, imaging technology, and clinical research.

Biomedical research in the Institute extends into clinical research programs across a wide range of disciplines which may interface with the many clinical trials in progress at any one time. This “bench to bedside” approach enables greater translation of research from biomedical discovery to the development of new prevention strategies, diagnostics, and more effective treatments.

**Description**:
As part of the broader Operations (Facilities and Research Support) team, The Reception & Administration Assistant role will have joint reporting to the Operations Administration Coordinator (OAC) and Operations Manager, primarily to the OAC. The role is primarily responsible for providing front-of-house duties and providing administrative support to the Operations department.

The key responsibilities will involve performing all aspects of the Reception function and assisting with administration support across the department:
Be the first point of contact for people coming into the building
Answer phones, transfer calls, and take messages
Assist with resolving general enquiries from staff and visitors, or directing queries to the necessary departments as appropriate
Meet and greet visitors, perform sign-ins, and notify the appropriate contacts
Manage the visitor parking schedule, including validation of parking tickets
In conjunction with other Operations staff, operate the security access system, including programming access cards
Provide administrative support and assistance to other Operations staff as required, such as procurement needs and contractor management
Work with Communications and Event staff to coordinate events and visitor groups that attend the building, including meeting room bookings
Communicate ad-hoc cleaning requests to the onsite cleaning contractors
Manage consumable levels for the Reception function and coordinate reorders as required
Perform other appropriate duties as required and as directed by the Operations Administration Coordinator and Operations Manager
Comply with the Institute’s Code of Conduct, as well as all applicable policies and procedures
Strive to obtain objectives and performance measures set for the role and participate positively in performance and development reviews
Demonstrate a genuine commitment to safety by taking reasonable care and cooperating with actions taken to protect the health and safety of everyone working at the Institute

**Skills and Experiences**:
To be successful in this role you will need to have the following education, experience, and technical knowledge:
Qualifications and Experience
- At least 2 years’ prior experience performing daily Reception/Front-of-House duties
- Prior experience in an outward customer-facing role

Knowledge and Skills
- Professional Reception and high-level customer service skills
- Excellent attention to detail
- Strong time and task management skills with the demonstrated ability to prioritise effectively, balance concurrent tasks, and meet deadlines
- Possess a high level of computer proficiency, including strong touch-typing skills (baseline of 40WPM) and moderate-to-advanced use of standard software suites (such as Microsoft Office 365, particularly Word, Excel, and Outlook)

Behaviours

Excellent interpersonal skills, including a focus on customer service, being approachable throughout the day, and maintaining a professional appearance
Strong communication skills (written and spoken English), with a clear and pleasant phone manner
Self-motivated with the capacity to work unsupervised
Ability to work effectively within the team
A commitment to ethical, honest, and trustworthy behaviour
Possess a willingness to actively contribute to the development of a positive workplace culture