Receptionist (0.8FTE)

Job Description

Glasgow Caledonian – the largest and leading modern university in Scotland - is a vibrant, values-led university with campuses in the heart of Glasgow and London. We're committed to high-quality education and research supporting the communities we serve, and we have strong partnerships with employers to ensure our students get the careers they dream of.

Named UK University of the Year for Graduate Jobs in the latest Daily Mail University Guide, and the top-ranked modern university in the UK in the Times and Sunday Times Guide 2026, we are a UK top 40 university according to these highly regarded guides. We perform exceptionally at subject level too - as the leading university in the UK for physiotherapy and subjects allied to medicine, according to the latest Times and Sunday Times guide.

We are the only Scottish university with EcoCampus Platinum accreditation and were ranked first in Scotland for sustainability in the most recent People and Planet league table (2024).

Guided by our values – integrity, responsibility, creativity and confidence - we transform the lives of the people and communities we serve.

To support our continuing growth, we are seeking to appoint a receptionist working in the Vision Centre, within the Department of Vision Sciences. The Department is one of eight and located within the School of Health & Life Sciences. The School is committed to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, applied research and knowledge transfer. The Department of Vision Sciences offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching programmes, including a Master of Optometry with Independent Prescribing (MOptom IP), BSc(Hons) Orthoptics and the new BSc Ophthalmic Dispensing (Earn as You Learn). Providing an outstanding student experience where each individual can flourish is central to the Department’s philosophy. The department’s programmes were ranked first in the UK in the Complete University Guide (Optometry, Ophthalmology & Orthoptics Tables 2019).

A large amount of the clinical teaching of the students on our programmes takes place in the GCU Vision Centre, which is a purpose-built, state of the art clinical facility that provides training each year for over 300 student optometrists, orthoptists and dispensing opticians, and services over 5000 patients annually.

We are seeking to appoint an experienced Receptionist for the GCU Vision Centre – a key role with responsibility for daily interactions and admin support for all users of the Vision Centre: Patients, students & Vision Centre clinical staff.

The successful candidate will have strong communication skills and experience with a range of IT systems such as Microsoft Office. They need to have excellent organisational skills and be able to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team and have the ability to work on their own initiative where required. Experience of working in a busy optical or medical environment would be desirable. The role holder will be expected to be fully involved in the organisation and running of a busy clinic with particular care for both the patients attending and the Optometry, Dispensing and Orthoptics students who will be working and learning within the Vision Centre.

If you wish to know more about this role, or for an informal discussion, please contact Miranda White, Vision Centre Business Manager (miranda.white@gcu.ac.uk) or call 0141 331 3377.

 

Requirements

As the University for the Common Good, we are committed to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as our values in everything that we do. As such, we welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates who demonstrate the GCU Values.

Glasgow Caledonian University is committed to a fair and transparent recruitment process that is free from bias so that we can attract and retain a high performing workforce which makes a critical contribution to our success​.

The University holds the prestigious Athena Swan Silver institution award, which recognises our significant record of activity and achievement in promoting gender equality across different disciplines.

The University holds the Race Equality Charter Bronze award, in recognition of our work to combat racism and support race equality.

As a Disability Confident 'Committed' employer, we are striving to ensure that our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to disabled people. Although the Disability Confident 'Committed' level does not guarantee an interview for disabled applicants, we will make reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants during the recruitment process.

The University also holds the ‘Carer Positive Established’ employer award, which recognises our commitment to supporting staff with caring responsibilities.

Glasgow Caledonian University are committed signatories to the Armed Forces Covenant.

The University offers a range of benefits including opportunities for professional development, family friendly policies, cycle to work scheme and onsite childcare facilities.

Please note that the appointment will be made on the first point of the salary scale (unless by exception).

As this role involves Regulated work with Adults and/or Children the successful candidate will require PVG Scheme membership.