Faculty Assistant/Receptionist

The University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau, is looking for a friendly and well-organised Faculty Assistant/Receptionist to join the team supporting the Faculty of Medical and Health Science. This on-campus, part-time role sits at the Grafton campus, managing the main reception activities and helping keep the front of house running smoothly for students, staff, and visitors. It’s a great fit for someone who enjoys delivering courteous service in a busy university environment and who can keep things calm and efficient during busy periods.

You will be part of a collegial group that values a calm, customer-focused approach. The role reports to the Facilities and Services Manager and works closely with the Facilities and Services team, Group Services, Faculty Administration within the Dean’s office, Property Services and the Marketing Events Coordinator. The position is permanent and part-time, with set hours from Monday to Friday, 1pm to 6pm, and it requires on-site attendance with no remote option. The salary range is between $56,550 and $62,900 depending on skills and experience, reflecting the university’s commitment to fair pay for essential campus support work. For more detail on the role, you can refer to the position description linked by the employer.

The Day-To-Day Of The Grafton Reception Team

As the front line for the faculty, your daily work centers on welcoming visitors, handling front desk inquiries, and delivering general administrative support that keeps the reception and adjacent services humming. You’ll help with facilities and support services, manage car parking bookings, and handle security incident reporting as part of keeping the campus safe and well organised. In practice, that means balancing a steady stream of questions and directions with timely coordination of spaces, resources, and people, all while maintaining a friendly, professional demeanour that reflects the university’s standards.

Who We Need For This Role

The right candidate is someone who brings a motivated, service-focused mindset and can deliver high standards of reception work across a large campus. The team is looking for a confident, dynamic, and energetic individual who has experience in administration or a reception-related role and can contribute positively to a busy, collaborative environment. Strong communication, relationship-building, and problem-solving abilities are essential, as is a knack for prioritising tasks and keeping service users at the centre of everything you do. Being able to work effectively as part of a team will help you succeed in this role.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills displaying sensitivities to and understanding of student and staff needs
• Ability to build relationships, problem solve and provide effective support
• Strong customer focus, excellent time management with prioritisation skills
• Ability to work as a team

• Experience gained in administration or a reception related role
• On-campus or higher education environment experience

Pay And Practical Details For This Role

The position is part-time and permanent, with scheduled hours from 1pm to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and it is based on the Auckland campus with on-site work only. The salary is between $56,550 and $62,900, depending on skills and experience. The university also offers benefits such as five weeks’ annual leave and a 6.75% superannuation scheme, along with flexible employment practices and career development programmes. For more information on staff benefits, readers can visit the university’s staff benefits page.

The role is linked to a broader network of colleagues in Facilities and Services, Group Services, and the Dean’s Office Administration, and it sits within a team that values knowledge sharing and professional development. Applicants should note the closing date and the need to submit an online application with an up-to-date CV and a cover letter outlining the strengths they would bring to the role; questions can be directed to Amie Straker by email.

Further information about the position is available through the position description referenced by the employer, and the university also provides a dedicated staff benefits page for reference.

Advice For Applicants To Nail This Grafton Reception Role

Put your on-campus reception experience at the top of your resume, and lead with examples that show you’ve handled front desk inquiries, visitor greeting, parking bookings, and security-related reporting. Tie these directly to the requirements of this role and the day-to-day realities of a large faculty reception.

In the resume and cover letter, demonstrate your customer-service strengths, your ability to manage multiple tasks with good time management, and your skill at prioritising in a busy environment. Highlight specific instances where you built relationships with students and staff and delivered effective support under pressure.

Prepare for interview questions with concrete scenarios from previous roles that align with the university context, working with Facilities and Services, coordinating with Faculty Administration, and engaging with a broad campus community. Be ready to discuss how you would handle a security incident report or a parking booking change on a typical afternoon shift.

Have a thoughtful question ready for the interview about how this role collaborates with the Dean’s Office and Property Services or how the team measures front-of-house service quality and visitor experience. A good question signals you understand the role’s place in the broader campus operations and your interest in contributing to a well-run faculty environment.

How To Apply For The Grafton Reception Role

Applications should be submitted online before 16 October 2026 and must include an up-to-date CV and a cover letter outlining what strengths you will bring to this role. If you have questions, email Amie Straker at [email protected]. Note that applications are not accepted via email.

The University of Auckland is an equal opportunity employer and emphasises equity and safe, inclusive environments for staff and students. Further information on equity and supporting services can be found on the university’s equity pages.

#LI-DNI