FRONT OFFICE RECEPTIONIST / ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SPECIALIST

Front Office Receptionist / Administrative Support Specialist

The Front Office Receptionist / Administrative Support Specialist serves as the primary point of contact for Carolina International School and plays a critical role in the daily operation, professionalism, safety, and effectiveness of the school.

Reporting directly to the Head of School, this position manages the school's main reception area and provides high-quality assistance to parents, students, staff members, visitors, vendors, prospective families, and members of the community. The employee is responsible for answering and routing telephone calls, assisting visitors, responding to routine inquiries, supporting student and parent needs, and performing a broad range of administrative and clerical functions.

The position requires an exceptionally professional, personable, organized, dependable, and service-oriented individual who can successfully manage multiple responsibilities and competing priorities in a fast-paced K12 school environment. The employee must demonstrate excellent judgment, discretion, patience, and composure while maintaining a welcoming and positive presence at all times.

Because the front office is often the first point of interaction families and visitors have with Carolina International School, the employee must consistently demonstrate kindness, courtesy, responsiveness, professionalism, and a genuine desire to assist others.

The Front Office Receptionist / Administrative Support Specialist works collaboratively with Enrollment and Registration, Finance, Student Services, Operations, Administration, and other school offices while remaining directly accountable to the Head of School.

Candidates must possess:

• An Associate Degree from an accredited college or institution.
• A minimum of three years of successful administrative, receptionist, clerical, customer-service, school-office, or comparable professional experience.
• Strong computer literacy and demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and related electronic systems.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment, including multi-line telephone systems, computers, printers, copiers, scanners, postage equipment, and other commonly used office technology.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer-service skills.
• Demonstrated ability to organize work, establish priorities, meet deadlines, and manage multiple responsibilities simultaneously.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise appropriate discretion when handling student, employee, parent, financial, and school information.
• Ability to work effectively with students, parents, employees, administrators, vendors, and members of the public.
• Ability and willingness to work occasional evenings, weekends, school events, enrollment activities, open houses, and other functions as assigned.
• A demonstrated record of reliability, professionalism, punctuality, sound judgment, and teamwork.

Preference may be given to candidates who possess one or more of the following:

• A Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university.
• Previous administrative or front-office experience in a public, charter, private, or other educational setting.
• Experience working directly with parents, students, and the general public.
• Experience with student information systems, enrollment systems, databases, or other school-based technology platforms.
• Multilingual communication skills.
• Fluency or professional proficiency in Spanish is strongly preferred due to the importance of effectively communicating with and supporting the school's diverse families and community.

The successful employee must demonstrate the ability to:

• Provide exceptional customer service and demonstrate a genuine commitment to assisting others.
• Communicate effectively and respectfully with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Demonstrate warmth, patience, kindness, tact, diplomacy, and professionalism.
• Remain calm and effective when dealing with difficult, emotional, demanding, or rapidly changing situations.
• Manage multiple telephone calls, visitors, student needs, deadlines, and administrative responsibilities simultaneously.
• Prioritize competing responsibilities and recognize situations requiring immediate administrative attention.
• Exercise sound judgment without exceeding the authority of the position.
• Work independently while remaining accountable to the Head of School.
• Work collaboratively and productively as part of a multidisciplinary school team.
• Maintain confidentiality and appropriately handle sensitive information.
• Maintain accurate records and demonstrate strong attention to detail.
• Learn and effectively use school information systems, databases, communication platforms, and other technology.
• Adapt quickly when priorities, schedules, or operational needs change.
• Maintain a professional appearance and demeanor appropriate for the school's primary reception area.
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with parents, students, employees, administrators, and community members.

The employee is expected to:

• Treat every student, parent, employee, and visitor with dignity, respect, patience, and courtesy.
• Maintain a helpful, responsive, and solution-oriented approach.
• Demonstrate patience and composure during high-volume and stressful periods.
• Avoid confrontational, dismissive, argumentative, or discourteous interactions.
• Protect confidential information and avoid discussing sensitive school matters in public areas.
• Support established school policies, procedures, and administrative expectations.
• Communicate concerns through appropriate supervisory channels.
• Work cooperatively with colleagues and contribute positively to the overall effectiveness of the school.
• Demonstrate consistent attendance, punctuality, dependability, initiative, and readiness for work.
• Understand that flexibility is essential in a school environment and that responsibilities may change according to operational needs.

The Front Office Receptionist / Administrative Support Specialist is an integral member of the school's administrative support team. Effective performance requires regular collaboration with multiple departments and an understanding that successful school operations depend upon communication, flexibility, teamwork, professionalism, and mutual support.

The position primarily operates during established school and office hours. However, occasional evening and weekend responsibilities are an expected component of the position and may include:

• Open houses
• Enrollment and registration activities
• Parent programs and meetings
• Schoolwide events
• Orientation activities
• Community events
• Special administrative projects
• Other activities designated by the Head of School

Reasonable schedule flexibility is an essential expectation of the position.

The employee must be able to perform the customary physical functions associated with a professional school-office environment, including prolonged periods of sitting or standing, operating computers and office equipment, communicating by telephone and in person, moving throughout the school office and campus as necessary, and occasionally lifting or moving routine office materials and supplies.

The employee will work in a high-traffic, fast-paced environment in which frequent interruptions, competing demands, telephone calls, student needs, parent inquiries, visitors, and rapidly changing priorities are normal conditions of employment.

Performance will be evaluated by the Head of School or designee based upon the employee's effectiveness in fulfilling the responsibilities of the position, including professionalism, customer service, dependability, confidentiality, accuracy, initiative, teamwork, communication, organizational effectiveness, technology proficiency, adaptability, and overall contribution to the efficient operation of Carolina International School.

The duties listed in this job description are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by the employee assigned to this position. They are not intended to constitute an exhaustive list of every responsibility, duty, or skill required. Carolina International School reserves the right to modify duties or assign additional responsibilities consistent with the operational needs of the school.