Front of House

The Front of House position is a new role at Pembroke House. We are making a number of changes to our operations and public welcome over the next two years. As part of these, the Front of House role will be responsible for managing all enquiries on the phone, over email and in-person at Pembroke House, as well as ensuring the smooth running of our office. You will be a key external voice and face of Pembroke House and will sit at the heart of a dynamic team, ensuring that visitors are welcomed, enquiries are dealt with efficiently and that information flows effectively through the organisation.

The person we appoint to this role will have a passion for engagement and customer service as they will be the first point of contact for all visitors to the Pembroke House building, be that in person, on the telephone or via email. You will work in a friendly office environment and come into contact with a range of people including residents of all ages and backgrounds.

You will be well organised and able to manage competing demands on your time as you will be working in a fast-paced office environment. You will have an eye for detail, the drive to see tasks through to completion and be confident working unsupervised for some of the time. You will also take on real responsibility for ensuring that hall hirers get what they are expecting, and must be confident and able to be firm when you know we are unable to fulfil a request.

The role will suit someone with some experience in front of house roles, office administration and/or customer service. As a member of a small and enterprising team you will also be ready to muck-in to support others as required. You will form relationships with people from all walks of life.

Pembroke House is a centre for social action and residential community in Walworth, south-east London.
We were founded in 1885, by students from Pembroke College, Cambridge, as one of the first settlement houses. Shocked by growing poverty and inequality, the pioneers of the settlement movement sought a new approach: taking up residence to live, work and solve problems alongside local communities.
For over 130 years, we’ve been working to bridge traditional divides and unite people – whatever their background or walk of life – in building a better Walworth.
Our work today is built around four pillars:
1. Activities
We deliver and support 30 projects – from children’s dance classes to a weekly lunch club. These allow people to connect with each other and with local services; to grow and learn; and to give back and contribute. Some of these are paused due to the pandemic, while others have moved online, and we’re running an emergency distribution hub that supports 400 local households with regular food parcels.
2. Residency
We hold true to our founders’ values: working alongside the community in Walworth as neighbours and residents. Our residency, which sits adjacent to Pembroke House, is home to up to six of our team members.
3. Neighbourhood
In order to make a meaningful difference in Walworth, we need to work together. We work in partnership with residents, organisations and institutions – building knowledge and inspiring collective action.
4. Learning
At Pembroke House, we are all learners. We try things out and learn as we go, both collectively and as individuals. We reflect on what works, change what doesn’t, and share our learning and insights widely.