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Cope Galway
Calbro House, Tuam Road Galway, H91 XR97
HQ Receptionist/Administration Support
Reporting to: Head of Operations (Assistant CEO)
Date of Issue: April 2026
Our Vision - A community where every person is safe, connected and has the opportunity to thrive
Our Mission - We are tireless in leading societal change through evidence-based, innovative work in the
community
COPE Galway has been providing essential social services in Galway for 60 years. We respond to the needs
of people experiencing homelessness, women and children subjected to domestic abuse, and we support
older people towards healthy, independent ageing. Our vision is for a community where every person is
valued, cared for, and supported at every stage of life.
COPE Galway is deeply embedded in the Galway community. We are founded on the belief that together
we can make a positive difference in the lives of the people we serve and our community.
Our People, COPE Galway staff and volunteers, are the driving force behind everything we do. Their
passion, commitment, and professionalism enable us to deliver a wide range of services, support more
people, and make a real impact in the community.
We have a diverse range of roles, from frontline support workers and social care professionals to catering,
community engagement and other professional roles. Each role is crucial in ensuring we deliver our services
effectively and make a positive impact in the community.
Working with COPE Galway
Joining our team means you will make a lasting, positive impact on the lives of the families and individuals
we support and contribute to driving meaningful social change in the community. Whether you are a
frontline worker directly supporting clients or in an administrative role, you are vital to our efforts
to address critical issues like homelessness and domestic abuse and to ensure that older people are valued
and supported.
At COPE Galway, we prioritise the development and wellbeing of our people. We offer a supportive work
environment, with opportunities for ongoing training, personal and professional growth, and leadership
development.
We foster an inclusive, supportive and respectful workplace, where diversity is valued. Our team is united
by a shared mission and a genuine passion for empowering people and creating meaningful change. We
take a trauma-informed approach to the way we work and foster this culture in every aspect of the
organisation, including a focus on the health and wellbeing of our staff.
This is a reception and administration support role which focuses on providing assistance to the Head Office
functions of COPE Galway, in particular to the Assistant CEO (Head of Operations) and CEO.
The Head Office functions at COPE Galway covers a range of areas including high level management of the
organisation; Head of Operations, Human Resources, Finance, Development (Marketing and Fundraising),
Volunteering, Advocacy, Property, Change management, and the smooth running of the office. This is a
dynamic role which requires adaptability, flexibility, initiative, and the ability to multi-task and prioritise
effectively.
Front of House: As the first point of contact for all visitors and callers to COPE Galway head office, the
successful candidate will be expected to
• Warmly greet visitors, clients, and service users and ensure they feel welcomed and supported
• Treat staff and clients who you interact in the course of your work with dignity and respect at all
times
• Provide clear, friendly, and professional assistance to all enquiries
• Assess visitor needs and direct them to the appropriate person or service
• Maintain a calm, helpful presence, even during busy periods
• Handle interactions from service users that may be in distress, with empathy and compassion,
escalating as appropriate
• Handle complaints or concerns with empathy and escalate where appropriate
• Opening, recording and distribution of post
• Ensure the reception area is tidy, organised, and presents a positive first impression
• Offer general information about the organisation, services, and procedures
• Have a flexible calm approach and a ‘Can Do’ attitude which contributes to a positive working
environment
Administration Support: The successful candidate will provide coordination and support in the general
running of COPE Galway Head Office, this includes
• Office Management duties such as booking meeting rooms and catering requirements
• Oversee the calendar booking system for COPE Galway owned and operated vehicles situated at
Head Office
• Manage and order office supplies managing the access and conditions of the storerooms, meeting
rooms, internal offices and office utilities such as kitchen area.
• Processing purchase orders, expenses and invoices
• Establishing, maintaining and further developing administration and filing systems both physical and
virtual
• Coordinating the cleaning of the office and operation of the rota for cleaning of the shared kitchen
• Assist with receiving and distributing donations received into head office
• Oversee and coordinate shared email correspondence and calendar/diary management through
outlook for Head Office
• Managing the archiving and disposal of head office and service records in accordance with the
company policy in conjunction with the Head of Operation and other Service and Department Heads
• In general, be alert to improving systems and processes that serve to streamline, improve
efficiencies, and support compliance requirements
• Work in such a way as to build a procedure manual to support the role so that its ongoing tasks,
processes, calendar events are recorded to ensure continuity
• Support other Head Office functions with administrative tasks
Management Support: The successful candidate will provide support and assistance to COPE Galway
Management as required, this includes;
• Schedule appointments, meetings, or room bookings as required
• Coordinate arrangements and documentation for key meetings such as Management, Board and key
Committee meetings
• Taking the minutes of meetings and following up on actions and tasks arising from these meetings
as necessary and directed to do so
• Preparing reports and collating statistics, generating reports regularly as required
• Other supportive duties as directed in support of the CEO and Assistant CEO
• Promote a positive and proactive culture of health and safety within Head Office
• Ensuring that weekly fire safety and other Health and Safety checks are carried out
• Familiarise yourself with the COPE Galway Safety Statement and all relevant Health and Safety
policies and procedure
• Be vigilant to any Health, Safety and Welfare risks in the workplace, making every effort to ensure
your own personal safety and the safety of others and contribute to the ongoing development and
updating of Health and Safety practices
• Bring any Health and Safety related concerns to the attention of your line manager or Health & Safety
Representative.
General
• Work effectively with other COPE Galway personnel when performing your duties
• Engage in supervision sessions on a regular basis with designated supervisor
• Maintain confidentiality in respect of the staff, clients and the organisations activities
• Operate within the COPE Galway Code of Practice and organisational Policies and Procedures
including the Confidentiality, Child Protection and Dignity at Work policies
• Participate in relevant training and development courses as agreed with the Head of Operations and
Human Resources
• Undertake other such duties as might be reasonably assigned from time to time in consultation with
the Head of Operations
The duties outlined in this job description may be subject to review in the future
The ideal candidate exudes a warm can-do attitude, is adaptable, eager to learn, and comfortable handling a
variety of tasks. They will have, excellent computer skills, as well as good communication skills and is
comfortable working on their own initiative.
The person will have a proven record of working in a similar role and will have an interest in and commitment
to working for an organisation involved in working with and supporting people who are disadvantaged. The
person will have strong interpersonal skills and an ability to foster a warm and welcoming environment.
• Have a minimum of two years’ experience of working in an office environment in a similar or comparable
role
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office with significant experience of same to include; Microsoft Teams,
PowerPoint, Word and Excel with the ability to produce tables, graphs, reports etc.
• Demonstrate a high level of accuracy and attention to detail with proven experience of supporting senior
management meetings
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage deadlines and competing priorities
• Aware of, understand and maintain appropriate professional boundaries
• Excellent verbal, written and inter-personal communication skills demonstrating a professional and
warm manner both in person and on the telephone
• Ability to handle interactions of a sensitive nature with professionalism and confidentiality
• Flexible approach to work with the ability to work on own initiative both alone and as a member of a
team, demonstrating an openness and willingness to adapt to change
• Committed to the vision, mission and values of COPE Galway and believe they are appropriate, ensuring
that own attitudes and beliefs don’t negatively impact on the workplace
• Previous experience as a personal assistant to a senior manager
• A level 7 or higher qualification
Core competencies:
Satisfactory references and Garda clearance required for this role
Key terms and conditions of employment
Type of contract: Permanent
Hours of work: 37 hours per week (Monday to Friday)
Salary: Grade IV (Clerical)
Method of pay: Monthly by credit transfer
Annual Leave: 24 days per annum
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