Head Porter Job Description Job title: Head Porter Department: Porters’ Lodge Reports to: Operations Manager; Senior Tutor (for student welfare matters) Working pattern: Full time, 37.5 hours per week Contract: Permanent, subject to probationary period Purpose of the role The Head Porter is responsible for the line management of the team of Porters and the day-to- day running of the Porters’ Lodge. The Head Porter is also the College’s Fire Officer, working with the Operations Manager and under the ultimate authority of the Bursar as the College Health & Safety Officer. Key responsibilities Management & Administration • Manage the Deputy Head Porter and team of Porters (9.5 FTE, plus casual Relief Porters). Ensure maximum efficiency and good morale, working with the Operations Manager and HR team to ensure staff are suitably trained and appraised. • Manage the annual Porters’ Lodge budget. • Attend Heads of Department meetings, other relevant committee meetings within College and, from time to time, meetings within the collegiate University. Attend the termly cross-college Head Porters’ meeting. • Liaise with the Tutorial Office to coordinate logistical support for College examinations by Porters. • Foster good working relationships with relevant public bodies (Police, Council, Fire Services etc) and other colleges. Security • Take responsibility for the security of the College and those who reside in it, under the overall direction of the Operations Manager. • Manage security patrols by Porters, and ensure follow-up actions are reported to the appropriate member of staff. Head Porter Job Description – October 2025 • Respond to breaches of security, monitoring and reviewing the College’s CCTV footage and liaising with University Security and the Police as necessary. • Oversee the maintenance of accurate records, including incident reports, visitor logs etc. ensuring confidentiality and compliance with data protection legislation. • Maintain an up-to-date directory of keys and access and secure custody protocols. Complete regular departmental audits of keys held on and off site. • Manage and deliver a smooth, efficient and secure service for student overseas storage. • Control bike and car parking and the allocation of bike registration numbers/tags and car parking permits. Make arrangements for identification and disposal of unregistered bikes. Respond and take appropriate action to unauthorised vehicles on site. Fire Safety • Ensure compliance with legal requirements in relation to fire safety including testing, recording incidents, training and liaison with Fire Safety engineers. This includes: o Weekly tests of the College’s fire alarm systems, reporting any faults and maintaining records. o Weekly inspections of fire extinguishers, replacing as appropriate and maintaining records. o Periodic fire extinguisher training and refresher training for staff, maintaining records thereof. o Systematic fire drills throughout the College and its hostels (Michaelmas and Lent terms). • Maintain and develop the College’s fire risk assessments. • Respond to emergencies (fire alarms, medical incidents, etc.), ensuring safety protocols are followed. • Take responsibility for maintenance of emergency response equipment, including but not limited to: evacuation chairs; signage; wheelchairs. Take responsibility for clearing and overseeing escape routes. General Safety • Assume responsibility for health and safety in the Porters’ Lodge, and undertake all health and safety training deemed necessary for the role. • Be a primary member of the College’s emergency management team under the Emergency Response Plan. • Maintain a familiarity with and understanding of workplace health and safety regulations and procedures, ensuring that appropriate risk assessments are drafted, reviewed and followed. • Ensure pathways are inspected, with areas of concerns reported to the Head Housekeeper. • Undertake first aid training to become a College First Aider. Head Porter Job Description – October 2025 Student Welfare • Regularly liaise with the Senior Tutor in respect of student welfare. • Foster a friendly, compassionate and supportive culture within the Porters’ Lodge. • Ensure all members of the Porters’ team are able to work effectively as a point of contact for students experiencing difficulties, signposting to and liaising with pastoral Tutors and relevant welfare support staff within College. Ensure principles of confidentiality and discretion are upheld at all times. • Under the direction of the Dean, hold responsibility for managing the orderly behaviour of students within College, ensuring that social events on College premises comply with fire and safety regulations and the quiet periods are adhered to. • Participate in ceremonial duties, including escorting students to the Senate House as part of General Admission. • Be on duty and oversee safety and security for all major College occasions, including but not limited to College balls, graduations and matriculation events. • Hold overall responsibility for the maintenance of appropriate records for the students’ Rediit Book, which measures students’ compliance with University residential requirements. Customer service • Ensure that the Porters’ Lodge, as a first point of contact with the College, offers a welcoming and highly professional service to its users at all times. • Deliver an effective and welcoming front of house service for members and guests, with tasks including but not limited to: o Overall responsibility for the booking of guest rooms, in the absence of the Conference and Events team. o Oversight of the efficient registration of students and conference guests and post-arrival service and support. Work as part of the Operations team to productively and efficiently co-ordinate changes of room use for guests, students and conference attendees. o Ensuring complaints/issues raised are responded to in a professional and courteous manner at all times. o Oversight of the sale of stamps and College memorabilia through the Porters’ Lodge. o Management of in-coming and out-going mail, ensuring the secure storage and distribution of mail and packages within the College. o Management of student and fellow pigeon holes. This is not an exhaustive list of responsibilities. The post-holder will be expected to undertake any other duties and responsibilities as may reasonably be requested by the Operations Manager, Bursar or Senior Tutor. This job description may change from time to time, depending on the needs of the College and in consultation with the post-holder. Head Porter Job Description – October 2025 Requirements for the role Criteria SKILLS Excellent administrative and organisational skills, with the ability to effectively manage and prioritise own workload Customer-service trained with an approachable and collaborative working style Strong communication skills, both verbal and written Proven ability to manage a team Sound IT skills preferably Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel) Proven ability to delegate responsibly EXPERIENCE Previous experience in a similar higher education environment Previous experience managing a team in a security or safety focussed setting Previous experience managing a team in a customer focussed setting Evidence of knowledge and practical application of Health and Safety or Fire Safety or First Aid Previous experience of dealing with challenging situations Ability to analyse information and give clear advice EDUCATION Educated to A’level standard or equivalent Demonstrates continuous learning and development First Aid qualification PERSON SPECIFICATION Well-presented, professional appearance Good powers of persuasion to enable speedy conflict resolution Ability to act calmly in pressurised situations Good role model Able to treat everyone with equal importance Essential Desirable X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X If you do not meet all the criteria, don’t be deterred from applying if you feel this role is for you. You may have other relevant skills and experience which would prove valuable in this role. Where you fit in the structure: Bursar Senior Tutor Operations Manager Head Porter Deputy Head Porter Night Porters Porters Relief Porters Head Porter Job Description – October 2025