Free Receptionist Job Description Template

A receptionist job description grounded in the front desk.

Part of our free job description templates.

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1.Job Brief (About the Role)

{{Company Name}} is hiring a Receptionist to be the welcoming first point of contact at our {{office / clinic / front desk}}. This role reports to the {{Office Manager / Front Office Lead}} and keeps the front desk, phones, and visitor flow running smoothly.

Three or four sentences: the team, who the role reports to, and why this position exists. Skip generic openers like “We are looking for…”.

2.Responsibilities

  • Greet visitors warmly, check them in, and notify the right person
  • Answer and route a multi-line phone system and take messages
  • Manage the appointment calendar and confirm bookings
  • Receive, sort, and distribute mail and deliveries
  • Keep the reception area, lobby, and meeting rooms tidy and stocked
  • Issue visitor badges and follow security and sign-in procedures
  • Respond to general email inquiries and provide information
  • Support the office team with light administrative tasks

Eight to twelve bullets, each starting with a verb. Keep them specific to the day-to-day work, not aspirational filler.

3.Requirements & Skills

  • {{X}}+ year(s) in a receptionist, front-desk, or customer-facing role
  • Friendly, professional manner in person and on the phone
  • Proficiency with {{Microsoft Office / Google Workspace}} and a phone system
  • Strong organization and the ability to juggle interruptions
  • Reliable, punctual, and presentable

List the must-haves: experience, licenses or certifications, the systems and tools used, and any physical or shift realities.

4.Nice-to-Have

  • Experience with {{scheduling or EHR/booking software}}
  • Bilingual ({{language}})

Two to four genuinely optional items. Keep them strictly separate from Requirements so they don’t deter good applicants.

5.Compensation & Benefits

Pay range {{Salary Range}}

Enter a pay range from local market data — do not leave it blank. Pay transparency improves applicant quality and is now required in many states.

6.Schedule & Work Environment

  • {{Full-time}}, {{front-desk hours — e.g. Mon–Fri 8a–5p}}
  • On-site at {{location}}; seated at the front desk for most of the shift
  • Occasional lifting of packages up to {{25}} lbs

Be honest about shifts, weekends, overtime, and the physical environment. Realistic expectations reduce early turnover.

7.How to Apply

To apply, {{application instructions — e.g., send a resume and short cover note to careers@company.com}}.

Filled in for a front-desk receptionist at a multi-provider medical office.

1.Job Brief (About the Role)

Lakeshore Medical Group is hiring a Receptionist for our front desk. This role reports to the Front Office Lead and is the first point of contact for patients arriving at our four-provider clinic.

2.Responsibilities

  • Check patients in and out and verify demographics and insurance
  • Answer a busy multi-line phone and schedule and confirm appointments
  • Collect copays and post them in the practice-management system
  • Manage the provider schedules and work the waitlist for cancellations
  • Scan and route records, referrals, and faxes to the right team
  • Keep the waiting room tidy, stocked, and welcoming
  • Follow HIPAA and front-desk privacy procedures
  • Coordinate with the clinical team on patient flow

3.Requirements & Skills

  • 2+ years at a medical or busy office front desk
  • Warm, calm manner with patients and visitors
  • Comfortable with an EHR/practice-management system and multi-line phones
  • Organized and accurate with scheduling and payments
  • Dependable and punctual for the opening shift

4.Nice-to-Have

  • Experience with athenahealth or Epic
  • Bilingual English/Spanish

5.Compensation & Benefits

Pay range $17 – $21 per hour
  • Medical, dental, vision
  • 401(k) with match
  • Paid holidays and PTO

6.Schedule & Work Environment

  • Full-time, Monday–Friday, 7:45a–4:45p
  • On-site at the front desk, seated for most of the shift
  • Occasional lifting of supply deliveries up to 25 lbs

7.How to Apply

To apply, send your resume to frontdesk-jobs@lakeshoremed.example with “Receptionist” in the subject line.

How it works

  1. Preview the receptionist job description and a filled medical-office example.
  2. Download Word/PDF, or copy the text to paste into Google Docs.
  3. Set the front-desk hours, software, and any industry rules, add a pay rate, and post it.

Frequently asked questions

What does a receptionist do?

A receptionist is the first point of contact at the front desk: greeting and checking in visitors, answering and routing a multi-line phone, managing the appointment calendar, handling mail and deliveries, and keeping the reception area tidy. The template lists these as editable responsibilities.

What is the difference between a receptionist and an administrative assistant?

A receptionist focuses on the front desk — visitors, phones, and scheduling — while an administrative assistant takes on broader office-support tasks like documents, records, and supplies. Many small offices combine the two; adjust the responsibilities to match your role.

What skills should a receptionist have?

Look for a friendly, professional manner in person and on the phone, strong organization, the ability to juggle interruptions, and proficiency with office software and a phone system. For specialized settings, name any system (such as an EHR or booking tool) the role uses.

Should a receptionist job description mention the industry?

Yes. A medical front desk, a corporate lobby, and a salon front desk differ in software, privacy rules, and pace. State the setting and any requirements (like HIPAA for a medical office) so candidates and the description fit.