Receptionist

Mercy Ships is an international charity that brings hope and healing to the world’s forgotten poor through state-of-the-art hospital ships. Since 1978, our volunteer crew—made up of medical professionals and skilled workers from over 60 nations—has delivered free surgeries and medical care to over 2.8 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa, transforming lives one patient and one port at a time. Join our global team of over 3,000 volunteers and help us change lives daily.

About this role

The Receptionists plays the important role of assisting Crew members, passengers, and guests with embarkation and disembarkation details, accurately communicating ship’s daily business, and routing incoming calls. This job also includes working under stress and pressure, as you may be involved with responding to emergencies or dealing with a high volume of business circumstances. This department keeps a good order of things for the smooth running of Reception, with emphasis on monitoring the fire safety panel 24/7.

What you will contribute

• Answer internal/external phone calls, and operate the internal pager system.

• Embark and disembark Crew, checking passports and direct articles/Crew effects signing by Crew.

• Monitor ship fire panel and CCTV systems and taking corrective action in any emergency scenario.

• Initiate appropriate responses during in-port emergencies and coordinate mustering of Crew during fire and other emergencies, including drills.

• Be on a rotation with the other Receptionists, including weekends and night shifts.

For This Role, You Will Need

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED); or one to three months related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience

• Valid I/9 Medical Certificate

• Certificate of Proficiency in accordance with STCW V/2-1 Crowd Management (training may be provided)

• Certificate of Proficiency in accordance with STCW VI/6-1 Security Awareness (training may be provided)

• Certificate of Proficiency in accordance with STCW VI/1 Basic Training (training may be provided)

• Certificate of Proficiency in accordance with STCW V/2-3 Crisis Management and Human Behavior (training may be provided)

• Ability to communicate proficiently in English both in written and verbal forms

• Competency with computer applications and aptitude for learning new applications as required

• Demonstrated ability to work under stress and pressure, as may be occasioned by emergency or high-volume business circumstances

• Full, clean driving license preferred

The experience of a lifetime is calling.

More than 1,200 volunteers from over 60 nations serve with Mercy Ships each year.

At Mercy Ships, we are proud to be recognized around the world for the life-changing surgeries and training we deliver. We could not achieve this without our dedicated community of talented volunteers.

Imagine finishing your shift and stepping onto deck as the sun sets—knowing that today you’ve helped transform the lives of those who need it most. Apply now to start a journey that will reshape the lives of those you serve — and your own.