Job Description – School Operations Manager

Position: School Operations Manager

Job status: Permanent
Hours of work Full Time
Working Pattern Monday to Friday – some occasional evenings, weekends and non-term
time working
Location: Estoril
Expected start date: ASAP

Vision Statement:
Our vision is of vibrant and strong communities where everybody can live independent, safe and happy lives

Context and purpose of the job:

The Operations Manager will promote the operational effectiveness of Prime School Estoril under the direction
of the Principal and will take responsibility for key functions such as: managing the school information system,
referral process, health & safety, facilities management, human resources and operational finance.

The Operations Manager will ensure that the school complies with all legal and regulatory duties through
sound management and strong planning, underpinned by progressive systems, policies and procedures.

The role will contribute to operational and strategic planning processes, and will take responsibility for
embedding a high performing culture in a healthy, driven and motivated workforce.

School Operations Manager – personal profile: As a hardworking and committed individual you will have an
exceptional drive to add value to every aspect of your own, and the school’s work. You will demonstrate a
commitment to learning and developing your skills and applying these for the benefit of the school.

You will demonstrate person-centered values and will have highly developed communication skills, which
enable you to galvanize and motivate others; you will understand the importance of culture in securing an
organisation or team’s success.

You will demonstrate strong people management skills, preferably with experience in a school setting, and will
be a highly organized and efficient individual.

You will be adept at working to deadlines under pressure, managing conflicting priorities; you will display a
calm and measured approach which gives confidence to others. You will be an excellent problem solver with
exceptional attention to detail and strong planning skills.

Finally, you will have the knowledge and understanding of the landscape, both nationally and locally, within
which an independent school operates and grows.

Job Title: School Operations Manager Page 1 of 4

Detailed duties and responsibilities:
Data & information systems
Key Deliverable: Ensure high levels of knowledge and understanding in the operation and use of the school
information system; input and manage the school timetable, collate, analyze and present data to enable
impactful, strategic decision making and to support school improvement

 Manage and oversee the use of the school information systems ensuring timetables are built and
student information are accurate and consistent
 Collate accurate and timely reports including attendance, behavior for evaluative purposes in order to
affect improvements in practice

Human Resources
Key Deliverable: Manage the school’s day to day HR functions, ensuring compliance with regulations,
employment law and best practice.

 Contribute safer recruitment processes within the school maintaining the single central record,
including induction and probationary review) in accordance with policy, ensuring compliance with best
practice and maintaining accurate records
 Manage staff sickness and absence records, ensuring that staff complete self-certification and follow
absence procedures
 Coordinate training and development programmes for staff, to support school improvement and
school aims

Policies & Procedures

Key Deliverable: Contribute to the development, implementation, review and evaluation of the school’s
policies and operating procedures in accordance with the school aims, ensuring compliance with relevant
statutory requirements and best practice.

 Coordinate the school’s full policy suite, working closely with policy owners and governors to ensure
these are regularly and robustly reviewed and signed-off.
 Ensure that school policies meet statutory and best practice requirements
 Implement induction, training and refresher programmes to ensure that the whole school community
remains abreast of school policies and procedures
 Ensure that the school adheres to policy in a range of management areas including but not limited to:
Health & Safety, General Data Protection Regulations, Finance and Procurement, Complaints &
Compliments etc

Health & Safety:

Key Deliverable: Assume day to day responsibility for health and safety, providing leadership and ensuring that
arrangements are in place to protect the health, safety and welfare of everyone associating with the school.

 Ensure the school meets its statutory obligations in all areas pertaining to health, safety and welfare at
work, including statutory training and reporting.
 Maintain healthy and safe working environments, ensuring that risks are assessed and managed
effectively across all activity
 Ensure that all staff receive suitable information, training, instruction and supervision to maintain their
health, safety and wellbeing
 Ensure that advice is sought from competent persons on legal requirements for health and safety, and
on current best practice, and incorporate these into safety planning and management arrangements
 Monitor the health and safety performance of the school, verify that policies and procedures are
effectively implemented and that standards are being maintained and progressively improved
 Maintain accurate records and documentation, and report to the Principal on matters relating to
Health & Safety
Job Title: School Operations Manager Page 2 of 4
Facilities Management:
Key Deliverable: Manage the school’s premises and facilities, ensuring they are safe, suitable and functional in
order to support the school’s operations, and that they comply at all times with regulatory and statutory
requirements

 Ensure that all items of equipment, plant, and fixed installations owned or operated by the school are
maintained, tested and serviced in accordance with best practice and/or the manufacturer’s
instructions and/or regulatory requirements
 Manage and maintain utility, supply and service contracts, ensuring continuity of service and value for
money
 Ensure that adequate safety and protection systems and procedures are in place, including but not
limited to fire safety, security, water hygiene etc. and that these are reviewed and tested in
accordance with best practice requirements
 Ensure that the school’s premises comply with Health & Safety regulations, best practice, and with
insurer’s requirements; to include assessment and management of risk
 Maintain accurate records relating to the maintenance and management of the school’s premises and
facilities
 Plan and organise regular and irregular works to building fabric, equipment and machinery including
refurbishment, redecoration, servicing, repairs and renewals
 Ensure that all external contractors, suppliers, and providers working with, for, or on the school
premises meet the necessary quality, regulatory, and safety standards and provide value for money
 Manage and coordinate the school’s cleaning functions, line managing and coordinating staff, ordering
consumables, and ensuring that high standards of cleanliness and hygiene are maintained
 Work closely with the Principal to develop and implement business continuity and
emergency/disaster recovery plans
 Ensure that any facilities related works or expenditure complies with procurement and purchasing
procedures, and is delivered within budget

This role profile is not exhaustive and is subject to review in conjunction with the post holder and according to
future changes/developments in the service.

Job environment: The post holder will work in a school environment which can be challenging and rewarding in
equal measure. The post will demand a full .

Supervision: The Post will report directly to the Principal. The post holder will be subject to the school’s
performance management and development processes.

Line Management Responsibility: The post may assume responsibility for the line management of staff.

Job Title: School Operations Manager Page 3 of 4

Health and Safety/Safeguarding: The post holder must comply with policies and procedures relating to health
and safety, security, confidentiality, data protection, vulnerable adults and safeguarding children, and
preventing extremism and radicalization; and report all concerns or disclosures to the appropriate person.
Prime School is committed to safeguarding children and adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share
that commitment. Our primary concern is always the safety and wellbeing of children.

Prime School will provide a programme of induction and training to include Health & Safety and Safeguarding,
and will make external training available as required.
Disclosure of Criminal Convictions / Cautions: Because Prime School offers education to people under the age
of 18. You are therefore not entitled to withhold information about any convictions/cautions, etc.
Police Checks: All employees/volunteers are required to undertake a full DBS disclosure check prior to
commencing employment. The successful applicant will be required to complete a disclosure form for the
School to undertake a criminal records check to confirm the existence and/or nature of any record of criminal
convictions or other relevant information.
Addition information: Whilst every effort has been made to explain the main duties and responsibilities of the
post, each individual task undertaken may not be identified. Employees will be expected to comply with any
reasonable request from the Principal to undertake work of a similar level that is not specified in this job
description. Moreover, the post holder is expected to exercise the professional duties for all teachers other
than the Principal and to meet the expected professional values and standards of a Teacher at all times.

Application Guidance

When completing your application form, please refer directly to the Context and Purpose of the Job
and Personal Profile sections of the job description.

Please include relevant details of your training, experience, knowledge and skills in relation to these
sections. Applications will be shortlisted for interview on the basis of this.

Job Title: School Operations Manager Page 4 of 4