School Operations Manager

Overview

About The Role

Contract Type:
Permanent.

Working Hours:

Full Time, 35 hours per week. Number of Positions: 1.

Start Date:

1st May 2026. Salary: £41,771 - £46,142 per annum.

We currently have an exciting opportunity for a School Operations Manager to join our team at MEA Central. This is a permanent post working 35 hours per week, all year round. The starting salary is £41,771 Grade 8, to start as soon as pre-employment checks are complete. MEA Central is seeking an exceptional School Operations Manager to join our team and play a pivotal role in the smooth and effective running of the school.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced operations or administration professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is passionate about supporting education.

As School Operations Manager, you will lead the operational and administrative functions of the school, ensuring systems, processes and support services run efficiently to enable the best possible outcomes for our students. Working closely with the Principal, Senior Leadership Team and Trust central services, you will oversee a wide range of operational areas including administration, HR processes, finance coordination, facilities liaison, data systems, and health and safety.

You will also manage the school’s support staff, ensuring teams are well organised, supported and developed to deliver high-quality operational services across the school.

About the Candidate

We are looking for a highly organised and motivated professional who can manage multiple priorities while maintaining excellent attention to detail.

You will have:

• Significant experience managing administrative operations and leading support staff teams
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise workloads effectively in a busy environment
• Experience working in a school or educational environment and knowledge of the legislative framework for schools would be advantageous
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Experience managing systems, data and administrative processes
• Strong ICT skills and confidence working with multiple software systems
• Experience supporting finance processes and managing budgets or financial data
• The ability to build positive relationships with staff, parents and external stakeholders

The successful candidate will:

• Lead and manage the school’s administrative and operational support teams, including recruitment, performance management and staff development
• Develop and maintain effective administrative systems and procedures to support the day-to-day running of the school
• Coordinate key operational processes including pupil records, admissions, examinations administration and data reporting
• Provide high-level organisational and administrative support to the Senior Leadership Team and Governing Body
• Oversee key operational functions including staff cover arrangements, HR records, safeguarding documentation and the Single Central Record
• Work closely with Trust finance, HR, IT and estates teams to ensure efficient school operations
• Lead on operational aspects of health and safety, compliance and policy implementation
• Coordinate school communications with parents and stakeholders and support school events and calendar planning

Great schools thrive because of the great people in them. We invest in our staff to achieve their full potential and offer a range of benefits including:

• High quality CPD for all roles
• Bupa Level 1 Health Plan - annual cash back allowance for a range of everyday health care expenses
• Generous Pension Contribution - over 26% for teachers and over 17% for support staff
• 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing to 31 days with 5 years' service
• Cycle scheme - save up to 39% on a bike and accessories and get Strava for free
• Employee Assistance Programmes - including access to free counselling and 24/7 helplines
• Credit Union - regular savings, Christmas saving scheme and access to affordable loans
• Flexible working options - we're happy to talk flexible working where possible
• Mental Health First Aid in every school
• Blue Light Card - discounts on holidays, cars, days out,…