Job Description

Download printable version

School Operations Manager

Lift New Rickstones

Conrad Road, Witham, Essex, CM8 2SD
United Kingdom

£39,149.75 - £41,768.60 + well-being cash plan + pension scheme (LGPS) + additional Lift Schools benefits

Permanent, Full Time

37 hours per week, 52.14 weeks per year

May 2026 Start

Lift New Rickstones is graded 'Good' (November 2023) and has a state of the art building offering fantastic facilities for both students and staff. Over the last 8 years the school has seen a huge increase in student numbers, with the number of students on roll more than doubling. The school is a popular choice in the local area, is oversubscribed, and has added another new building to meet this demand.

Lift New Rickstones is a great place to work with a friendly and supportive team. Staff numbers have also increased and the school is proud to boast high retention rates. Development is a priority with an extensive and successful CPD (Continuing Professional Development) programme to further develop our excellent staff.

About the role

The School Operations Manager will play a key role in ensuring the operational excellence of the school.Reporting directly to the Principal, you will lead on all elements of school operations, enabling the Senior Leadership Team to focus on delivering an excellent education.

Responsibilities include:

• Leading operational functions across HR, finance, estates, IT and administration
• Line managing the School Facilities Manager and the administration team
• Overseeing health and safety compliance, first aid provision and visitor safeguarding processes
• Acting as GDPR lead and championing data protection best practice
• Managing procurement processes and liaising with central teams on contracts and suppliers
• Coordinating school events, trips, calendar planning and minibus compliance
• Designing and delivering staff induction and monitoring completion of mandatory training
• Supporting marketing activity, website compliance and brand alignment

About you

We are looking for an experienced and proactive operational professional who thrives in a busy environment and takes pride in ensuring systems run smoothly and efficiently. You will bring a calm, organised and solutions focused approach, working collaboratively with colleagues to support the ongoing success of the school.

You will also be a :

• A confident line manager who can support and develop a team
• Highly organised, with the ability to manage competing priorities effectively
• Skilled at building positive and professional relationships with colleagues and external partners
• A clear and effective communicator

If this advert, our website, and the job description sound of interest to you, Karen Jones our Principal, welcomes you to contact her for an informal discussion about the position at kjones@liftnewrickstones.org

Closing date : 9th March 2026

Interview date : 13th March 2026

Who is Lift Schools?

We're a diverse and inclusive network of schools with one clear mission; to provide an excellent education to every child - in every classroom, every day. And we do this across each of our 58 schools. As with our students, we want our team to be empowered to do their best work, supported by the best leadership they've ever had.

We acknowledge and appreciate the exceptional efforts of everyone here in making this an incredible organisation.

We offer you:

• Comprehensive training: Access a wide range of developmental training to boost your career.
• Generous benefits: From your pension plan to healthcare and financial support, we've got you covered.
• Lifestyle perks: Enjoy discounted gym memberships, travel deals, and even electric vehicle incentives.
• We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response. All candidates are advised to refer to the job description and person specification before making an application.Lift Schools are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our people and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair and consistent recruitment process which is inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted candidates. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check.

Lift Schools embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. Job share, part-time and flexible working opportunities will be considered.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and there is a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Information about the School

Lift New Rickstones, located in Witham, Essex, is a vibrant secondary school with a thriving sixth form. We are proud to be part of Lift Schools, a family of 57 schools united by the mission to provide an excellent education to every child, in every classroom, every day.

At Lift New Rickstones, we prepare students for an ever changing world by equipping them with the skills, resilience, and ambition to embrace future opportunities. We believe that who you become is just as important as what you achieve, and our goal is to ensure every young person is supported, challenged, and inspired to thrive both academically and personally. Our values underpin everything we do:

-Ambition – the drive to learn, improve, and succeed. -Character – confidence, resilience, kindness, and integrity. -Opportunity – experiences that broaden horizons and open new paths.

We offer an ambitious and inclusive curriculum from Year 7 through to Year 13, delivered through high-quality teaching and exceptional pastoral care. Beyond the classroom, our students benefit from a wide range of extracurricular opportunities, including sport, the arts, leadership programmes, and trips that create lasting memories and broaden perspectives.

We are proud of our strong partnerships with parents, the local community, and further education providers, which help us ensure our students leave Lift New Rickstones prepared, confident, and proud of who they are. Everything we do is designed to make sure our students are safe, happy, and ready to succeed in the 21st century.

Who is Lift Schools?

Lift Schools is made up of 57 primary, secondary and special schools, educating more than 33,000 pupils across the country. We believe education can transform lives – and we want every child in our schools to achieve their full potential.

Our mission: -We will provide an excellent education to every child, in every classroom, every day. -With excellent leadership and teaching in every school, we will help children go on to lead successful and happy lives. -We will work with others beyond our network to benefit more children and communities.