An exciting opportunity exists to join one of the country’s fastest growing, progressive education companies, as Operations Manager, and lead a multi-base team covering all aspects of operations and administration.
Who we are:
SupaJam is an award-winning, Ofsted rated “Good”, Post 16 Specialist Provider. Working with vulnerable and disadvantaged 16-25 year-olds, SupaJam uses the power of contemporary music to reignite the desire to learn and achieve in our students.
Spread over our two bases in Swanley (BR8) and Canterbury (CT1) SupaJam currently supports over 100 students, the majority of whom have Educational Health Care Plans (EHCPs) and a variety of Special Educational Needs (SEN), or who have previously disengaged from mainstream education.
Our students are united by their passion for music, and with our support, engage in RSL Music Practitioners Diplomas, English and Maths and additional programmes that cover SMSC, British Values, Practical Musicianship and work experience.
We are now looking for an experienced Operations Manager, or someone wanting career progression into this role, to join us and be part of the management team dedicated to the seamless and smooth running of SupaJam so our students can continue to learn and achieve.
The right candidate will bring passion and enthusiasm for education, be solution-focused, and have a desire to work as part of a management team dedicated to going above and beyond when supporting our staff and students.
Key Responsibilities:
Administration
- Managing the administration team across SupaJam’s multi-base operation.
- Ensuring consistent communication and engagement with students and parents.
- Coordinating student enrolment, registers and schedules, record and information keeping, projects, activities and work experience.
- Responsible for the Independent Learning Record (ILR). This includes maintaining knowledge of requirements and effective collection and entry of relevant data required for the accurate completion of ILR returns within the specified deadlines.
- Ensuring all policies are reviewed and updated as needed.
- Oversee the daily use of our Arbor (management information system).
Student Operations
- Monitoring and improving student attendance.
- Overseeing student bursary applications, allocations and payments.
- Coordinating student consultation evenings.
- Enrolment of all students, including recording information correctly on Arbor and registration with the appropriate awarding bodies for their qualification programmes, such as RSL.
Staff Operations
- Supporting the recruitment process and managing the on-boarding process for all staff, delivering staff inductions, updating the staff handbook and managing safer recruitment processes such as DBS checks.
- Tracking and reporting staff absences, timekeeping and holidays to support with payroll and daily schedules.
- Maintaining a record of staff training and health conditions.
- Line management of all administration staff.
- Maintain clear and consistent communication between all staff teams at all times.
Base Operations
- Overseeing GDPR and Health & Safety
- Ensuring the website is up to date and maintained to Ofsted requirements.
- Overseeing petty cash records.
- Managing the ordering of resources and equipment for staff, students and the physical buildings.
- Arranging regular fire and lockdown drills in collaboration with the Centre Managers.
Essential Skills:
- Strong, demonstrable management experience with excellent decision making skills..
- The ability to work as part of a team, but also be proactive and able to use initiative and self-direction.
- Be sympathetic, non-judgemental and understanding to young people and their families who are often in crisis.
- An excellent communicator with strong written and verbal skills.
- Have a positive and solution-focused approach to situations.
- The ability to find creative ways to meet the high expectations of the DfE, Local Authorities and Ofsted with limited resources.
- Excellent IT skills.
- Data management experience with high levels of accuracy and excellent attention to detail.
- The ability to remain focused, calm and professional under pressure and in a busy environment.
Desirable Skills:
- Previous experience of working in an education environment.
- Experience and knowledge of Safer Recruitment.
- Experience with Individualised Learner Records (ILR) or demonstrable desire to learn.
- Experience with Arbor Education.
- Experience of overseeing bursary and free meal payments.
- Experience of working or interacting with vulnerable students, often with special educational needs or from disadvantaged backgrounds
Benefits:
- For the right candidate, a developmental pathway to becoming a part of the senior leadership team with an increased salary.
- Opportunities to attend music festivals like Glastonbury and Black Deer and meet and interact with some of the leading professionals of the music industry.
- Access to the staff pension scheme.
- Working with a senior leadership team that is passionate about training and CPD opportunities for its staff.
SupaJam is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our students, and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to satisfactory references, background and recruitment checks, including an enhanced DBS clearance and proof of eligibility to work in the UK. In line with KCSIE 2022 and safer recruitment practices, the College will conduct an online search for all shortlisted candidates. The online search is part of our safeguarding checks and will seek publicly available information on candidates’ suitability to work with children and young people.
SupaJam is committed to diversity and inclusion, and we believe this helps us to be a more relevant and effective organisation.