Office Manager

North East Combined Authority; Newcastle upon Tyne; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

St Mary’s Catholic School in Newcastle upon Tyne is seeking an outstanding Office Manager to lead the admin team and ensure the smooth running of the Main Office and other support across the school.

The successful candidate will work closely with the senior leadership team to maintain high standards, oversee recruitment and events, and ensure effective communication with parents, staff and external partners.

Qualifications

• Significant and current administrative experience.
• Strong communication with parents, staff and external stakeholders.
• Ability to lead a team of admin staff and coordinate priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the school admin team to ensure smooth office operations.
• Delegate tasks to administration staff and monitor completion.
• Maintain communications with parents via Arbor, phone, email and in person.
• Lead staff reviews and oversee admin support for recruitment and events.
• Manage school documentation and publications (newsletters, prospectus, staff handbook).
• Coordinate key school calendar activities (Parents’ Evenings, transitions).
• Oversee visitor hospitality and examination results administration.
• Schedule admin staff, including on-call days; ensure cover for planned absences.
• Support SLT in managing daily staff cover and admin support for trips and visits.

Skills

Administrative leadership

Communication

Event coordination

Recruitment support

Hospitality & visitor management

Tools

Arbor MIS

Job description

St Mary's Catholic School
Benton Park Road
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
Tyne and Wear
NE7 7PE
Required from 2nd November 2026

The Governors wish to an outstanding Office Manager to lead the school admin team and ensure the smooth running of the Main Office and other admin support in school. This is an excellent opportunity to gain an enhanced leadership post within the school’s support staff structure. The successful candidate will work closely with the senior leadership team to ensure that all aspects of administration at St Mary’s are outstanding. The successful candidate will lead a team of Senior Admin Assistants and Admin Assistants in school.

Specific areas of work will be agreed with the successful applicant following appointment but the duties and responsibilities of the Office Manager will include:

• Leading the school admin team and ensuring the smooth running of the office and effective administrative support across the school.
• Delegating appropriate work to members of the administration team and ensuring that work is completed efficiently and to a high standard.
• Leading the school admin team to ensure high quality communication with parents via our MIS system Arbor, telephone, email and in person.
• Leading support staff review, including leading review meetings, with the administration team.
• Ensuring that all school documentation is maintained and updated, including support in the production of the school newsletters, prospectus, staff handbook etc.
• Leading the completion of whole school administrative priorities at key points in the school calendar. For example, Parents’ Evenings.
• Leading admin support for school transition process and events.
• Welcoming, looking after and providing hospitality for all school visitors throughout the year.
• Organising the administration of examination results.
• Organising the work time of administrative staff, including on-call days.
• Providing administrative support for all school recruitment.
• Providing administrative support and bookings for trips, visits and residential visits.
• Provide support to the SLT in the management of daily staff cover for planned and unplanned absences.
• Management of free school meals and organising alternative provision where required.
• Ensuring excellent relationships with staff, parents, governors, contractors’ representatives and external agencies in order to promote the objectives of the school.
• Leading and/or contributing to all of the regular duties of Senior Admin/Admin Assistant roles.
• Fully supporting the school’s Catholic/Christian ethos.
• Carrying out any other duties as directed by Senior Leaders commensurate with the general level of responsibility of the post.

Application process

Applicants must have significant and current administrative experience and expertise to apply for this role.