Operations Manager - Education

Soka Partners; Lancaster; On-site; GBP 59,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

Soka Partners seeks an experienced Operations Manager to join its Senior Leadership Team at the Lancaster site. You will provide strategic and operational oversight of business support services, workforce planning, HR operations and safeguarding.

Working closely with the Principal and Head of Care, you will lead recruitment and employee relations, ensure compliance, and drive continuous improvement across operations and data reporting.

Qualifications

• Degree-level qualification or equivalent professional experience.
• CIPD Level 5 (or working towards).
• GCSE English and Mathematics.
• Significant operational management experience in education/health/social care.
• Experience leading recruitment, retention and employee relations in regulated environments.
• Experience producing workforce reports and driving organisational improvement.
• Strong knowledge of employment law, safeguarding requirements and GDPR.

Responsibilities

• Act as an active member of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to planning and objectives.
• Lead projects to improve operational efficiency, workforce effectiveness and compliance.
• Oversee staffing levels, succession planning and workforce sustainability.
• Oversee end-to-end recruitment and retention strategy.
• Provide leadership on disciplinary, grievance, capability and absence management.
• Ensure fair, compliant people management across the organisation.
• Maintain DBS monitoring, Right to Work checks and training compliance.
• Ensure safeguarding compliance and inspection readiness.
• Oversee daily operations, admin systems and business continuity.
• Support health and safety compliance and lead improvement projects.
• Produce workforce and operational performance reports for senior leaders.
• Lead and develop operational support teams; foster accountability.

Skills

Operational management

HR in education

Recruitment & ER

Workforce reporting

Employment law

Safeguarding & GDPR

Leadership & coaching

Education

Degree-level qualification or equivalent

CIPD Level 5

GCSE English & Maths

Job description

Operations Manager - Senior Leadership Team

Specialist Education & Care

Salary: Up to £65k

Location: Lancaster

Reporting to: School Principal

About the Opportunity

We are working with a specialist education and care organisation to appoint an experienced Operations Manager to join their Senior Leadership Team.

This is a pivotal leadership role, responsible for providing strategic and operational oversight of business support services, workforce planning, HR operations and compliance. Working closely with the Principal, Assistant Principal, Head of Care and Divisional Business Manager, the successful candidate will help build a positive, compliant and high-performing culture in which both staff and students can thrive.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Act as an active member of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to organisational planning and the delivery of strategic objectives
• Lead projects that improve operational efficiency, workforce effectiveness and compliance

Workforce Planning & Talent Management

• Lead workforce planning to ensure effective staffing levels, succession planning and workforce sustainability
• Oversee end-to-end recruitment and retention strategy

Employee Relations

• Provide leadership on disciplinary, grievance, capability and absence management processes
• Ensure fair, consistent and legally compliant people management practices across the organisation

HR Compliance & Safeguarding

• Maintain oversight of Single Central Record compliance, DBS monitoring, Right to Work checks and mandatory training compliance
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation and safeguarding guidance, and support inspection readiness

Operations Management

• Oversee daily operational functions, administration systems and business continuity arrangements
• Support health and safety compliance and lead operational improvement projects

Performance & Data Management

• Produce and analyse workforce and operational performance reports, presenting meaningful management information to senior leaders

Leadership Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop operational support teams
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement

About You:

Essential Qualifications

• Degree-level qualification or equivalent professional experience
• CIPD Level 5 (or working towards)
• GCSE English and Mathematics
• Significant operational management experience, including managing HR functions within education, health or social care
• Experience leading recruitment, retention and employee relations casework within a regulated environment
• Experience producing workforce reports and driving organisational improvement
• Strong knowledge of employment law, safeguarding requirements and GDPR/data protection

Key Attributes

• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively
• Strong analytical and report-writing capabilities
• High levels of discretion and professionalism
• The ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment