Operations Support Manager - 7587

Cambridge University Press & Assessment; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days annual leave + bank holidays

Private medical & PHI

Discretionary annual bonus

Group personal pension scheme

Life assurance up to 4x annual salary

Green travel schemes

Job summary

Cambridge University Press & Assessment in Cambridge is seeking an Operations Support Manager to coordinate IELTS Trial Testing operations with the British Council and IDP Australia. You will ensure processes run on time and support the transition from paper to digital delivery.

You will lead a team of Operations Administrators, drive continuous improvement, manage reporting and data analysis, and maintain documentation while representing IELTS in meetings.

Qualifications

• Highly organised operations professional with experience in a complex environment.
• Experience supervising and motivating teams.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate day-to-day operational processes and monitor delivery against schedules.
• Act as an escalation point for operational issues, risks and challenges, providing support and guidance to team members.
• Lead and support continuous improvement, change and training initiatives across the team.
• Manage and develop a team of Operations Administrators.
• Support reporting, data analysis and operational decision-making through data collation and review.
• Maintain and improve operational documentation, procedures and communications for internal and external stakeholders.
• Represent IELTS at meetings and deputise for management when required.
• Support the implementation of new systems, processes and ways of working to enhance operational effectiveness.

Skills

Operations management

Team supervision

Planning

Prioritisation

Relationship management

Problem solving

English proficiency

Job description

Job Title: Operations Support Manager

Salary: £29,700 - £38,550

Location: Cambridge, UK – Hybrid

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time, 35 hours per week

Ready to play a key role in supporting the future of IELTS assessment delivery worldwide?

We are Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge.

About The Role

As Operations Support Manager, you will play a pivotal role in coordinating and delivering IELTS Trial Testing operations in partnership with the British Council and IDP Australia. You will ensure operational processes are delivered accurately and on schedule, while supporting the transition from legacy paper-based delivery to digital operations and helping drive continuous improvement across the team.

Additional responsibilities and accountabilities include:

• Coordinating day-to-day operational processes and monitoring delivery against agreed schedules.
• Acting as an escalation point for operational issues, risks and challenges, providing support and guidance to team members.
• Leading and supporting continuous improvement, change and training initiatives across the team.
• Managing and developing a team of Operations Administrators.
• Supporting reporting, data analysis and operational decision-making through the collation and review of data.
• Maintaining and improving operational documentation, procedures and communications for internal and external stakeholders.
• Representing IELTS at meetings and deputising for management when required.
• Supporting the implementation of new systems, processes and ways of working to enhance operational effectiveness.

This position has been classified as a hybrid role, requiring the selected candidate to typically spend 40-60% of their time collaborating and connecting face-to-face at their dedicated location. Aside from our hybrid principles, other flexible working requests will be considered from the first day of employment, including other work arrangements should you require adjustments due to a disability or long-term health condition.

About You

You will be a highly organised operations professional with experience of managing documented operational processes within a complex and fast-paced environment. You will have proven experience supervising and motivating individuals or teams, alongside strong planning, prioritisation, relationship management and problem-solving skills. You'll be comfortable balancing multiple competing priorities, working accurately under pressure, and supporting business change initiatives. Excellent written and spoken English, strong attention to detail, and a commitment to continuous improvement are essential. Knowledge of IELTS customers, systems and processes would be advantageous.

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of IELTS operational delivery and assessment processes.
• Experience supporting organisational or digital transformation projects.
• Experience analysing operational data and producing management information reports.
• Experience developing, reviewing and maintaining process documentation.
• Experience working within quality management frameworks such as ISO 9001.

For a detailed job description, please refer to the link at the bottom of the advert on our careers site.

We are a Disability Confident (DC) employer that is committed to equality and inclusion ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to all. The DC scheme's Offer of an Interview commitment applies to applicants who opt in, and disclose a disability or a long-term health condition, and best meet the minimum criteria for the role. In instances where interviewing all qualifying candidates is not practicable, we prioritise those who best meet the minimum criteria, as we would for applicants who do not have a disability or long-term health condition.

Please note, Cambridge University Press & Assessment is unable to sponsor this role under the Skilled Worker Visa route as it does not meet the minimum skill requirements.

Rewards And Benefits

We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world‑class, flexible rewards package, featuring family‑friendly and planet‑friendly benefits including:

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Private medical and Permanent Health Insurance
• Discretionary annual bonus
• Group personal pension scheme
• Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary
• Green travel schemes

Please note that successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory background checks including DBS due to working in a regulated industry.

We are committed to an equitable recruitment process. As such, applications must be submitted via our official online application procedure.

Why join us

Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You will belong to a collaborative team that is exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers and researchers across the globe – for the benefit of individuals, society and the world. Sharing our mission will inspire your own growth, development and progress, in an environment which embraces difference, change and aspiration.

Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where it is safe to speak up, and where we learn continuously to improve together. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics (age, disability, educational attainment, ethnicity, gender, marital status, neurodiversity, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual identity), cultural, or social class/background.

We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and communities, actively seeking to employ people from a wide range of different communities.