SBC Operations Manager

Summer Boarding Courses; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

DBS paid

Employee Assistance Programme

Safeguarding training

Healthcare benefits

Wellbeing support

Enhanced sick pay

Family-friendly policies

Job summary

Summer Boarding Courses is seeking a full-time Summer School Operations Manager to oversee operational readiness across seven sites and to drive key projects before June 2027. The role involves coordinating complex logistics, managing transfers, and implementing a boarding school management system.

You will travel between sites, support the Staff Experience team, and ensure smooth delivery of programmes from Oxford or other locations during the summer period.

Qualifications

• Experience in operations or transferable experience in live events, hospitality or similar environments.
• Ability to lead a team and work independently.
• Strong IT literacy and ability to learn new systems quickly.

Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation of a boarding school management system across SBC’s summer operations.
• Overhaul end-to-end management of airport transfers for safe arrival/departure of students.
• Support Staff Experience team in integrating a digital rota system ahead of Summer 2027.
• Ensure operational readiness across SBC’s 7 summer camp sites.
• Coordinate with host sites to ensure readiness and resources for first operation date.
• Book external social venues and activities at best price for SBC.
• Plan and book student transfers ensuring cost-effective arrangements.
• Develop site rotation with the Programmes team.
• Support delivery of summer programmes from Oxford or another approved location.
• Work from Heathrow on Mondays to oversee transfer coordinators.

Skills

Operations experience

Team leadership

Attention to detail

IT literacy

Analytical thinking

Fast-paced environment

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

About The Role

The Role

Summer Boarding Courses (SBC) is seeking a full time summer school operations manager to join our award winning summer provision in advance of summer 2027. The successful candidate will be responsible for operational preparedness of SBC’s 7 summer sites as well as being responsible for the implementation of several key operations projects that will need to be delivered by June 2027.

This role would be suitable for somebody looking to build a career in operations with a passion for education and fast paced project turnaround. You should demonstrate a strong instinct for logistics and systems as this role will require you to learn, use and train others on several proprietary or industry specific systems. This role also requires excellent attention to detail and balancing small tasks whilst retaining a global view of a wider operation.

Ways we support our Head Office Staff:

• We will cover the full cost of a new DBS (if required) for your first contract working with SBC. We encourage all staff to sign up for the Update Service
• Access to Employee Assist Programme (EAP)
• Online safeguarding and prevent training
• Professional, fun and supportive environment
• Healthcare Benefits – Access to a healthcare cash plan to help towards the cost of eligible everyday healthcare expenses.
• Wellbeing Benefits – Access to Wellhub to support your health and wellbeing.
• Enhanced Sick Pay – Additional financial support during periods of sickness, subject to eligibility criteria.
• Family-Friendly Policies – Enhanced maternity and paternity pay, subject to eligibility criteria.

Contract Type - Permanent Full Time

Working Schedule: 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday outside of the operational period. Weekend work and out of hours work will be required during the operational summer period (28th June – 22nd August, 2027) during which time all SBC employees work six days a week and receive TOIL to use after the operational period.

Salary: £28,000 - £30,000

Start Date: January 2027

Locations

SBC is currently a remote company but does have access to an office in Victoria, Central London. This role will also require regular travel to Oxford and be based in Oxford or another one of SBC’s summer sites during the summer operational period. The successful candidate must be based in the UK or Ireland.

Main Duties

Project based work

• Full responsibility for the implementation of a boarding school management system across SBC’s summer operations
• Overhaul end to end management of airport transfers ensuring the safe arrival of all students to and from London Heathrow Airport
• Support the Staff Experience team in integrating a digital rota system ahead of Summer 2027

Summer operations preparation

• Responsible for operational readiness across SBC’s 7 summer camp sites
• Work with key stakeholders at host sites to ensure sites are ready to operate
• Ensure all stock and resources are ready to use by the first operational date at each camp site
• Book external social programme venues and activities for students ensuring a focus on achieving the best price for SBC
• Oversee the planning, coordination and booking of all student arrival and departure transfers throughout the summer, ensuring a seamless travel experience while securing the most cost-effective arrangements for SBC
• Develop a rota for each of the summer school sites with support from the Programmes team

During the summer

• Support the delivery of our summer camp programmes from Oxford or another agreed upon location (SBC sites operate from Oxford, Cambridge and London)
• Work from London Heathrow Airport each Monday to support a team of transfer coordinators to safely welcome our students
• Liaise with host school stakeholders to ensure sites are running well and that the onsite teams have the spaces and resources they need to operate effectively
• Respond to on site issues related to students, staffing and facilities and work with on site teams and head office colleagues to resolve these effectively
• Out of hours work will be required during this period which will be given back to you as Time off in Lieu (TOIL) at the end of the operational period

Safeguarding Duties

• Be committed to the safeguarding and welfare of students in your care
• Complete online safeguarding training and attend on-site safeguarding training during induction week
• To read and understand SBC’s Safeguarding Policy, Staff Handbook, Operations Policy Handbook and Part 1 of Keeping Children Safe in Education (including annexes A & B)
• To be alert to the signs of abuse and neglect, and report any concerns to the DSO immediately (including low level concerns)
• To know what to do if a student tells a member of staff they are being abused, exploited or neglected
• To help students understand how to keep themselves safe and manage risk; earning their trust while maintaining professional boundaries

Please see the attached Job Description for more information about this role.

About You

SBC PERSON SPECIFICATION

All members of staff employed by SBC will be expected to bring certain key qualities to the operation. There must be a professional interest in working with young people and particularly international children. Safety and welfare of the students is of paramount importance at SBC and a practical enforcing of this belief should be a quality exhibited by all staff.

Essential

• Experience: you have worked in operations or have relevant transferable experience in live events, hospitality or similar environments. You can demonstrate times working both within or leading a team
• Analytical and Logical: you are organised with strong attention to detail and able to make sense of significant amounts of data whilst linking this to real world outcomes
• Organised and systematic: you have strong IT literacy, including the Microsoft suite and can learn new systems quickly
• Practical and passionate: you love getting involved with a wide variety of tasks and are energised by a fast-paced environment
• Interest in developing a career in operations: we are looking for somebody to grow with the business whose role may adapt annually depending on business needs
• A great communicator: you are strong in verbal and written communication and represent SBC fantastically to our key stakeholders and seasonal staff members

Desirable

• Experience of residential international summer schools
• Experience of working within the education sector

About Us

Founded in 2008, Summer Boarding Courses (SBC) delivers award-winning residential summer programmes that combine academic and social enrichment, bringing students from around the world together through education.

Our programmes take place at leading UK boarding schools and university college campuses, providing students with an inspiring environment to learn, develop confidence and build skills for their future.

To date, over 21,000 students from 155 nationalities have studied with us. SBC has also been ranked Number 1 in the EL Gazette’s British Council inspection league table from 2018 to 2026 and achieved a perfect 15/15 areas of strength in British Council inspections.

Our courses unlock potential and ignite a spark for long-term success.

We want to make sure we do all we can to set candidates up for success in this process. If you require any adjustments to help you at interview and/or you have any questions at all, please contact us at: [e-mail]

Please note, as this post involves direct contact with vulnerable children, it is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. However, amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975 (2013 and 2020) provide that certain spent convictions and cautions are 'protected'. These are not subject to disclosure to employers and cannot be taken into account.

SHOULD YOU BE SUCCESSFUL

• Any gaps in your CV will be enquired about and must be explained satisfactorily
• You will have to prove your Right to Work in the UK
• You will provide the details of two recent and relevant referees who we will contact and specifically ask about your suitability to work with children and any concerns
• You will be required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS), and equivalent if you live, or have lived, outside of the UK
• You will be asked to state that you have no known reason why you cannot work with children
• Official identification and certificates will be required for our records

Please be aware that SBC may conduct online searches for shortlisted candidates as part of our legal duty to meet out safeguarding duties.

SBC SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT

Summer Boarding Courses is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We have a comprehensive Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and procedures in place which all employees, volunteers and contractors are expected to adhere to.

SBC EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSIVITY STATEMENT

We operate a policy of equal opportunities and welcome applications from candidates irrespective of sex, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic origin or disability.