Administrator

ESF; Hong Kong; On-site; HKD 300,000 - 480,000; Full time

Job summary

ESF Kennedy School seeks an Administrator to coordinate essential operational services, including school bus transport, hot lunch programs, procurement, and community liaison. The role supports SLT, staff, vendors, and families, ensuring smooth operations and strong engagement with non-English speakers.

The successful candidate will manage procurement, regulatory compliance, and cross‑departmental tasks, while fostering a safe, inclusive environment for students and the school community.

Qualifications

• Bilingual with excellent English and Chinese written and spoken skills.
• Experience in procurement, contracts, and vendor management.
• Strong administrative and organizational abilities.
• Customer-focused with ability to resolve inquiries efficiently.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate school bus transportation and catering services.
• Oversee end-to-end procurement processes including tenders and contracts.
• Act as community liaison, providing multilingual support for families.
• Support HR and finance functions and liaise with regulators and vendors.
• Ensure safety, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder satisfaction.

Skills

Bilingual English & Chinese

Procurement & vendor management

Office software proficiency

Customer service orientation

Education

Relevant qualifications

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Job description

Administrator (School buses, hot lunches, procurement and community liaison)Kennedy School is seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic Administrator to join our collaborative and vibrant learning community. In this multifaceted role, you will coordinate key operational services, including school bus transportation, hot lunch programs, procurement, and community liaison, ensuring a smooth and supportive environment for our students, staff, and families.

The job holder is responsible for managing end-to-end procurement processes, overseeing key operational services (school bus and catering), and driving community engagement through multilingual support and student leadership initiatives. This role serves as a key liaison between the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), school staff, vendors, regulatory authorities, and the parent community.

Key Responsibilities

1. Operational & Regulatory Compliance (Bus & Catering)

• Service Compliance: Ensure school bus and lunch services meet quality standards and comply with Education Bureau (EDB) regulations.
• Transport Operations: Manage daily bus schedules, excursion bookings, and route optimisation with service providers.
• Safety & Monitoring: Inspect and maintain registers for driver and bus licenses, insurance, and safety protocols while conducting regular review meetings with vendors.

2. Procurement Execution & Governance

• Procurement Support: Assist in implementing, reviewing, and updating procurement procedures while advising school staff on daily compliance and execution.
• Tender & Contract Management: Coordinate tender exercises with the ESF Procurement team—preparing documents, arranging briefings and interviews, managing openings, and compiling summaries.
• Purchasing & Sourcing: Issue and track purchase orders, consolidate bulk contracts across schools, and source items for school operations, events, renovations, and community development.
• Insurance Administration: Oversee general insurance matters by maintaining adequate coverage, processing claims, resolving inquiries, and liaising with brokers.
• Stakeholder Relations: Resolve parent and student inquiries or complaints regarding bus and lunch services while maintaining a detailed outcome log.
• Incident Response: Investigate and report incidents following school protocols while collaborating with staff and parents to proactively address transport safety and student wellbeing.
• Inclusive Care: Identify students with additional needs to ensure safe transit while assisting non-English speaking parents to eliminate communication barriers.

4. Community Liaison & Multilingual Communication Support

• Leadership Alignment: Partner closely with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to drive engagement and inclusion within the Chinese-speaking school community.
• Translation Services: Provide real-time translation and language support during meetings, workshops, and school events to ensure non-English speaking families can fully participate.
• Community Point of Contact: Serve as a primary contact for non-English speaking parents and maintain a welcoming presence at Open Days, Parent Days, and community events to facilitate positive interactions with leadership.
• Cultural Bridge: Connect the school with Chinese-speaking families by communicating school values, policies, and updates warmly and accurately while offering valuable community insights to the SLT.
• Program Design: Design and maintain the student Bus Monitor Program to empower student leaders to foster a safe, respectful, and organised bus environment alongside the bus supervisor.
• Mentorship & Training: Conduct regular training, assemblies, and check-ins to support, mentor, and guide student bus monitors in their roles.
• Resource Development: Develop resources, behavioural guidelines, and training materials tailored to student bus monitors, bus riders, and their parents.
• Student Liaison: Support student monitors by helping them resolve challenges on the bus and ensuring they feel fully equipped.

6. Operational & Cross-Departmental Support

• HR & Finance Assistance: Provide administrative and operational support to the HR and Finance team as needed to assist cross-functional workflows.
• External Road Safety Liaison: Represent the school in road safety discussions with external partners, including AMS, police, and district councils.
• General Accountabilities: Execute additional operational duties and projects assigned by the Line Manager to ensure smooth overall operations.

Requirements

The successful candidate will provide comprehensive administrative support for daily school operations and should meet the following criteria:

• Language Fluency: Bilingual with excellent written and spoken English and Chinese.
• Interpersonal & Child Focus: Strong interpersonal, organisational, and communication skills, with a positive approach to interacting with children and resolving complaints.
• Problem-Solving & Resilience: Sound judgement under pressure, strong initiative to work autonomously, and a commitment to high customer service and quality control standards.
• Technical Proficiency: Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel) and Google Workspace, with an ability to adopt new software quickly.
• Experience & Education: Relevant qualifications with proven administrative and customer service experience. Prior experience in an educational environment is highly advantageous.

The successful applicant will be offered a full-time contract.

Applicants must be a permanent Hong Kong resident or possess a valid visa to work in Hong Kong.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and offers may be extended prior to the job closing date. We strongly recommend early applications as we reserve the right to appoint candidates earlier than the closing date.

By applying for this position, your application may be considered for other opportunities (senior-level roles, head of department, etc.) within ESF.

ESF is an Equal Opportunities Employer

ESF will not discriminate on the basis of age, race, colour, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, religion, veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, creed, citizenship or any other status protected by local laws or regulations.

Personal data provided by job applicants will be used strictly in accordance with the ESF's Personal Data Policy, a copy of which will be provided upon request.

ESF is dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of all students in our care and expects all applicants to uphold this commitment. We adhere to rigorous recruitment practices, with all appointments contingent upon an interview, identity verification, criminal background checks (including ICPC, SCRC, and other international background checks as appropriate), assessment of social media presence, and positive references.

In accordance with the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2025 guidelines, ESF may perform online checks for all shortlisted candidates prior to the interview.

About Us

The English Schools Foundation (ESF) is the largest English-medium international school organisation in Hong Kong. Our 22 schools and comprehensive programme of extra-curricular activities bring out the best in every student through a personalised approach to learning and by inspiring curious minds.

There are over 18,000 students from 75 different nationalities in ESF kindergartens, primary, secondary and all-through schools.
www.esf.edu.hk

About the Team

ESF Kennedy School occupies a pleasant location on the west of Hong Kong Island. It benefits from the use of the swimming and sporting facilities of The University of Hong Kong’s Stanley Ho Sports Centre, which is adjacent to the school. Music, Performing Arts and Physical Education are strengths of the school. A strong interest in environmental and ecological issues is also a theme of the learning.
We offer a high-quality, modern, liberal education based on the IB PYP which is adapted to meet the needs of children living in Asia.
All children receive regular swimming lessons in terms one and three. The school provides daily Mandarin lessons for all students and also offers a very rich and varied extra-curricular programme.
https://kennedy.esf.edu.hk