Senior Administrator

The English Schools Foundation (ESF); Hong Kong Island; On-site; HKD 420,000 - 680,000; Full time

Job summary

Island School is seeking a Senior Administrator to manage projects, oversee the school’s financial budget for SLT review, and handle day-to-day accounting operations.

The role requires a university degree in Accounting or Finance, 5+ years of experience, Cantonese and English fluency, and strong stakeholder management. You will work within ESF guidelines and support governance and process improvements.

Qualifications

• A recognized university degree in Accounting or Finance; CPA or equivalent qualification is advantageous.
• At least five years of relevant experience.
• Fluent Cantonese with strong English communication skills.
• Comfortable operating within complex school transformation environments.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the confidence to influence business stakeholders.
• Excellent computer skills in MS Office and Google Environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead audit remediation (external and internal) and strengthen control governance.
• Manage school budget, strategic planning, and monthly rolling forecast.
• Understand finance processes including General Ledger, Close, R2R, and reporting.
• Oversee department invoice payments and daily data entry.
• Draft SOPs meeting ESF guidelines and industry standards.
• Oversee admission office and handling.
• Supervise attendance and implement prevention protocols.
• Collaborate with security and admin to resolve student tracking discrepancies.
• Execute projects end-to-end and support automation initiatives.

Skills

Bilingual Cantonese/English

Stakeholder management

MS Office & Google Workspace

Autonomy under pressure

Governance & controls awareness

Education

Accounting/Finance degree

CPA or equivalent (advantage)

Tools

MS Office

Google Workspace

Job description

Island School is seeking to appoint a Senior Administrator. The role is to manage various projects and controls, manage the school’s financial budget for Senior Leadership Team’s (SLT) review, and responsible for day-to-day accounting operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead audit (external and internal) remediation and control governance.
• Manage school budget, strategic planning, and monthly rolling forecast.
• Strong understanding of finance processes including General Ledger, Financial Close, Record-to-Report, Financial Reporting, Chart of Accounts.
• Hands‑on experience in department invoice payments and data entry daily.
• Experienced in secondary school operating process and draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that met ESF and EDB guidelines.
• Oversee admission office and handling.
• Supervise attendance and implement immediate prevention protocols in case of any incident.
• Partner with security personnel and administration to rapidly resolve student tracking discrepancies.
• Execute projects end‑to‑end and support various automation.

Requirements

• A recognized university degree in Accounting or Finance. CPA or equivalent professional qualification is advantageous.
• At least five years of relevant experience.
• Fluent Cantonese with strong English communication skills.
• Comfortable operating within complex school transformation environments.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the confidence to influence, challenge and guide business stakeholders.
• Excellent computer skills in MS Office and Google Environments (google documents, google forms and google add-on tools, etc).
• Ability to work with tight deadlines and under pressure.
• Ability to work independently and proactively with minimal supervision.
• Ability to establish effective working relationships with team members, line managers and external parties.

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

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

The English Schools Foundation (ESF) is fully committed to providing equal employment opportunities. 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

At Island School we do something different. Our focus is on igniting a passion for learning in every student. Teaching students facts and figures is no longer enough for them to succeed once they enter higher education and the workforce. We encourage students to problem solve, question and think creatively with new concepts and ideas. Students are encouraged to become resourceful, adaptable and confident learners.

Our academic record is excellent with students going on to many of the foremost universities and colleges in the world. You will find details of the curriculum and qualifications on offer on our website. In the senior years students can choose to study IB Diploma, IB Careers and BTEC courses. Island School prepares students for these qualifications with a broad-based middle school curriculum including IGCSEs and a wide range of exciting options in our unique Futures curriculum. Our aim is to help students develop a passion for learning in a range of areas, whether it be law or robotics and coding or music production.

https://island.esf.edu.hk