Norwich Steiner School
Administrative Manager – Job Description – November 2024
SAFEGUARDING - All employees working at Norwich Steiner School have responsibility towards safeguarding and should be guided by knowledge of the school’s policies in their response to any safeguarding issue that may arise in the course of their work in and associated with the school. Staff are at all times expected to maintain professional boundaries in their relationships with pupils.
The Administrative Manager is a member of the Management Team of the School, who work with the Board of Trustees as relevant in support of the School. The Chair of the Board of Trustees is the proprietor of the School.
The Administrative Manager’s role is to manage the administrative needs of the whole school in a manner that recognises and supports the ethos of Waldorf Education. This post includes substantial management responsibilities and a diverse range of tasks.
The key areas of responsibility within this post, which constitute a full-time role, are as follows:
* Regulatory compliance/oversight – taking responsibility for ensuring that the school operates legally at all times (for example, DfE requirements, annual census, material change; Ofsted; planning/listed building consent; terms of lease; insurance; services) by carefully researching and seeking advice as appropriate.
* Personnel - Oversee and be responsible for the personnel function in the school, seeking and following advice from the school’s employment consultant whenever necessary, delegating to other staff where appropriate, consulting and keeping management team informed on a regular basis, and referring to the trustees as appropriate. Specific responsibilities within personnel, which may be carried out by the post holder or delegated to others where possible and appropriate, include:
o Recruitment as required
o Staff contracts & associated terms & conditions
o Allocation of teaching hours
o Administration/Investigation into concerns about capability and/or conduct.
o Guiding the work of other administrative/premises staff
* General administration, including ensuring that:
o information on the website is current
o Key policies and procedures are updated routinely or as necessary
o Planning and publishing of term dates
o Information is appropriately shared with parents and staff (e.g. staff changes)
o Management of weekly timetable
* Financial oversight – of the school’s finances, including preparation of projections for internal use and for the accountants, reviewing expenditure and income on a regular basis, carrying out reviews of fee and salary structures as necessary and carrying out checks and balances of the finance system.
* Parent concerns – handling these objectively and according to the school’s policy. This aspect of the role will be shared with members of the Management Team.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
This is a permanent and full-time post. During school holidays, it is essential to ensure the smooth running of the school that the administrative function is maintained; therefore, during school holidays a minimum of 15 hours administration per week must be maintained. Within this however, the post holder is entitled to a clear 6 weeks of holiday per year with no commitment to work, although the 6 weeks may not be taken in one go.
The salary for this new post is £32,000.
BENEFITS
* The school has a workplace pension scheme in place, operated by NEST. Staff are automatically enrolled onto the pension scheme when employment commences, but are also given the opportunity to opt out if they choose.
* Free on-site parking
* Cycle to Work scheme
* Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (Education Support Partnership) which provides caring and compassionate advice and support on professional or personal matters
PERSON SPECIFICATION
This post needs a resourceful, outgoing, multi-tasking person who can remain cheerful and optimistic in the face of challenges. Initiative and the ability to work alone and to problem-solve in situations without precedent are essential. The post holder needs to be able to identify when new policy is needed and, at the same time, be able to work within the system to administer policy as formed by others.
This person will need to know how to delegate, be a good listener, enjoy the very varied aspects of the work and to remain accessible to a large network of people. It is important that they are accessible as a personality and welcoming, firm and clear in all their dealings.
The post requires someone of a robust, flexible and articulate spirit who can interpret policy decisions, create forms and systems where appropriate and allow creative flow in other areas.
If you have experience in Health and Safety oversight and management, then this is also a key area that the school is looking to strengthen.
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS
No specific qualifications required, but a good general education and proven experience in finance, personnel and management of the administrative function of schools is essential.
ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE
* Management of concerns
* Familiarity of how to work with educational legislation
* Understanding of financial planning & management
* Computer literacy, particularly a good level of competence in Excel and Word
* Personnel/human resources experience
* Understanding of Steiner Education, Philosophy and School Governance
* Ability to write in plain English
REQUIRED ATTRIBUTES
* Self-motivated and imaginative
* Well organised and responsible
* Able to listen, hear and find understanding
* Committed to and positive about Steiner education and anthroposophy
* Open and communicative towards parents and teaching colleagues
* Flexible and positive towards the challenges and joys that face a small school
* Warmth and sense of humour
DESIRABLE ATTRIBUTES
* First Aid Certificate
* Practical skills
* Safeguarding training
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £32,000.00 per year
Benefits:
* Company pension
* Cycle to work scheme
* Free parking
* On-site parking
Schedule:
* Monday to Friday
Work Location: In person
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