School Office Manager – Secondary Academy

A well‑established and high‑performing 11–18 secondary academy in Manchester is seeking an experienced and highly organised School Office Manager to lead its busy administrative function. This is a key operational role at the heart of the school, ensuring that systems, communication and front‑of‑house provision run efficiently and professionally.

The school serves a diverse urban community and has a strong reputation for calm behaviour, academic progress and structured leadership. The administration team plays a crucial role in maintaining that culture.

As Office Manager, you will oversee the daily operations of the school’s front office and administrative team, ensuring smooth processes across attendance, admissions, data handling and parent communication.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Line managing a team of administrators and reception staff
• Overseeing attendance processes and safeguarding documentation
• Managing school‑wide communication systems including SIMS/Arbor
• Coordinating admissions paperwork and mid‑year transfers
• Supporting the Senior Leadership Team with reporting and compliance
• Ensuring GDPR compliance and secure data handling
• Managing procurement of office supplies and service contracts

You will act as the first point of contact for many operational matters and must be confident working alongside senior leaders and external agencies.

The school operates with clear routines and strong systems. The office is modern, well‑resourced and fast‑paced. Communication between staff is professional and structured, and there is strong collaboration between pastoral, safeguarding and administrative teams.

Leadership is visible and supportive. Systems are established, and the role offers scope for process improvement and development rather than crisis management.

The ideal candidate will:

• Have previous school administration experience (secondary preferred)
• Demonstrate strong knowledge of SIMS, Arbor or equivalent MIS
• Be confident managing staff and overseeing workflows
• Have excellent organisational and communication skills
• Be calm, professional and solution‑focused

Experience in a large secondary setting would be advantageous.

• Competitive salary aligned to experience
• Structured working hours aligned to term time
• Professional development opportunities
• Supportive leadership and stable environment
• A key role within a respected Manchester secondary school

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced administrator ready to step into a leadership‑focused operational role.