Office Manager

HR & Personnel Administration

The successful candidate will ideally have experience of HR administration and/or personnel processes and will support the school with areas such as:

• Maintaining accurate and confidential staff personnel records.
• Supporting safer recruitment processes, including the collation and checking of required pre-employment documentation.
• Maintaining records relating to DBS checks, right to work, qualifications, training and other employment checks.
• Monitoring staff absence, training and other personnel information.
• Supporting the administration of staff induction and ongoing training.
• Assisting with HR documentation and correspondence as required.
• Working with senior leaders to ensure that personnel records and processes remain accurate, timely and compliant.

Attendance & Family Liaison

• Monitor and record pupil attendance accurately.
• Complete appropriate Safe and Well calls with families when pupils are absent.
• Maintain accurate records of attendance-related communication and follow-up actions.
• Undertake home visits where required and in accordance with school procedures.
• Communicate sensitively and professionally with parents and carers, including in situations that may be challenging or require a calm and measured approach.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility at Oakwood House School.

You will be expected to understand your responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and child protection and to know how to recognise, record and report concerns appropriately.

Full training will be provided to ensure that you understand the school's safeguarding procedures and are confident in identifying and responding to potential child protection concerns.

Our pupils all have EHCPs and benefit from individualised support. Many have social, emotional and mental health needs, meaning that staff need to be patient, approachable, professional and able to respond appropriately to a wide range of situations.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone who is:

• An experienced administrator with the ability to work at a higher level of responsibility.
• Highly organised, methodical and exceptionally attentive to detail.
• Confident managing confidential and sensitive information.
• Experienced in maintaining accurate records and working within policies, procedures and compliance requirements.
• Ideally experienced in HR administration, personnel records and/or safer recruitment processes.
• Confident using Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Excel and Outlook.
• Able to manage databases, electronic filing systems and administrative information effectively.
• An excellent communicator who can build positive relationships with pupils, parents, staff and external professionals.
• Able to prioritise effectively and remain calm when working under pressure.
• Proactive, adaptable and willing to take ownership of tasks rather than waiting to be asked.
• Professional, approachable and able to exercise sound judgement.
• Comfortable working in a busy and sometimes unpredictable school environment.
• Committed to safeguarding and to promoting the welfare of children and young people.

Previous experience of working within a school, particularly a specialist or SEMH setting, would be advantageous, although we are equally interested in candidates who can demonstrate strong transferable experience from other education, HR, business or administrative environments.

Why Join Oakwood House School?

Working in an SEMH setting can be busy and challenging, but it is also incredibly rewarding. The Office Manager plays an important role in creating the organised, professional and supportive environment that enables the wider school team to focus on supporting our pupils.

You will be joining a team where your organisational skills, initiative and attention to detail will genuinely make a difference.

The standard working day is 8.00am to 4.30pm, with some extended training sessions during term time. There will also be a small number of days when the Office Manager will be required to work during school holidays to support essential administrative, compliance and preparation work. However, the role benefits from the majority of school holiday periods away from school, providing a positive balance between the demands of this important role and time away from work.

If you are an experienced administrator who enjoys being at the heart of a busy organisation, takes pride in getting things right and would welcome the opportunity to contribute to a specialist school environment, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Application Process

We will require a completed Oakwood House School application form as part of the shortlisting process- you will be emailed this document once initial shortlisting has taken place. Once this is completed you will be invited to visit the school and meet the team ahead of a formal interview.

We are looking to recruit within two weeks- the safer recruitment process will then usually take 3-4 weeks after interview.

Oakwood House School is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All applicants will therefore be subject to appropriate pre-employment safeguarding checks.

These will include an Enhanced DBS check, including the Children's Barred List, and, where appropriate, Section 128 and Prohibition from Teaching checks.

All candidates will also be required to complete the relevant self-declaration and disclosure documentation for regulated activity roles eligible for a DBS check. Offers of employment may be withdrawn where relevant information has not been disclosed or where the outcome of required checks is not satisfactory.

It is an offence for an individual who is barred from engaging in regulated activity with children to apply for a role involving regulated activity.

As part of our safer recruitment process, we may also undertake an online/social media check for shortlisted candidates.

Oakwood House School welcomes applications from candidates who share our commitment to safeguarding, professionalism and providing the best possible environment for our pupils.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: £29,000.00-£35,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• On-site parking

Work Location: In person