Office Manager – Secondary School – Waltham Forest

Start Date: As soon as possible
Contract: Full-time, Permanent
Salary: Paid to scale

A successful and well-established Secondary School in Waltham Forest is seeking an experienced, highly organised and confident Office Manager to lead and coordinate the school's busy administrative office on a full-time, permanent basis.

This is a key position within the school's support structure and would suit an experienced school administrator, office manager or senior administrative professional who is confident managing people, processes and competing priorities.

The successful candidate will play a central role in ensuring that the school office operates efficiently and provides a consistently professional service to students, parents, staff, visitors and external organisations.

You will need to be highly organised, approachable and able to use initiative. The school is looking for someone who can take ownership of administrative processes while also working collaboratively with senior leaders and support staff.

School Information

This is a well-established Secondary School in Waltham Forest with a strong commitment to academic achievement, personal development and student wellbeing.

The school serves a diverse community and places considerable importance on creating a positive environment in which students are encouraged to develop confidence, independence and a strong sense of responsibility.

High expectations are maintained throughout the school, with staff working together to provide students with the support they need to succeed.

The school's administration team is an essential part of this structure. Effective administration ensures that communication remains clear, records are accurate, visitors are managed appropriately and staff have the operational support they need.

The successful Office Manager will therefore have an important role in maintaining the efficiency and professionalism of the school's front office.

Administration Team

The Office Manager will coordinate the daily work of the school office and provide administrative support across a range of areas.

You will work closely with senior leaders, teachers, pastoral teams, students, parents and external contacts. The role requires excellent communication skills and the ability to handle confidential information appropriately.

The successful candidate will be expected to identify areas where administrative processes can be improved and take practical steps to ensure that systems remain efficient.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the day-to-day operation of the school office.

• Coordinate administrative workloads and ensure priorities are managed effectively.

• Provide professional support to senior leaders and school staff.

• Act as a key point of contact for parents, visitors and external organisations.

• Manage telephone calls and general office enquiries.

• Ensure emails and correspondence are dealt with promptly.

• Welcome and assist visitors professionally.

• Maintain appropriate visitor and signing-in procedures.

• Coordinate general office systems and processes.

• Maintain accurate electronic and paper records.

• Ensure confidential information is handled appropriately.

• Support student administration and maintain accurate records.

• Assist with admissions and student information where required.

• Coordinate letters, communications and documentation.

• Prepare reports, spreadsheets and other administrative materials.

• Support the organisation of meetings and school events.

• Assist with parents' evenings and other school activities.

• Liaise with suppliers and external service providers.

• Assist with ordering stationery and office supplies.

• Monitor office resources and ensure supplies are maintained.

• Support finance-related administration where required.

• Assist with invoices, purchase orders and basic financial records where appropriate.

• Support attendance and pupil administration when required.

• Maintain accurate databases and information systems.

• Assist senior leaders with administrative projects.

• Ensure deadlines are met across the administrative function.

• Help establish efficient filing and information-management systems.

• Support new administrative staff and contribute to effective team working.

• Ensure school policies and procedures are followed.

• Identify opportunities to improve administrative processes.

• Deal with sensitive enquiries professionally and appropriately.

• Maintain a calm and organised office environment.

• Contribute positively to the wider life of the school.

Person Specification

The school is looking for an experienced administrator who is confident taking responsibility for a busy office environment.

You should have excellent organisational skills and be comfortable managing several priorities simultaneously. The successful candidate will need to understand that school administration can be unpredictable and should be able to respond to urgent requests without losing sight of wider responsibilities.

Strong communication skills are essential. You will regularly communicate with parents, students, teachers, senior leaders, visitors and external organisations.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Previous experience in school administration, office management or a comparable administrative role.

• Excellent organisational and time-management skills.

• Strong attention to detail.

• Excellent written and verbal communication.

• Confidence using Microsoft Office.

• Experience working with databases and administrative systems.

• Strong record-keeping skills.

• The ability to handle confidential information appropriately.

• The ability to prioritise competing demands.

• Confidence working independently.

• Strong problem-solving skills.

• A professional and approachable manner.

• The ability to remain calm under pressure.

• Strong interpersonal skills.

• The ability to manage and coordinate administrative tasks.

• A proactive approach to improving processes.

• Reliability and professionalism.

• Commitment to safeguarding and student wellbeing.

Previous experience within a secondary school would be advantageous, particularly where the candidate has experience working closely with senior leaders or managing a busy reception or school office.

Leadership & Organisation

Although the role is administrative rather than teaching-based, the Office Manager will have an important influence on the day-to-day effectiveness of the school.

You will help ensure that information reaches the right people, deadlines are met and administrative systems operate consistently. You will also be expected to identify potential issues and take action before they become larger problems.

The successful candidate should therefore be confident making decisions within their responsibilities and escalating matters appropriately when senior input is required.

Safeguarding

The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The Office Manager will regularly interact with students, parents and visitors and will therefore be expected to follow all safeguarding and confidentiality procedures.

The successful candidate will be required to complete the appropriate pre-employment and safeguarding checks.

Application

If you are an experienced Office Manager or senior administrator looking for a full-time, permanent opportunity within a well-established Secondary School in Waltham Forest, this is an excellent opportunity to join a supportive and professional environment.

The school is looking for someone organised, dependable and confident enough to take ownership of the administration function while working closely with colleagues across the school.

To apply, please send your CV as soon as possible.