Information Pack:

Chief Operating Officer

Oasis Academy South Bank

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your enquiry regarding the position of Chief Operating Officer, Oasis Academy South Bank, Waterloo, London.

Oasis Academy South Bank is a new Academy that opened in September 2013 with our inaugural group of Year 7 students. We have 120 students per year group and will build year on year. This is an exciting opportunity to become part of an outstanding, high performing team who are passionately committed to securing the best possible life chances for the young people of Waterloo. This role will require huge amounts of resilience, perseverance for the long haul and a constant drive for innovative excellence. However, this is also a role that will be incredibly rewarding and will offer exciting progression for the future.

If you would like to apply, please complete the Application Form and Equal Opportunities monitoring (CVs are not accepted). Please ensure you provide the name, address and status of two referees, one of whom should be your current Line Manager. Candidates should be aware we will seek references on shortlisted candidates and may approach previous employers for information to verify particular experience or qualifications before interview.

If you would like to know more about us, please visit our website If you are not clear about any aspect of the application procedure, do not hesitate to contact us for clarification.

If you would like to visit the Academy or discuss the post please contact Pumi Dlova on 020 7921 4531 or - we would be really pleased to hear from you.

Applications must be submitted before the closing deadline of Monday 5th May at 9am.

Completed forms should be returned to Pumi Dlova, Supporting Officer:

Email:

Post: Pumi Dlova

75 Westminster Bridge Road

London

SE1 7HS

Interviews will take place during the week commencing Monday 12th May.

I wish you well and thank you once again for your interest in what we think will be a challenging and rewarding post.

Yours sincerely,

Carly Mitchell

Principal

Job Description

POST:Chief Operating Officer (COO)

RESPONSIBLE TO:Principal

RESPONSIBLE FOR:Finance Team

SALARY:£35,406 - £39,120 (plus final salary scheme)

LOCATION: Oasis Academy South Bank - Waterloo

DISCLOSURE LEVEL: Enhanced CRB

A.Professional and Personal characteristics

•S-Scholarship - Post holder will have a commitment to the wholehearted belief that all young people, regardless of starting point, need or complexity can make outstanding progress and secure top GCSE outcomes and achieve 4 good A-levels.

•T-Transformation - Post holder will have an optimistic and positive belief that all young people can constantly change and transform into confident, ambitious, honest, happy, hard-working, respectful citizens. More widely, a desire to be part of a team that is leading community transformation. Post holder will be committed to challenging the status quo in order to secure this transformation.

•A-Aspiration - Post holder will instil in young people a belief in themselves about what is possible and will consistently act as an aspirational role model in all that they do.

•I-Inclusion - Post holder will fully include all children regardless of complexity, need or starting point. Post holder will, additionally, be committed to including all aspects of a child’s social, emotional and cultural development. Post holder will never isolate, exclude or disconnect a student or group of students.

•R-Resilience - Post holder will be determined, hardworking and relentless in achieving the vision and instilling the values in our school.

JOB PURPOSE: This role within the Academy Leadership Team involves:

  • Strategically and operationally developing, leading and managing the Academy’s budget
  • Financial management and reporting, ensuring the Academy makes the best possible use of available resources
  • Line management of Academy support staff
  • Day to day management of third party contracts, extended Academy services and activities
  • Risk Management and Health and Safety
  • Income Generation
  • Developing partnerships in the local community and beyond
  • Oversight of human resources and payroll
  • Development and oversight of effective Academy systems, including Single Central Register
  • Educational Visits Coordinator for the Academy

SPECIFIC COO RESPONSIBILITIES:

A. As a member of the Academy Leadership Team, to contribute to the strategic direction of the Academy and the development and implementation of the Academy Development Plan.

B. Develop a three year financial plan, taking into account DfE and relevant government guidelines and other sources of information in accordance with government budgets and within the parameters set by the OCL board and utilising the OCL budgeting template.

C. Prepare the monthly management accounts, forecasts and other financial and non-financial reports of the Academy, explaining all significant variances to all relevant stakeholders, in accordance with agreed timetables.

D. Develop and implement robust systems to manage budgets, supporting the Principal to ensure that spending remains within limits.

E. Oversee the academy’s payroll, ensuring monthly payroll information is correctly entered for all academy employees, payroll returns are correctly completed in accordance with the required deadlines and the payroll is reconciled monthly to the budget explaining all material variances.

F. Ensure that the Academy is compliant with group policies and all Academy account processing and reconciliations are performed as outlined in the OCL Finance Handbook and in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

G. Optimise the benefit to the Academy of funding from grants and other sources, by identifying funding opportunities, ensuring that opportunities are fully utilised, ensuring that out of hours use of grounds and premises is maximised to generate income, drafting funding bids, interpreting criteria and advising colleagues within the Academy Leadership Team to ensure that funding is appropriately used.

H. Identify and develop strategies for areas that will benefit and contribute to the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the Academy, such as exploring synergies, opportunities for partnership working that can benefit the Academy through economies of scale etc…

I. Oversee the management of FM contracts of the Academy’s site and buildings, ensuring that contracts are fulfilled.

J. Oversee the school catering contract, working with the contract manager and catering manager to ensure the catering service runs efficiently.

K. Develop and monitor the Academy’s fire and health and safety policy and procedures, chairing the Academy Health and Safety Committee, ensuring that all health and safety requirements are observed, working with the local FM contractor (where this applies) checking working practices and site / accommodation for health and safety compliance, maintaining all appropriate documentation.

L. Manage all commercial contracts specific to the Academy, school contracts, coordinating with the OCL Director of Finance Strategy and Risk the tendering and negotiation processes, making recommendations to the Academy Leadership Team on contracts to be awarded and managing the implementation of all contracts within the Academy. Liaise with OCL head office finance to ensure there is no overlap with group-wide contractual arrangements.

M. Support the Principal in safeguarding and managing the assets of the Academy, ensuring that the Academy has an asset replacement plan that is being adhered to, including IT.

N. Lead on external audit and Responsible Officer visits and reporting, answering all queries in a timely manner, and implementing suggested improvements.

O. Human resources: Liaise with the allocated HR Manager appointed to coordinate HR activity at the Academy. In the absence of the Academy HR Manager, advise colleagues within the Academy Leadership Team on the interpretation of personnel policies and procedures as guided by the National HR Team. Liaise with the local HR Manager to ensure that HR processes are followed, especially in relation to recruitment and changes in staff remuneration.

P.Academy systems: Develop and maintain whole Academy systems, including the Single Central Register.

Q. Line management of Academy support staff: Ensure effective deployment of Academy support staff (not including TAs and HLTAs). Ensure performance management structures and training and development in place for all support staff.

R. Educational Visits Coordinator: Oversee all educational visits and ensure appropriate and adequate risk assessments are carried out.

S. Safeguarding children and young people

Oasis is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff to share this commitment and to undergo appropriate checks, including an enhanced DBS check.

The above responsibilities are subject to the general duties and responsibilities contained in the Statement of Conditions of Employment.

The duties of this post may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the post or level of responsibility entailed.

Signed:

Employee: / Line Manager:
Print Name / Print Name
Date / Date

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Person Specification

Our Purpose

Oasis Academies exists to provide a rich and balanced educational environment which caters for the whole person - academically, vocationally, socially, morally, spiritually, physically, emotionally and environmentally. Our task is to serve our students as well as to provide a learning hub for the entire community. In this way we will raise aspirations, unlock potential and work to achieve excellence through encouraging a ‘can do’ culture which nurtures confident and competent people.

Oasis Ethos

Our ethos is an expression of our character - it is a statement of who we are and therefore the lens through which we assess all we do. Our work is motivated and inspired by the life, message and example of Christ, which shapes and guides every aspect of each of our schools. This is foundational to our belief that all people are created and loved by God as equal and unique beings, and to our commitment to model inclusion and compassion throughout all the aspects of the life and culture of each Academy community.

Essential / Desirable
Qualifications /
  • Professional qualification in finance or accounting e.g. CIPFA, AAT, ACCA
  • Educated to degree level or equivalent with experience working at a senior, strategic level within an organisation
/
  • Degree in Business related discipline
  • Evidence of further professional development.
  • School business management experience

Experience, Skills & Knowledge /
  • Financial management experience,including school finance
  • Proficient in use of MS Excel spreadsheets, and computer based accounting packages
  • Detailed knowledge of financial planning and budgetary control processes, being able to lead the development of the 3 year financial plan
  • Experience of developing and implementing strategies and policies for support functions
  • Experience of, and a successful track record in deploying, managing and developing multi-disciplinary teams of staff
  • Able to work under pressure and balance strategic and planning activities
  • Strong organisational and record keeping skills
  • Strong literacy, numeracy, ICT, communication and inter-personal skills.
/
  • Strong understanding of all areas of Academy policies and objectives
  • Knowledge of tendering processes and drafting specifications and experience of negotiating contracts
  • Good understanding of health and safety requirements, reporting and monitoring processes relating to H&S
  • Project Management
  • Skills, including the ability to lead on multiple projects within tight timescales

Personal Qualities /
  • Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people
  • Willingness to undergo appropriate checks, including enhanced DBS checks
  • Motivation to work with children and young people
  • Ability to form and maintain appropriate relationships and personal boundaries with children and young people
  • Emotional resilience in working with challenging behaviours and attitudes to use of authority and maintaining discipline
  • Have a willingness to demonstrate commitment to the values and behaviours which flow from the Oasis ethos.