St Margaret s School and Berwick Grammar School Position Description Title: Campus: Reports to: Tenure: Director of Operations St Margaret s School (Berwick Campus) Chief Financial Officer Full-time, on-going Primary Purpose The Director of Operations reports directly to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). They are accountable for the realisation of the St Margaret s and Berwick Grammar Schools strategy in relation to the identification and exploration of operational opportunities and for the effective leadership and continual improvement of the operations of the school. The role will require a commitment to leading a culture of excellence and continual improvement through working collaboratively with colleagues to strive for improvements in the school s systems and processes, policies and procedures, guidelines and associated documentation and communication. The role will furthermore, manage a range of IR/ER queries and issues which will include providing support and advice to the School Executive team and participating in conversations as required. The Director of Operations will be actively involved in project work in a range of areas and will also assist with recruitment and staffing, human resources and payroll activities as required. St Margaret s School is a child safe environment. Our School actively promotes the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. Page 1
Roles, Responsibility and Accountability Key Responsibilities In brief, the Director of Operations is expected to be able to act and respond competently and appropriately at all times, on behalf of the school. This includes, but is not limited to, the following key responsibilities. 1. Interpersonal Skills Support the Principal, Heads of School and Chief Financial Officer to efficiently and effectively serve the school community. Provide assistance, informed advice and develop and build positive relationships with staff and school community. Liaise promptly and efficiently with external organisations and professionals. Ensure that welcoming and supportive interactions occur with all whom communication occurs. Work with discretion and confidentiality. Ability to deal with difficult situations or unexpected events and support those involved. Ability to identify ways of delivering a high quality service. 2. Human Resources, Processes and Office Management Set up a system to review and investigate options for the continual improvement and enhancement of systems and processes, policies and procedures, guidelines and associated documentation and communication related to the effective and efficient operations of the school. In consultation with the School Executive team, oversee the process to recruit, interview and select staff that have the right technical and personal abilities and competencies to help further the school s vision, mission and strategic plan. Arrange for the advertising of vacant positions. Manage accurate records of employment applications to ensure timely processing, receipt acknowledgement, short listing and feedback. Manage all Long Service Leave records and assist Heads of School in ensuring the replacement of staff. Provide current and prospective employees with information about school policies, procedures and position descriptions. Ensure that all staff receive an orientation and that appropriate training is provided. Provide advice and assist the School Executive to effectively and efficiently resolve IR/ER issues. Serve as a link between the School Executive and employees by handling questions and helping to resolve work-related problems. Compile for the accounting team under the direction of the Chief Financial Officer, reports concerning personnel-related data such as hires, transfers, performance appraisals and absenteeism. In conjunction with the Chief Financial Officer compile the annual whole school staff budget and provide monthly variance reporting against the budget. Assist the Chief Financial Officer in the management of the FTEs, positions of responsibilities and remuneration- creation of a one school repository. In collaboration with the Heads of School and Deputy Head of School (Administration), manage the teacher FTE movements on a monthly basis. Under the direction of the Chief Financial Officer, provide information to current and prospective employees about working conditions, salaries and employee benefits as outlined in the school Enterprise Agreement. Manage and lead the formulation of the new Enterprise Agreement including providing input sourced from a review of alternative agreements and employee awards. Page 2
Assist the School Executive with projects as directed such as the enterprise agreement, workforce planning strategy, Occupational Health and Safety strategy etc. In conjunction with the School Executive, assist with organisational structural design, job analysis, position description reviews and updates and job evaluations. Determine staffing requirements and succession plans in conjunction with the School Executive team. Oversee the implementation of Human Resources policies, procedures and practices, including the preparation of all employment contracts (teaching and ancillary) and ensure the effective ongoing maintenance of such employment contracts. In conjunction with the Payroll Officer, contribute to the effective implementation of legislative requirements. This includes appropriate application of regulatory requirements such as Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) registration, Working with Children Check (WWCC) requirements, accurate recording of Child Safety Code of Conduct, and the implementation of relevant employment and industrial legislation. 3. Policies, Procedures and Risk Assessment and Management Review all policies and update any that are outdated and set up review process to keep policies up-to-date at all times. Create a register of all school compliance requirements including all ministerial orders, legislative requirements and practices. Assign responsibility to each requirement. Carry out an annual risk assessment for the school to ensure the school complies with all requirements of risk management, identify and rectify any non-compliance identified. Develop where required, risk management policies, procedures and documentation as they relate to the education experiences for students ensuring that they are best practice, meet all legislative requirements and are applied. Manage the processes and procedures around student attendance recording, ensuring the school meets all legislative attendance reporting requirements. The enhancement, documentation and communication of plans, processes and expectations around the Emergency Management Plans and Risk Assessments for the school. Ensure the school complies with all requirements of risk management, including understanding and carrying out responsibilities consistent with an environment and culture committed to the principles of risk management. The continual review and development of Emergency Management and Risk Assessment policies, procedures and documentation as they relate to the educational experiences of students ensuring they are best practice, meet all legislative requirements and are applies as required. Ensure reporting and compliance obligations are met. Including but not limited to; liaising with Independent Schools Victoria (ISV) for the collection of LEAD survey data, collect, collate, extract and report data for: DEET / DEEWR absentee reports STATS data for DEEWR Semester 1 reporting in August, Term 3 reporting in October CENSUS Data (February and August) LEAD data survey National Disability Census Annual Report data Other government reports and benchmarking surveys as required. Page 3
4. Communication Attend to all correspondence, emails and telephone calls in a timely and professional manner, as directed, and draft responses as required. Understand the structure of the school in order to respond professionally to all enquiries. In consultation with the Principal, liaise with School Executive team, teaching, administration and ancillary staff. Maintain a high level of confidentiality with all aspects of the role. 5. Calendar and Event Management Ensure that the school calendar is maintained at all times Management of all venues Manage and coordinate of all events across the school 6. Student Office Management of the Student services Office across the three campuses Ensure all past, current and future student information is correctly recorded and reported. 7. Other duties as appropriate to the position There will be occasions where you may be required to complete tasks in addition to those listed above. This may require additional hours to be worked. 8. Occupational Health & Safety All staff are expected to: Adhere to and implement all safe work practices and procedures in accordance with the St Margaret s School Occupational Health & Safety policy. Work safely and report any hazards in accordance with school procedures. Monitor and take full care of the health and safety of others within area of responsibility. Participate when required in the resolution of safety issues. 9. Child Safety Adhere to and implement all Child Safe policies, practices and procedures. 10. Staff Expectations All staff are expected to: Conduct themselves with professionalism at all times and in line with all St Margaret s School Policies and Procedures. Be a positive voice of support for the school with existing and prospective families, staff and others in the community. Key Relationships Chief Financial Officer Principal Heads of School Deputy Heads of School Teachers Administration and Ancillary Staff Independent Schools Victoria Union Representatives Relevant professional organisations Page 4
Key Selection Criteria Skills, Knowledge and Experience Commitment to the school s philosophy, values, policies and procedures. A professional attitude, dedication and commitment to the conduct and completion of duties and responsibilities of the position. Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate behaviours when engaging with children. Demonstrate excellent interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills, with demonstrated ability to build rapport, provide guidance and assistance, interact effectively at all levels of the school, and develop internal and external relationships and networks. Demonstrated high-level of experience in a similar role. Possess a positive outlook, exceptional interpersonal skills and high emotional intelligence with demonstrated ability to build authentic, collaborative relationships. Demonstrated initiative and flexibility. Excellent time management skills and ability to multi-task. High level communication skills, both written and verbal. High level computer and systems competencies. High level problem solving, research/investigation and analytical skills. High level skills with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and TASS. Key Competencies Ability to analyse and evaluate information and data and provide appropriate information and/or recommendations. Ability to balance empathy towards the needs of staff and others with the objectives and prevailing school environment. Ability to maintain high work standards with minimal supervision. Ability to organise and prioritise projects and tasks. Demonstrates concern for the quality of work produced. Demonstrates high levels of confidentiality and cultivates credibility and honesty. Displays enthusiasm, commitment and is highly motivated to contribute. Flexible and has the ability to adapt and operate effectively in a changing environment. High standard of personal presentation. Loyalty to the school and commitment to the promotion of continuous improvement and a positive and supportive school culture. Operates effectively in a collaborative team environment; establishes a rapport and builds strong relationships. Presents a professional, warm, positive and welcoming presence. Self-motivated and proactive. Participate in Professional Learning provided by the school and attend at least one external Professional Learning opportunity. Qualifications Tertiary qualification in Human Resource Management, employee relations, organisational development or related fields is well-regarded, but not essential if you have significant work experience in the field. AHRI membership highly regarded First Aid (Level 2) Page 5