About this role
Job title: School Operations Manager
Location: The Castle School, Thornbury
Contract type: Permanent
Salary: CSET 6, £39,863
Working hours: 37 per week, all year round
The Castle School is looking for a dynamic School Operations Manager to join our dedicated team. Reporting directly to the Headteacher, you will act as the vital link and enabler between our school and the Trust Central Team, ensuring our day-to-day operations are seamless, compliant and fully support our vision of a great education for every child.
About the role:
This role is designed to support our Headteacher, working alongside the School Leadership Team to streamline operations and maximise the capacity of school resources. This role will predominantly focus on facilities, compliance and management of the administration function as well as some HR and organisation of school events. This role is an embedded and respected role across the trust, valued by the schools and the Senior Leadership Teams but there is still an opportunity to make it your own. You will have an eye for detail in relation to systems and operational processes, and will be methodical in your approach to safety and compliance.
The key aspects of this role are:
Building Relationships. It’s vital that you develop and maintain productive working relationships with the Headteacher, Leadership Team, Partnership Team leads and with the school staff. You’ll also be dealing with external contracts, ie. Community Council.Communication. You’ll need to communicate effectively with all internal and external stakeholders in person, writing, electronically and by telephone. Compliance. You’ll ensure systems and processes are in place for effective management of essential reporting and contingency plans. You’ll be the first point of contact for facilities, recruitment, and the People team.Operations. Coordination of critical school records will be your responsibility. You’ll act as liaison in relation to safeguarding and data protection matters. You’ll manage the site estate team, take responsibility for the admin team and provide support to various school teams as required.You will be joining us at a really exciting time with the arrival of our new Headteacher at The Castle School, and as our Trust merges with TPLT to become Pathway Trust. To ensure this role is perfectly aligned with our expanding trust and provides the best possible support to the school, the job description will be naturally reviewed and refined in the coming months as our new leadership and structures embed.
The ideal candidate for this role will be:
Highly organised with the ability to manage their time effectivelyA self starter who is capable of acting on their own initiativeAble to influence stakeholders at all levels and demonstrate strong relationship management skillsConfident in managing and implementing changeAn exceptional communicator who is personable and able to build effective working relationshipsAbout us
Here at The Castle School, situated in Thornbury, we are proud of our strong track record of academic achievement and pastoral care for our students. We are passionate about teaching and learning; our students’ experience of education has a long-lasting impact and prepares them for life beyond school.
At the heart of what we do is our vision to be an exceptional school at the heart of the community where every student has the curiosity, skills and confidence to make the world a better place. We value kindness, fairness and aspiration for all, and expect that our students and staff will work hard, will be kind and will be respectful to one another.
We’re proud of our vibrant, thriving Sixth Form that continues to demonstrate and sustain academic and vocational success.
Our school is easily commutable from Bristol, Bath, Gloucester and South Wales.
We can offer you:
Happy, engaging studentsA supportive trust and school communityStrong collaboration across the trust family of schools and access to a centralised team of specialists across all areas of school operationsA commitment to high‑quality CPD, with dedicated time and budget for your developmentA values‑driven ethos where diversity, equity and inclusion are lived every dayRecognition of continuous service (modification order) to protect employment rights and entitlementsLocal Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions and death‑in‑service coverOccupational sick pay to support you during illness or unexpected emergenciesFamily‑friendly leave packages to help maintain a healthy work–life balance
In order to apply for this role please fully complete an application form by Monday 3rd August 2026, 9am. Please let us know if you require any adjustments as part of the process.
Further details and additional information about our trust may be viewed on our website.
Please know that depending on the number of applications received we may decide to close the advert early. If you do not hear from us by a week after the closing date then please assume that you have not been shortlisted for an interview. If you have previously applied for this role there is no requirement to apply again, all applications will be reviewed. We wish you all the best in your future and ask that you join our E-Teach Talent Pool so as to keep up to date with all of our latest current opportunities.
Join us in Providing a Great Education for Every Child
CSET is committed to equal opportunities and encourages applicants from all backgrounds and communities, as we recognise the importance and benefit this has for our pupils.