Commercial Operations Manager

About Magna Learning Partnership

Magna Learning Partnership is a group of secondary schools, one sixth form college and a primary school in the Salisbury and surrounding area

Our strength lies in our passion to make a difference on a daily basis to the lives of the young people who come through our doors. Each of our institutions has its own distinctive ethos and values, but we share a goal to ensure that every young person has access to an excellent educational experience.

The core aim of our partnership is to improve and further develop the quality of education provision across Salisbury and the surrounding villages for the benefit of all young people in the area, by creating a sustainable education partnership that, through the achievements of its young people enhances the reputation of education across Salisbury

The successful candidate will be:

• An individual with leisure or transport industry experience

• An experienced leader with the ability to manage operations with a £1M turnover

• Highly motivated and driven to succeed

• Able to communicate professionally and sensitively and can build and sustain positive relationships with key stakeholders and have a strong customer care focus

• Understanding of the need to comply with important regulations related to safeguarding, health and safety and the importance of a school’s primary function

The role will focus on two commercial business streams:

1. School Transport

2. Sports Centre and Lettings

The Commercial Operations Manager (COM) will be responsible for developing and delivering the Trust’s Commercial vision across these elements for all our schools and colleges.

The COM will develop the strategy with, and will be line-managed by the Director of Finance and Business (DFB). The COM will work with the DFB to develop and implement the commercial strategy and will manage the operations on a day to day basis. 

This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to develop a business enterprise; building on the existing customer base and expanding it to maximise revenue to invest back into education. 

School Transport 

As transport lead you will oversee the operation of vehicles used to transport students, and the drivers on behalf of the Trust and therefore will need to ensure that they:

• Manage, audit and review Transport compliance systems to ensure they are effective

• Develop the Trust’s transport plan each year, considering the commercial viability of routes

• Manage the Transport Budget including monthly collection of fees collected from Parents via Direct Debit.  

• Keep up to date on relevant changes in standards and legislation

• Keep driver administration up to date regarding correct licensing, training and insurance

• Ensure drivers are aware of their responsibilities and the penalties for failing to do so, manage driver ‘fitness to drive’

Lettings 

As lettings lead you will be responsible for growing the lettings income and managing the day to day operation, this includes:

• assessing existing facilities for lettings suitability, developing a marketing plan, setting a pricing strategy and growing customer numbers. 

• Operational Management of the existing lettings staff will be a key responsibility for the post which will include evening and weekend working. 

• Manage the Lettings budget including collection of fees and charges. 

• Establish and double the current lettings revenue of £125,000 for the year to August 2020.

Salary

The FTE for this role is SCP 49 on the NJC scale, £44,697.  This is pro-rated to £22,343, based upon 42 weeks at 20 hours/week

Part-time hours

20 hours per week during term-time plus 4 weeks of the school holidays, this is expected to be spread as 4 hours per day, Monday to Friday, to include one evening, but could be varied provided we can meet business needs.  Part of the role includes managing staff who work during evenings and weekends, so some flexibility of hours to be available at weekends is also required a few times a year. 

Location

The role will require travel between our sites, but the office base will be at Sarum Academy in Salisbury.

Other benefits

• Enrolment in the local government pension scheme for Wiltshire

• Bike to work scheme

• Staff discounts 

• Free on site gym

• Free on-site parking