Admin Manager

Job Introduction

 Admin Manager

Hours of work: 37 hours per week; 52 weeks per year

Salary Details: Grade F - £40,643 – £45,077

Closing date: 27/03/2026 at 12:00 noon

Interview date: 17/04/2026

Job Start Date: May 2026 (or earlier if available)

Contract/Hours: Permanent, Full-time

Location of Role: Forest Park School

Forest Park School, is a Hampshire local authority maintained special school.  We provide education for children and young people aged 2-19 years with severe, profound and complex learning difficulties, many of whom have autism.  The split-site school (Primary and Secondary) is situated in Totton and has an admin office in both schools.

At Forest Park School we are committed to providing a friendly environment that allows all pupils to reach their full potential through our long-term mission of ‘opening the door to what’s possible’ supported by our school values of: ‘communication, independence, aspiration, respect and resilience.’   We believe strongly in working closely with pupils, staff, families and partners and welcome all contributors.

We pride ourselves on our consistently high standards and expect all our staff to share this commitment.  If you feel that Forest Park is the school for you, we’d love to hear from you!  

Job Introduction:

We would like to appoint an experienced, collaborative, reliable and highly effective Admin Manager to lead our friendly school admin team.  Working alongside the Headteacher and the School Business Manager, you will develop and manage a comprehensive, effective and confidential administrative service for the whole school, ensuring all stakeholders benefit from high standards and efficient working practices.  In addition, you will support day to day operation of school finance systems including processing orders, invoices, payments, claims and managing stock control.  

Relevant experience within a school administration role, including HR and recruitment is essential, including the use of Arbor, the school’s information management system.  Some finance experience is highly desirable; however, we are primarily seeking a resilient, collaborative leader with a can-do attitude.   The successful applicant will need to be very resilient, with excellent interpersonal skills and able to remain calm under pressure; the ability to work flexibly with good sense of humour is essential, as no two days are the same!   

This role is suited to someone with a positive approach to their work, who is willing to go the extra mile.  It is an exciting opportunity for the right person to really make a difference to the whole school including staff, pupils and their families. 

The candidate will also need to hold a full driving licence and have access to a vehicle for work, as we are a split-site school and you will work in both offices.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Lead and support the effective running and function of the school admin team
• The implementation of HR and recruitment services from enquiry to post job offer, in line with safer recruitment practices.
• Manage the school’s DBS checking process and maintain the Single Central Register (SCR).
• Record, monitor and support the staff absence process.
• Processing school census and DFE pupil assessment administration.
• Oversee the administration of pupil consultations and admissions process.
• Day to day financial operations including processing payments and claims; invoicing; ordering of goods and services; stock control and purchasing.
• Lead and manage the programme of school policy renewal and revision, in line with DFE and HCC requirements 
• Manage school communications including updating the school’s website and Facebook page with dates, events and vacancies.
• Oversee the booking of training, manage the school calendar, appointments, meetings 
• Assist with the preparation and organisation of whole school events, training days and functions.

Essential Skills and Experience:

• Have previous sustained, successful experience of working within a school office environment, ideally within HCC.
• Possess excellent organisational, communication and interpersonal skills at all levels, including the ability to lead, motivate and manage a staff team.
• Possess excellent IT skills, including highly proficient use of Microsoft Office (including Word and Excel) and school-based information systems (Arbor)
• Be able to maintain oversight of the whole office function, supporting and managing workloads effectively to prioritise and meet deadlines as appropriate
• Have experience or an awareness of, recruitment processes, including safer recruitment and GDPR requirements
• Have experience of school finance operational processes
• Work with high levels of discretion, accuracy, efficiency and attention to detail including having excellent proof reading, written and numeracy skills
• Be confident, flexible and resourceful; being able to multi-task under pressure, dealing with all matters confidentially
• Be able to maintain the oversight of the whole school calendar of events, bookings, meetings and appointments throughout the year 
• Be integral to the organisation of whole school events such as training days, full Governor meetings and parents’ evenings.

Application Procedure:

If you are interested in applying for this position, would like to arrange a visit or find out more, please contact Admin by email:  admin@fpshants.co.uk or phone: 023 8086 4949

Applications must be made on the HCC Support Staff Application Form attached to this advert and emailed to: admin@fpshants.co.uk 

Please do not send CVs as we are unable to accept these.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if sufficient suitable applications are received and may arrange interviews before the closing date.

Safer Recruitment:

Forest Park school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Offers of employment will be subject to the full Safer Recruitment process including an enhanced DBS check, a full online check and references from previous employers.