Job Description

Office Manager (Maternity Cover)

Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria

Vision for Education is working in partnership with a specialist school in Barrow-in-Furness to appoint an experienced Office Manager (Maternity Cover). This is an excellent opportunity for a highly organised administrator with payroll, HR and personnel experience to join a supportive school environment and play a key role in the day-to-day running of the school.

The successful candidate will begin in September 2026 and benefit from an 8-week handover period, ensuring a smooth transition into this Office Manager role in Barrow-in-Furness. The role will last up to 12 months, and the school would consider both full-time and part-time applicants.

The Role

This Office Manager position in Barrow-in-Furness will see you acting as PA to the Head of School whilst overseeing the daily management of the school office and administration team. 

Key responsibilities include:

Managing the day-to-day operation of the school office and supervising administrative staff.

Acting as the first point of contact for staff payroll and contract queries.

Coordinating payroll information, supply staff payments, pensions administration and timesheets.

Supporting recruitment processes including advertising vacancies, arranging interviews, preparing offer documentation and onboarding new staff.

Managing personnel records, attendance monitoring, absence management processes and HR administration.

Maintaining safeguarding compliance, DBS records and the Single Central Record.

Producing reports, correspondence, meeting minutes and supporting senior leadership administration.

Managing school communication systems, including parental communications and website updates.

The ideal candidate for this Office Manager role in Barrow-in-Furness will have previous experience within administration, payroll and HR functions and be confident managing multiple priorities in a busy environment. Previous school-based experience would be advantageous.

Essential skills and experience include:

Experience using Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.

Strong administrative and organisational skills.

Experience maintaining efficient administrative systems and workflows.

Excellent communication skills and professional telephone manner.

Ability to manage confidential information with discretion.

Experience of payroll, contracts, personnel administration and attendance management.

The School

The Office Manager will join a specialist school in Barrow-in-Furness that supports children with severe and profound learning difficulties. The school works closely with a wide range of professionals, including therapists, health services, social care teams and families, creating a collaborative and supportive environment for both pupils and staff.

Based in Barrow-in-Furness, the school is part of a wider academy trust and places a strong emphasis on teamwork, professionalism and delivering high-quality support for pupils and their families. The successful Office Manager in Barrow-in-Furness will play a vital role in maintaining effective communication between staff, families and external agencies.

What we offer

As part of our team, you benefit from:

Excellent daily rates paid using the PAYE system. (Daily rate is subject to your scale rate, experience in role and qualifications which will be discussed at the point of registration.)

Guaranteed pay scheme (subject to availability).

Social and networking events.

Pension contributions.

CPD to help with your professional development.

Access to a dedicated consultant.

About us

We are a market-leading education supply agency committed to the development of young people. With branches across the country, we are an employer of choice for high quality educators.

We’re part of The Edwin Group, an education alliance here to do good and are proud to be named in The Sunday Times Top 100 Best Places to Work in the UK 2026.

We do not discriminate on the grounds of age, gender, race, colour, religion, disability or sexual orientation, and we welcome applications from all sections of the community.

How to apply

Apply today via this website, or for more information about this role and other opportunities call the Preston office on (phone number removed).

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