Operations Manager (Paternity Leave Cover, 1 year)

General:

• On an ongoing basis, ensure that the department is functioning in a reliable and effective way, facilitating all school functions as expected within the remit.
• Organise, schedule and implement operations tasks, projects and facilities, to ensure the stability and efficiency of operational elements within the School.
• Line manage operations team members, focusing on a growth of performance and effectiveness over time.
• Work with all operations team members to resolve daily problems and tasks as needed.
• Take requests from other staff as needed and be sure that they are addressed in a timely and efficient fashion.
• Work with the Head of Operations on a regular reporting schedule to the school Senior Leadership Team and also the AISL group.
• Work with the Operations Office Manager to track and forecast the operations budget, under the guidance of the Head of Operations.
• Oversee the management of all fixed assets, including their registration in the company system, and through a Planned Preventative Maintenance schedule.
• Run the operations department when the Head of Operations is absent or away on business.
• Develop and maintain working relationships with the group of schools to facilitate experience sharing and learning within the group.
• Prepare a draft of the monthly departmental report, for final review by the Head of Operations.

Transportation:

• Manage transportation manager in all regards.
• Review daily, weekly and monthly transportation schedule.
• Review and manage vehicle maintenance scheduling.
• Research and propose long-terms solutions to control costs and improve effectiveness of transportation systems.
• Liaise with transportation manager, vendor and other parties as needed.

Facilities:

• Manage operations supervisors in all regards.
• Be the primary point of contact for FM and security services.
• Organize and direct spot cleaning checks, maintenance scheduling,
• Collect and record all statutory inspection records.
• Organize and execute support tickets.
• Oversee fixed assets in all regards.

Accommodations:

• Ensure that all staff accommodations are kept in good working conditions.
• Schedule cleaning, repairs and maintenance as necessary.
• Collect and execute on all accommodation support tickets.
• Oversee procurement for kitting out of new accommodations, as well as replacement of FF&E as needed.
• Oversee moves in and out of accommodations in all regards.

Operations Services:

• Oversee, manage and run operations services.
• Ensure that requests for support tickets, room/vehicle reservations, procurement requests and all others are collected and executed in an efficient, fair manner.
• Review annually for improvement.
• Publish a bi-annual study of incident reports.

Manage departmental budgets by forecasting needs, monitoring expenses, and enforcing spending limits:

• • Collaborate with the Head of Operations to provide accurate data and forecasts for annual budget
• preparation.
• • Identify departmental needs and justify budget requests with clear operational goals.
• • Track actual spending against the approved budget for their area.
• • Ensure that all activities and purchases are within allocated limits.

Ensure policy-driven purchasing, risk coverage, and high-value vendor contract management:

• Ensure that all purchasing activities within their department follow the School Procurement Policy, including proper documentation, competitive bidding, and ethical vendor selection.
• Assist in identifying key operational risks and ensure that relevant areas (e.g., equipment, activities, staff) are adequately covered under the school’s insurance policies.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to negotiate, review, and monitor major contracts with vendors, ensuring terms are favorable and performance is tracked.

Monitor regulatory changes, advise leadership on compliance, and ensure policy alignment in operations:

• Stay informed about changes in laws or regulations that affect school operations.
• Advise senior management on compliance risks and recommend operational adjustments when laws or policies change.
• Participate in strategic planning to ensure legal and policy alignment.
• Provide clarification and guidance when policies are updated or misinterpreted.

Ensure seamless campus operations by upholding service quality, safety, and maintenance across all facilities and support services. In general, Campus Service includes but not limited to Catering, Facility Management (FM), Medical and School bus:

• Participate in regular performance reviews and site inspections to ensure service quality is compliance with contracts.
• Maintain open communication with vendors to resolve issues promptly and collaboratively.
• Catering Services: Ensure meals meet nutritional, safety, and cultural standards, and support student well-being.
• Transportation Services: Coordinate logistics for school trips, events, and emergency transport needs.
• Medical: Monitor the responsiveness and professionalism of medical staff.
• FM: Ensure timely completion of repairs, preventive maintenance, and facility upgrades.
• Repair, maintenance and renovation: Ensure that all facilities remain in proper working condition. Flag, follow up and communicate with relevant vendors with any issues raised up, support the School Head of Operations with all the relevant yearly plans.

Enforce health & safety compliance, oversee risk assessments, and lead effective safety drills:

• Actively monitor and ensure that all team activities comply with the school’s Health and Safety Policy.
• Guide and support staff in conducting Risk Assessments, review findings, and ensure appropriate control measures are implemented.
• Organize, supervise, and evaluate regular safety drills. Ensure staff understand their roles and that drills are conducted effectively.

Assist in operations management and ensure accurate, timely reporting to AISL Group Operations

• Assist the Head of Operations to manage all aspect of the operation team.
• Assist Head of Operations to submit the school operation monthly report, monthly KPIs, updated contract and other documentations to AISL Group Operations.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Education Management, Law, Business English, or related field (Master’s Degree preferred).

Qualifications

Professional certificate on Facility Management or relevant fields is a surplus.
Project Management certification is desirable.

Knowledge

Sound understanding of regulations and practice in educational industry.

Experience

8+ years in operations management, preferably in international schools or educational
institution.
Experience in multicultural environments.
Business level proficiency in Japanese and English is essential

Benefits

• Heavily subsidised accommodation provided
• Annual bonus of up to one months' salary
• Winter sports equipment and lift passes provided
• Free use of resort facilities including onsen
• Free use of school facilities e.g. pool, gym etc
• Return shinkansen tickets to Tokyo
• Meals provided during term time