The London Oratory School invites you to apply for the full time, permanent post of Director of Premises and Operations from January 2027. Trad, but quirky, The London Oratory is amongst the city’s most prestigious Catholic schools. We educate boys from 7 to 18, with girls in the Sixth form, in a broad, liberal arts curriculum – but that’s not all, so do please visit our website.
Our invitation:
As our large scale building project draws to a close, the School is seeking to appoint a proactive and effective Director of Premises and Operations. They are a key member of the School team, responsible for ensuring a safe and well-maintained environment for all. The role oversees premises management, health and safety, and operational efficacy across the School. The postholder will oversee premises projects, manage ancillary services including cleaning and catering, and ensure full compliance with statutory, regulatory and operational safeguarding requirements.
The successful candidate will serve as the School’s Health and Safety Officer and Data Protection Officer, overseeing risk management, emergency planning, GDPR , Freedom of Information requests, and Subject Access Requests. They will also contribute to policy development and review, ensuring the School remains in accordance with current legislation and best practice. Please see the JD for an outline of duties.
This is an excellent opportunity for a competent and proactive professional with strong team leadership, organisational and compliance expertise to make a significant contribution to the School’s ongoing operations success and development.
Your gifts:
The successful candidate will ideally bring strong leadership experience in premises, external contract management, or operations management. Experience of working in a school or similar educational setting is highly desirable. They will possess a strong understanding of the operational demands of a school and the importance of providing a safe and welcoming environment that enables pupils and staff to thrive.
They will demonstrate a proven track record of coordinating teams, managing complex compliance requirements, and delivering operational improvements. With excellent organisational and project management skills, they will be capable of balancing strategic planning with the practical demands of day-to-day operations, ensuring that site, services, and resources are managed properly and efficiently.
The role requires a thorough understanding of health and safety legislation, risk management, safeguarding responsibilities, and data protection requirements, together with the ability to develop and implement policies that reflect current statutory guidance and best practice. The successful candidate will be a confident communicator, able to build positive relationships with colleagues, contractors, governors, and external agencies, while providing professional advice and leadership across the School.
Our School:
In addition to first class facilities which all staff are encouraged to use (including free lunch, Friday cake, on-site parking, and a state of the art gym and swimming pool). The post comes with a highly competitive salary package and supportive team. In addition, here are five reasons as to why you should consider working with us:
- Our vision: A compelling vision of what a distinctively Catholic education should look like, open to the world and fitting pupils to move through it with panache and confidence;
- Our pupils: Well-disciplined, switched on, cosmopolitan – and quirky – supported in their growth by skilled staff and a tightly structured pastoral system;
- Our staff: An intellectually lively and collegial Common Room culture, that supports you in your career growth;
- Our priority: A highly supportive and collegial atmosphere at all levels that values and recognises the great work that teachers do, and the challenges and sacrifices they make to do it. In addition to daily freshly brewed coffee, we also offer full access to staff medical and counselling services, should these be required;
- Your future: An innovative staff development programme that looks to support you in growing in your vocation, in a school that is keen to think through the implications of cutting edge pedagogical research and development, within a rich philosophical and spiritual heritage.
The School enjoys a highly competitive salary scale to recognise and reward the very committed body of staff that make up its Common Room.
Your next steps:
Interested candidates should complete an online application form on TES or complete one on our website. Applications will be considered as they are submitted, and they School reserves the right to interview suitable applicants before the deadline. We consider application forms a legal document, and so information submitted should be truthful and accurate.
The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. We are an equal opportunities employer.
To apply for this job please visit: www.london-oratory.org.
Please mention catholicrecruitment.co.uk when applying.