HEAD OF OPERATIONSAND PARTNERSHIPS

HEAD OF OPERATIONSAND PARTNERSHIPS CANDIDATE INFORMATIONFinton House School holds a special place in thehearts of all those who have been here, either as apupil, a parent or as a member of staff. It is aunique school combining a warm child-centricenvironment with a high focus on wellbeing andvalues while also achieving outstanding academicresults. This is in the context of a non-selectiveentry, increasingly rare for Prep schools in thearea, and a specific objective to include childrenwith special education needs who can thrive in amainstream environment.Inclusion is part of the fabric of Finton House,together with a focus on building anunderstanding of our roles in the Communityaround us and our duty to contribute. All this isdown to the culture, care and commitment of ourhighly experienced staff who get the best out ofevery child from those that need early support inspecific areas to the more able who should bestretched. Working here is deeply rewarding and often agreat deal of fun - after all, happiness is the key toa successful education. Everyone works hard tomaintain the school’s success and outstandingreputation, while in the knowledge that protectionof their own wellbeing is taken very seriously.HeadmasterWELCOME FROM THE HEADMASTERBen Freeman 2Finton House is a thriving independent co-educational prep school for 340 children aged4-11. Located near Wandsworth Common in SouthWest London, Finton House is a non-selective,inclusive school where children are prepared tothrive in an ever-changing world. The school’scommitment to pastoral care is as strong as itscommitment to providing an outstandingeducation, and its academic achievements at 11+speak for themselves: at Finton House, every childcan shine bright. Finton House was founded in 1987 as a charitabletrust on the principles that there should be noacademic selection for entry into Reception andthat all the children, including those with specialeducational needs, should enjoy a completelyinclusive, nurturing environment. These principlesunderpin the educational experience. The schoolhas a strong reputation for nurturing mixed abilitycohorts of children to experience the joy oflearning and develop their skills, knowledge andwellbeing. The impact and success of a Fintoneducation is evident in the number of childrenwaiting for a place to join in Reception or for anoccasional vacancy in all Year groups, and theremarkable success of pupils being awardedplaces and scholarships into a wide range ofselective independent senior schools.The school motto “Open Hearts and GuidingHands” sums up the warm and caringrelationships that the school promotes in anurturing learning environment, in order toprovide the most complete education.ABOUT FINTON HOUSE33SELIFLFIBEEKINDNESSCOMUCATINMNIOCURIOSTYIMORALITYRESILIENCETESRCPEFINTON HOUSE GOALS45Reporting to: Director of Finance & Operations(close liaison with Head and SLT)To provide strategic leadership of the school’soperational calendar, co-curricular infrastructureand external partnerships, ensuring that all pupil-facing activity beyond the classroom is safe,coherent, financially sustainable and aligned tothe school’s long-term strategic objectives.The postholder will bridge educational vision andoperational delivery — ensuring that events,educational visits, clubs, camps and partnershipinitiatives are not simply well-run, but purposeful,impactful and reputationally strong.JOBPURPOSE6Strategic Calendar & Operational OversightIn consultation with SLT, lead the strategic design and coordination ofthe whole-school calendar, ensuring balance, coherence and alignmentwith academic priorities.Coordinate end-to-end operational planning for major school events(e.g. concerts, sports days, open days, productions, parent events,internal school events, alumni events etc.).Anticipate pinch points (staff workload, site capacity, budget pressures)and proactively resolve conflicts.Chair a termly Operational Planning Forum (events, visits, co-curricular,estates, finance, safeguarding) to ensure dependencies are managed:rooms, staffing, site set-up, AV/IT, catering, health & safety, transport,comms, tickets/permissions, first aid etc.Establish clear planning timelines and minimum operational standards.Ensure major events reflect the school’s values and strategic positioning.Educational Visits Leadership (EVC)Serve as EVC, ensuring visits meet school policy and comply withrelevant guidance.Maintain a rigorous, proportionate and consistent visit approvalframework, including risk assessment, staffing ratios, safeguardingarrangements, medical needs, transport, emergency planning, consentand provider checks.Develop a culture where trips are high-quality, educationally purposefuland well risk-managed.Ensure visit leaders are trained/briefed and that roles andresponsibilities are clearly understood.Monitor quality and consistency of trip planning and ensurelearning/behaviour expectations are explicit.Collect post-visit evaluation and feedback to ensure this shapescontinuous improvement.STRATEGICLEADERSHIPRESPONSIBILITIESa) Strategic Partnership DevelopmentIdentify and cultivate relationships with:Local maintained and independent schoolsNurseries and senior schoolsCommunity and charitable organisationsCultural, sporting and enrichment institutionsEnsure partnerships are aligned to school strategy and charitableobjectives.Develop clear partnership frameworks (purpose, scope,safeguarding, review cycle).b) Community & ReputationLead structured community engagement initiatives.Ensure the school is a visible, responsible and collaborative localinstitution.Mitigate reputational risk through clear oversight of joint venturesand shared facilities.c) Commercial & Operational PartnershipsOversee third-party providers delivering services on site.Ensure appropriate SLAs, insurance, compliance and safeguardingchecks.Conduct annual review of provider performance and value formoney.d) Governance & RiskMaintain a formal register of partnership arrangements.Manage the Partnerships Budget.Report annually to SLT/Governors on partnership impact, risks andopportunities.Escalate strategic misalignment or reputational concerns promptly.7Co-Curricular & Extended Provision StrategyDesign and oversee a coherent, inclusive and financially sustainableco-curricular programme including staffing, management ofexternal providers, timetabling, venues, capacity and health &safety. Ensure registration/attendance processes are robust including latecollection arrangements where applicable.Review participation data, cost structures and staffing modelsannually.Quality assure provider arrangements - contracts/SLAs,safeguarding checks, insurance, risk assessments, supervisionboundaries and parent feedback – and lead the procurement andperformance review process. Ensure safeguarding, contractual clarity and quality assurancestandards are embedded.Camps & Commercial ActivityWorking with the Camps Manager, oversee holiday camps andextended provision as strategic income streams (where applicable).Ensure appropriate safeguarding, first aid, ratios, premisesarrangements, incident reporting and parent communications.Support budget planning for camps (income, staffing, providercosts, margin/affordability).Ensure commercial viability is balanced with reputational andsafeguarding considerations.Review pricing, margins and performance annually in conjunctionwith the Bursar. Partnerships & External Engagement Purpose: Develop and steward partnerships that are deliberate,mission-aligned relationships, enhancing educational opportunity,strengthening community standing and the School’s charitable aimsand supporting long-term institutional sustainability.Risk, Compliance & AssuranceEnsure all operational and partnership activity complies withsafeguarding, H&S and regulatory frameworks.Contribute to the school’s strategic risk register in relation to visits,extended provision and partnership exposure.Ensure clarity of delegated authority and decision-making boundaries.Leadership & CultureModel high standards of organisation, professionalism and judgement.Coordinate staff across academic and operational teams without directline management authority where necessary.Promote a culture of foresight, documentation and sharedaccountability.Provide calm leadership during high-profile or high-risk activities.Accountability & Performance IndicatorsCalendar is coherent, strategically aligned and proactively managed.Visits and events meet compliance standards with reduced operationalfriction.Co-curricular participation is strong, inclusive and financially sustainable.Partnership register is maintained and reviewed, and the impact isdemonstrable.Major events and external initiatives enhance the School’s reputation.SLT and Governors receive clear annual reporting on operational andpartnership performance.788The duties and responsibilities outlined may be subject to changebased on the school's needs and priorities. We reserve the right tomodify or amend the job description at any time, in consultationwith the employee, to better align with our school's goals andobjectives. Finton House Educational Trust is committed to safeguarding andpromoting the welfare of children and young people. Applicantsmust undergo child protection screening, including checks with pastemployers and Disclosure and Barring Service. Details of all checksare to be found in our Recruitment, Selection & DisclosuresProcedure which is available on the school's website.SAFEGUARDINGEssentialStrong organisational and strategic planning capability.Ability to operate confidently at SLT level.Excellent judgement in safeguarding and risk contexts.Strong oral and written communication for parents andgovernors.Ability to coordinate across departments with influence ratherthan authority.DesirableEVC qualification (or willingness to obtain).Experience leading events programmes.Experience managing external providers or partnershipframeworks.Interest in operational strategy and institutional development.PERSONSPECIFICATION930 days’ holiday (full time equivalent) Finton House operates a generous defined benefit pension scheme forall employees. Support staff are enrolled into Scottish Widow with anemployer contribution of 7.5%All permanent employees benefit from Life Insurance covering Deathin Service to a value of 2 times salary.All permanent employees benefit from Income Protection insuranceshould the employee fall ill, providing support during long term illness.Employees have the option to buy into the group medical insuranceprovided through Aviva. This covers a wide variety of treatmentincluding optical and dental.Permanent employees benefit from a staff discount on fees for allchildren attending Finton of 65% (pro rata).Lunch is provided to all employees during term time, alongside accessto refreshments throughout the day.The School participates in both a Cycle & Technology Scheme allowingemployees to benefit from favourable purchase terms and taxefficiencies.All employees have access to an industry leading Employee AssistanceProgramme offering employees and their dependents access towellbeing resources including counselling and legal advice.Staff Loans are available for training courses and travel support.Finton operates a lively social life with regular staff events alongsidetraditional mentoring and support.BENEFITSFinton House Educational Trust is an equal opportunities employer and iscommitted to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and youngpeople. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screeningappropriate to the post. The appointment is subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks in accordance with the relevant statutory guidance, includingan enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check, satisfactory references, proof ofidentity and qualifications, a review of their social media presence and asatisfactory medical report.