Office Manager

Job description / Role

Duties and Responsibilities

General administration
• Manage and administrative team to deliver day-to-day administrative operations
• Maintain accurate paperwork and records in the school
• Maintain a firm line of communication with the administrative team at other DBS campuses
• Liaise with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education over required paperwork. Provide information related to the schools and their students to government departments, in compliance with their requirements
• Maintain and up-to-date procedural manual for all administrative and procedural tasks
• Endure administrative records such as asset registers, inventory lists, stock lists and lists of the location of equipment and assets are filed and up-to-date. Ensure assets and stock values and items are uploaded to the group’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system
• Report to the Head of Corporate Services on any school-wide deficiencies in record-keeping and administrative procedures
• Ensure the schools stay within the Qatari data protection regulations, as well as international copyright regulations: obtain the necessary permissions and rights clearance for the use of pupils’ data, and clear rights for photo, text, image and performance uses
• Respond the concerns courteously and promptly while serving the schools’ interests, maintaining good relationships through a customer-facing ethic

Admissions and student records
• Operate a visible, accessible Reception area for the schools
• Respond timeously and courteously to parents’ enquiries
• Line manage the schools’ data officers
• Be familiar with the operations of the schools’ Management information system (MIS), and know how to export and maintain data
• Run the admissions processes at the schools, including staff, work flows, test scheduling, record keeping and parent liaison
• Liaise with the senior leadership team over admissions decisions
• Resolve complex or contested admissions instances with key stakeholder including the Principal and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education
• Maintain communication with the pool of families awaiting admission at all times
• Manage the responsiveness of customer-facing staff
• Endure that all student records are kept accurate and up to date on the school’s Management Information System (MIS)
• Use the MIS to generate data for analysis by the schools’ senior leadership and the Boards of Governors
• Be familiar with Ministry of Education and Higher Education regulations regarding grade equivalencies and the attestation of certificates
• Export relevant student data from MIS systems to the group’s ERP system, while maintaining Qatari regulations regarding the privacy of student data
• Take responsibility for the accuracy and confidentiality of student data, including special medical, disability and safeguarding data
• Manage student enrolment in line with agreed targets.


Tests, Examinations and student progression
• Manage tests and examinations by ensuring that examining board regulations are met, timetables are drawn up, certification issues are dealt with statistical data are validated, and examination fees and item bank charges have been paid
• Be familiar with equivalency tables for different curricula and grades attained, as issued by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education
• Liaise with senior leadership to facilitate student entry into higher education
• Liaise with the Principal over decisions related to student achievement, progression and exclusion

Teaching and Learning resources
• Follow group procedures regarding the levels of delegated expenditure available to different staff in the schools
• Maintain requisition and purchase order records and signoffs
• Participate in budget and target setting regarding controllable costs prior to the start of the academic year
• Assist with annual book, stationery and equipment purchases
• Ensure the effective management of the schools’ inventory of textbooks, stationery, consumables and software licenses, through control procedures and staff management

Community engagement
• Project the image and reputation of the schools in line with the schools’ marketing plans and marketing budgets
• Deploy social media, word of mouth and PR and advertising to promote enrolments
• Ensure stationery and branded items conform to the schools’ brand values
• Line manage the schools’ marketing staff

Cross-functional tasks
• Liaise with the Principal over admissions, student progression and student exclusion
• Liaise with the Principal over the schools’ image, reputation and its PR
• Liaise with the Vice Principal to maintain up to date records of school policies and procedures
• Liaise with the group’s HR manager over personnel issues related to school employees
• Liaise with the group Finance manager over income, cash and budgetary management
• Liaise with the group Procurement manager over asset management, consumables purchasing and the status of supplies
• Liaise with the Head of Corporate Services regarding service requests
• Coordinate offline requisitions.

Requirements

The position is a management position, so a degree or some evidence of higher education studies such as a Diploma or Foundation degree is required, in the following areas:
• Business Administration
• Management studies
• Computing and Information Technology
• Human Resource management
• Public Administration

Knowledge:
• Degree and/or Diploma qualified. Qualified and licensed engineer, quantity surveyor or other chartered professional.
• Proficient in the Microsoft Office suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, Project and PowerPoint.
• A working knowledge of databases as the incumbent will be required to work with the school’s MIS and the group’s ERP. An appreciation of the nature of the contribution that data and its measurement can make to school performance.
• Some working knowledge of the sector, such as QMSA or international inspections requirements, examinations administration, graduate entry requirements or grade equivalences, will be an advantage,

The incumbent must demonstrate the following skills:
• Excellent organisational and time management skills;
• Team leadership and motivation. the ability to appraise, praise and develop people
• The capacity to prioritise tasks and work under pressure;
• The ability to liaise well with others and delegate tasks;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, especially as regards reporting;
• Flexibility and adaptability to changing workloads;
• Problem-solving skills and project management ability;
• The ability to represent complex issues clearly to management;
• A strong understanding of personalities and behavioural styles; negotiation skills; conflict management and resolution skills
• Excellent attention to detail and well-organised record keeping;
• Proficiency in English required; the ability to speak Arabic is an advantage.

The incumbent must demonstrate the following personal attributes:
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• A service ethic that embodies understanding, handles difficult customers and responds tactfully yet firmly in complex situations
• Commercial acumen and good judgment
• Confidentiality and trustworthiness in dealing with all aspects of the school
• A strong work ethic and a ‘can-do’ attitude
• Cultural awareness and sensitivity
• Assertiveness and presence
• The ability to influence senior management and build strong commercial relationships
• Patrience, tact, diplomacy and approachability
• Flexibility adaptability, passion

Experience
• Experience of office and team management is highly valued for this position
• The incumbent should be capable of being promoted into a senior leadership role
• A minimum of four years’ experience in academic of administration environments, at least two of which should be in a supervisory position.

About the Company

Artan Holding is a Qatari-owned company with a diverse portfolio of businesses including:

• Doha British School Established in 1997, Doha British School delivers the National Curriculum of England from Pre-School to IGCSE and in the Sixth Form International Baccalaureate Diploma.

• City University College is a higher education institution in Qatar that offers recognised UK degrees licensed by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. City University College is provider of the BTEC and Ulster University Qatar degrees, SI-UK services and IELTS courses. City University College offers alternative routes to university and work, both for high-school students as well as employed people.

• Qatar Skills Academy established in 2010, a training academy providing accredited vocational education and training.

• ACES is a private Education group which owns, manages and operates educational institutions in Qatar with the objective of fostering academic innovation and excellence.

• Mirage International Property Consultants established in 2004, a real estate company specializing in the sale, leasing and facilities management of commercial and residential properties in Qatar and around the world.

• Primepower Middle East specialize in the supply of temporary power solutions to support the increasing demand on the country's infrastructure. from 6kva up to Multi Megawatt modular power systems, there is a solution for every customers requirement.

• House of Architecture and Interiors established in 2012, an architecture and design company offering diversified interiors solutions through integrated services and products.

• Gulf CMS offers a wide-ranging repair service to Qatar customers, including reconditioning. Our well-qualified technicians handle every damage for our customers at our fully equipped maintenance center.

• Ulster University (UU) Qatar operates its branch campus in Qatar in partnership with City University College. Ulster University, Qatar is working to develop a skills-based economy as part of Qatar’s National Vision 2030. Their business expertise, quality teaching and innovation will deliver the future business leaders of Qatar and beyond.

UU Qatar provides students with the skills and knowledge to fuel public and private sector organisations to drive the regional economy. The range of business degree courses on offer including the International Foundation Programme and BSc (Hons) Business Studies.

• SI-UK is a British owned and an official UK University representative, it is the truly global UK focused education agency in the world. It is the official representative of over 380+ Universities & Colleges. Thousands of student university applications are processed every year through its offices globally. In Qatar its office officially represented by City College. SI-UK can assist with your application for foundation, undergraduate or postgraduate programmes.