Job Description

About The Role

------------------

Reports to:

Operations Director

Location:

West London - with some travel to various Ark Start sites in London

Contract:

Permanent

Pattern:

Full-Time

Closing date:

Monday 9th June at 10am

Salary:

c. 40,000 per annum (depending on qualifications and experience)

About the role:

We are looking to recruit an Admissions and Parent Support Manager to join the Ark Start Team. The successful candidate will excel in a range of different duties including team management, communicating with external and internal stakeholders, driving admissions for the nurseries and ensuring consistent processes across the team, while demonstrating high levels of attention to detail in their work.



Ark Start have 5 nurseries in South & West London and are planning to add more settings over the next year. This role will lead a team of 2 admissions and customer services officers and will also take responsibility for supporting individual nurseries with admissions.



The role would suit a highly organised manager who would thrive working with a range of different people in a dynamic and fast-growing organisation.

Key responsibilities

Management of the Admissions & Customer Services Team

+ Take responsibility for admissions systems, ensuring they are up-to-date and support efficiency across the team
+ Take responsibility for communications templates, process plans and keeping the admissions handbook updated
+ Manage weekly occupancy meetings to ensure appropriate approval and communication of all bookings
+ Calculate occupancy and spaces across the nurseries, ensuring the team are clear on what offers can be made
+ Work with the finance team to ensure write-off procedures and approvals are followed and minimised
+ Support the team to manage workload and priorities, including support and cover across all Ark Start nurseries, as required
+ Manage systems and processes set-up for new nursery openings
+ Implement local marketing initiatives (eg. attending school fairs, distributing leaflets, liaising with local organisations for promotion) and work with the Ark Digital Marketing team (for website and social media activity) in order to fill nurseries to target capacity

Admissions Process with Parents & Nurseries

+ Take the lead on delivering admissions and customer service for up to 3 nurseries, while managing oversight and cover for all nurseries.
+ Communicate with parents by phone and email
+ Take responsibility for Ark Start general communications, ensuring queries are answered, or directed to the appropriate member of staff for follow up
+ Liaise with nursery Area Leads and the Director of Early years to ensure information is correct and customer requirements are met
+ Keep the management information system up to date
+ Review and send monthly invoices, generated by the system, and answer any queries from parents about charging
+ Oversee weekly catering orders, ensuring parent requirements are reflected and match parent invoices
+ Resolve initial complaints and queries, escalating when necessary
+ Manage communications with parents to ensure outstanding payments are followed up and processes amended, where applicable, to minimise debt levels

Reporting & Data Analysis

+ Collate benchmarking information, and report, on local fees to support the pricing strategies across the nurseries
+ Review weekly debt reports, to support communications with parents, and produce summary reports to feed into monthly management accounts
+ Analyse catering requirements, orders and actual distribution to minimise waste and improve ordering efficiency
+ Report regularly to nursery managers and SLT on enquiry status, occupancy and forecasts to support decision making
+ Prepare monthly reports on enquiries to share, and review, with the digital marketing team, proposing marketing targets and strategies (eg. through website, social media, local events) to increase occupancy
+ Prepare monthly occupancy reports, including forecasting, to include in SLT reporting and support budget preparation

Benefits

------------

+ Our working patterns aim to strike the right balance between in-person collaboration and remote working. You will be based in our state-of-the-art office in West London, allowing you to connect with colleagues, with the flexibility to work remotely on occasion
+ Our flexitime policy allows you to work your hours around our core hours of 10.00 - 16.00, helping you prioritise your work-life balance and personal commitments
+ 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service up to 30 days after 3-years' service. This entitlement is pro rata for part time employees. This entitlement excludes bank holidays
+ As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to
+ Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face-to-face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform
+ Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest-free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests

About Us

------------

Our dedicated team work together to ensure that every child has a joyful, engaging, and secure nursery experience and leaves us ready to start school happily and confidently. We are driven by our values in everything we do: Aim High, Be Brave, Be Kind and Keep Learning.



Ark Start is at an exciting time in its evolution. We have opened five nurseries across London and aim to expand our reach over the coming years.

Diversity and inclusion:

We aim to build a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone - staff and students - can do their best work and achieve their full potential. We want to reflect and represent diverse perspectives across our organisation because we know that doing so will make us stronger and more effective. To know more about Ark's diversity and inclusion commitments, please click on this link.

Safeguarding statement:

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.


Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark's safer recruitment process, please click this link.


Please note we will be reviewing applications on an on-going basis and this role may close earlier than advertised depending on the level of response. We strongly encourage to submit your application at your earliest convenience.



If you would like to hear more about this role or about Ark Start, please contact recruitment@arkstart.org.uk