Position Purpose & Overview
The Operations Manager coordinates school-wide operational services that support the safe, effective and uninterrupted operation of SJS. The portfolio includes events, health and safety, emergency preparedness, facility rentals, transportation administration, insurance, uniforms, sustainability, access/security coordination and other operational requirements.
Key Responsibilities & Expectations
- Operational Leadership & Business Continuity
- Coordinate responses to emerging or unforeseen operational issues affecting students, employees, facilities, programs or continuity of operations.
- Exercise independent judgment within established policies, budgets and delegated authority, escalating significant risks as appropriate.
- Coordinate cross-departmental operational responses, including responsibilities, communications, timelines and follow-up.
- Support continuity of operations during disruptions involving facilities, transportation, utilities, weather, construction, public-health matters or external events.
- Lead assigned cross-functional operational projects, continuous-improvement initiatives and relevant working groups.
- Event Planning and Support
- Supervise and support the Events Coordinator.
- Coordinate operational planning and delivery of school events, meetings, performances, professional development days and other activities.
- Work with School departments to establish requirements, responsibilities, timelines, budgets, logistics and communications.
- Coordinate facility, technology, audiovisual, security, access, furniture, catering and other operational requirements with responsible departments.
- Coordinate unusual or higher-impact activities such as filming, major community events, external productions and construction-related impacts.
- Manage assigned vendors and service arrangements, including required contracts, insurance, approvals and performance follow-up.
- Identify operational risks, resource constraints or conflicts and resolve or escalate as appropriate.
- Health and Safety Compliance
- Coordinate the School's operational occupational health and safety program in collaboration with the JOHS Committee, HR, Facilities and School leadership.
- Serve as an Employer Representative and/or Employer Co-Chair of the JOHS Committee, as assigned, and complete required WorkSafeBC training.
- Coordinate committee activities, inspections, training, documentation, corrective actions and required follow-up.
- Liaise with regulatory authorities, inspectors, consultants and other external resources on assigned OHS matters.
- Maintain required records, monitor recurring concerns and escalate significant issues appropriately.
- Sustainability and Environmental Operations
- Support the implementation of operational sustainability initiatives in collaboration with the Sustainability Committee, Facilities, students and employees.
- Coordinate operational resources for approved initiatives relating to energy, waste reduction, recycling, transportation, procurement and resource use.
- Track relevant initiatives and outcomes and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
- Access Control and Campus Security
- Coordinate access requirements for events, rentals, contractors, volunteers and other operational activities.
- Work with Facilities and other departments to administer temporary and event-related access arrangements.
- Serve as a secondary operational contact for campus security and participate in the established after-hours escalation process.
- Coordinate security planning and follow-up associated with events, rentals, filming, construction and security incidents.
- Escalate unusual or higher-risk access or security matters appropriately.
- Facility Rental Management
- Manage the School's facility rental program and serve as the primary administrative contact for renters.
- Coordinate availability, building requirements, staffing and operational requirements with Facilities and other departments.
- Prepare and administer rental agreements, fees, insurance requirements, deposits and required documentation.
- Coordinate invoicing and payment tracking with Finance.
- Manage renter communications and address concerns relating to conduct, property damage, additional charges or non-compliance.
- Maintain accurate rental records and consistent administrative processes.
- Monitor rental activity, cost recovery and service delivery and escalate unusual or higher-risk arrangements.
- Insurance Administration
- Coordinate Certificates of Insurance and other insurance documentation for approved School activities.
- Verify required insurance documentation from vendors, renters, contractors and service providers.
- Liaise with the School's insurance broker and internal stakeholders regarding activity-specific insurance requirements.
- Maintain insurance records and escalate potential claims, significant coverage questions or unusual requirements appropriately.
- Transportation
- Responsible for program administration, communication, customer service and cross-department coordination.
- Administer the student transportation program in collaboration with the Manager, Facilities & Transportation.
- Coordinate annual registrations, schedules, forms, parent communications and related documentation.
- Serve as a point of escalation for transportation inquiries, service concerns and significant changes.
- Coordinate communications regarding route changes, disruptions, delays and additional transportation services.
- Support transportation requirements associated with field trips, athletics, events, extracurricular activities and outdoor education.
- Coordinate operational requirements arising from major events, filming, construction, road work or municipal projects affecting transportation or campus traffic.
- Liaise with families, School departments, neighbours, the City of Vancouver and other external stakeholders as required.
9. School Safety and Emergency Preparedness
- Coordinate operational components of the School's emergency preparedness program.
- Maintain emergency plans, procedures, checklists, contact information and annual drill schedules.
- Coordinate emergency drills, simulations, communications, logistics and documentation.
- Liaise with local emergency services and relevant external agencies.
- Coordinate post-drill and post-incident reviews, corrective actions and readiness improvements.
- Organizing education to staff on emergency preparedness and response plans
- Support campus traffic-management planning and implementation in collaboration with the Manager, Facilities & Transportation.
- Coordinate the operational implementation and review of the School's communicable-disease prevention plan and related communications in accordance with applicable requirements.
- Support the development and implementation of operational safety, emergency-preparedness and violence-prevention procedures within the role's portfolio.
- Maintain processes and documentation for reporting and following up operational and safety incidents.
- Identify recurring concerns and escalate significant trends or risks appropriately.
- Uniforms Management
- Manage the School's uniform program in collaboration with School Principals and Finance Team.
- Manage vendor relationships, procurement, inventory, fittings and distribution.
- Maintain appropriate administrative processes relating to ordering, inventory and sales.
- Communicate uniform requirements to families; student compliance remains the responsibility of School leadership.
- School-Wide Policies Management
- Coordinate School policy and handbook administration, including review schedules, approvals, version control, publication and archival records.
- Work with designated policy owners to support timely review and publication; substantive content and compliance accountability remain with the applicable policy owner.
- Governance and Reporting
- Provide regular operational updates to the Director of IT & Risk Management, including significant projects, risks, vendor matters and service issues.
- Liaise with regulatory authorities, parents, local government and other external stakeholders on assigned operational matters.
- Coordinate operational requirements associated with Ministry and other regulatory inspections, as assigned.
This job profile outlines the key responsibilities for the roles and is not meant to be exhaustive. This will include performing the administrative and related tasks or any other responsibilities required to reasonably meet the needs of St. John’s School, including, but not limited to the general duties outlined in the position profile.
It should be understood that the activities, responsibilities and obligations of this position may be modified from time to time, through discussion between the direct supervisor and the employee, in order to effectively meet the requirements of the School. On rare occasions where there are urgent needs at the School, an employee may be assigned to temporarily backfill role(s) critical to the school’s operations and business continuity.
Success Measures
- Reliable, responsive and well-coordinated operational services.
- Effective planning and delivery of School events, projects and operational initiatives.
- Timely and professional administration of rentals, transportation, insurance, uniforms and assigned services.
- Effective health and safety and emergency-preparedness coordination, documentation and follow-through.
- Accurate operational records, effective workflows and demonstrated continuous improvement.
- Strong cross-department collaboration, sound judgment and appropriate escalation of operational risks
Required Qualifications & Key Competencies
Education & Experience
- Post-secondary degree, diploma or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience in business administration, operations, facilities, emergency management, risk management, project management or a related field.
- 3–5 years of progressively responsible operational experience, ideally in an educational or similarly complex environment.
- Demonstrated experience in project management, emergency/crisis response, vendor management and cross-functional coordination.
- Knowledge of applicable safety and regulatory requirements; project-management training or certification is an asset.
Key Skills & Competencies
- Respect, dignity, and inclusion for all members of the community.
- Flexible, adaptable, and can embrace changes.
- Self-awareness, with a desire for constant self-improvement.
- Collaborative mind-set and proven work ethic with a demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively as a team.
- Demonstrated ability to guide and lead teams.
- Demonstrated ability to provide training, guidance and operational leadership to employees across diverse professional functions.
- Strong organizational, administrative, and interpersonal skills, with proficiency in productivity suites such as Google Workspace and Microsoft Office.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a K–12 environment and support safe, inclusive and student-centred operations.
Job Information
- Full-Time Permanent role
- Employment start date: November 16, 2026
- On-site
- Comprehensive group benefits in accordance with SJS benefit plan eligibility.
- Annual Salary Range $81,000-$91,000
- This position requires flexibility to support School operations, including scheduled evening events and occasional early-morning and weekend commitments. The position also participates in the School's established after-hours operational escalation process. Hours of work and any applicable overtime requirements will be administered in accordance with applicable legislation, the employee's employment agreement, and SJS policy.
Reporting Structure
- Reports To: Director of IT and Risk Management
- Key Liaisons: Director of Finance & Human Resources; Junior and Senior School Principals; Manager, Facilities & Transportation; IT; Advancement; Finance.
- Direct Reports: Event Coordinator
- Department: Operations
- Key Interactions: City of Vancouver, Parks and Recreation, transportation and facilities vendors, Film and movie companies, faculty, non-teaching employees.
Conditions of Employment
- The successful candidate will be required to complete child abuse prevention training, concussion training, Level 1 first-aid training provided by St. John’s School and provide consent for a criminal background check for the vulnerable sector.
- Clearance on criminal record checks for vulnerable sector is a condition of employment.
- The ability to work in Canada, in an educational setting is a condition of employment.
- Ability to attend off-site activities and work occasional evenings, early mornings and weekends as operationally required.
Application Instructions
All interested candidates should include the following items in their application:
- Resume & Cover Letter
- Copies of any relevant certificates and diplomas
- Three Professional References
All interested candidates should submit their complete application here.
The posting will be active until filled. If you are having any problems submitting your application, please email hr@sjs.ca.
Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
St. John’s School is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning and working environment where all individuals feel valued, respected, and supported. We believe that diversity of backgrounds, identities, lived experiences, and perspectives strengthens our school community and enriches learning for our students.
Our commitment to equity and inclusion aligns with the values of the International Baccalaureate, including respect, intercultural understanding, and global citizenship.
St. John’s School is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from all qualified candidates. We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process, and reasonable accommodations are available upon request throughout all stages of hiring.
