Operations Manager
1 day ago
London
ONELAB College | Full-Time | On-site | East London (Tower Hamlets) Salary: £38,000–£50,000 per annum, dependent on qualifications, skills and experience. Reports to: Chief Design & Operating Officer Contract: Initial 12-month Fixed-Term Contract, with the opportunity to become permanent, subject to organisational requirements and successful performance. Build the Operational Backbone of a Different Kind of College. Most operations roles are about keeping an organisation running. This one is about helping redefine education. At ONELAB, we believe young people learn best by doing. We don't separate education from the real world—we bring the real world into education. Our learners don't just study. They design, make and sell. They develop brands, manufacture products, run live retail experiences, create content, solve real business problems and build the confidence, independence and employability skills needed for adult life. Everything we do is built around one philosophy: Design > Make > Sell We're now looking for an exceptional Operations Manager to help build and protect the environments that make this possible. This isn't a traditional school operations role. It's an opportunity to help shape one of the UK's most innovative specialist colleges for young people aged 16–25 with SEND. About ONELAB ONELAB College exists to redefine education for neurodivergent young people. We combine: • Creative education, • Enterprise, • Design studios, • Production workshops, • Retail, • Live Social Shopping, • Employability, • Real-world learning into one integrated learner experience. Every environment is designed to prepare learners for adulthood, employment and independence—not simply qualifications. We believe the environments young people learn in matter just as much as the curriculum itself. Safe, calm, organised and professionally run environments help learners feel confident, regulated and ready to succeed. That's why operations matter. The Opportunity As Operations Manager, you'll be responsible for the day-to-day operational leadership of ONELAB. You'll ensure every learner, member of staff and visitor experiences an organisation that is: • Safe, • Organised, • Professional, • Well-maintained, • Operationally excellent, • Ready for learning every single day You'll oversee everything that keeps ONELAB operating effectively, from Health & Safety and facilities management through to compliance, ICT coordination, enterprise operations and environmental standards. You'll work closely with the Chief Design & Operating Officer, Principal and wider leadership team to continually improve systems, processes and operational excellence as ONELAB continues to grow. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who enjoys taking ownership, solving problems and building systems that enable people to do their very best work. What You'll Be Responsible For You will lead and oversee: Operational Leadership • The day-to-day operational running of ONELAB, • Operational planning and continuous improvement, • Development of systems, processes and operational standards, • Contractor, supplier and external partner management, • Business continuity and operational resilience Health & Safety & Compliance • Health & Safety across the college, • Fire safety and evacuation procedures, • Risk assessments and statutory compliance, • GDPR operational compliance, • Safeguarding through safe operational environments, • Compliance records, audits and inspections Facilities & Estates • Building maintenance and repairs, • Planned preventative maintenance, • Site presentation and environmental standards, • Security and access arrangements, • Cleaning, waste management and facilities services Creative Studios & Enterprise Operations Unlike most education settings, you'll also oversee the operational readiness of: • Creative studios, • Production workshops, • Specialist equipment, • Retail environments, • Live Social Shopping operations, • Enterprise activity, • Storage, stock and fulfilment operations Ensuring these environments remain safe, organised and professionally maintained is a critical part of the role. ICT & Infrastructure Working alongside Wavenet and external providers, you'll oversee: • ICT infrastructure, • Device management, • Operational technology, • Network coordination, • Digital operational systems Asset Management You'll help protect and maintain ONELAB's investment in: • Creative equipment, • Machinery, • Learner devices, • Staff devices, • Furniture, • Operational resources, • Physical assets Who We're Looking For We're looking for someone who combines operational excellence with innovative thinking. Someone who enjoys creating order from complexity. Someone who sees problems before they happen. Someone who loves improving systems. Someone who understands that behind every outstanding organisation is an exceptional operations team. You'll likely have experience in operations, facilities, estates, compliance or business management within education, the public sector, commercial environments or creative industries. You'll also be someone who: • Is highly organised and dependable, • Thinks proactively rather than reactively, • Leads with professionalism and accountability, • Has excellent problem-solving skills, • Can balance attention to detail with strategic thinking, • Communicates confidently with staff, contractors and external partners, • Takes ownership and follows things through to completion, • Thrives in fast-moving environments, • Is comfortable managing multiple priorities simultaneously A Different Kind of Operations Role ONELAB doesn't operate like a traditional school. Every day is different. One moment you may be coordinating contractors, the next supporting preparations for a live retail event, reviewing Health & Safety procedures in a workshop, planning improvements to learner environments or helping develop new operational systems as the college grows. We're looking for someone who enjoys that variety. Someone who is comfortable working in an organisation that's continually evolving and improving. Someone who doesn't simply maintain systems—but builds better ones. What Success Looks Like You'll know you're succeeding when: • Staff trust operational systems because they work., • Learners experience calm, safe and professionally maintained environments every day., • Problems are prevented rather than reacted to., • Health & Safety becomes part of everyday culture., • Equipment, facilities and resources are consistently operational and well maintained., • Enterprise activity runs smoothly., • Compliance is always inspection-ready., • Operational improvements become continuous rather than occasional., • People can focus on teaching, learning and creativity because operations simply work. Great operations often go unnoticed. That's because everything feels organised, reliable and effortless. That's the environment you'll help create. Why Join ONELAB? This is an opportunity to help build something genuinely different. You'll join an ambitious organisation that's challenging traditional education and creating meaningful pathways into employment and independence for young people with SEND. You'll have the opportunity to: • Help shape one of the UK's most innovative specialist colleges, • Work alongside a passionate and ambitious leadership team, • Influence how a growing organisation develops, • Lead meaningful operational improvement, • Build systems that support creativity, enterprise and outstanding education, • Make a genuine difference to the lives of young people every single day Salary & Benefits • Salary: £36,000–£50,000 per annum, dependent on qualifications, skills and experience, • Full-time, on-site position based in Tower Hamlets, East London, • Initial 12-month fixed-term contract with the opportunity to become permanent, subject to organisational requirements and successful performance, • Opportunities for professional development and career progression, • Be part of an ambitious, supportive and collaborative team, • Work in a unique creative learning environment unlike any traditional educational setting Ready to Help Build the Future of Education? If you're an experienced operational leader who thrives on creating safe, efficient and inspiring environments—and you're excited by the opportunity to help redefine education for neurodivergent young people—we'd love to hear from you. Apply today and become part of the team that's building the future of creative SEND education. Key Information Applications Close: Friday 10 July 2026 at 5:00pm In-Person Interview Week for Shortlisted Candidates: 13-17 July 2026