Overview
Chief Operating Officer Jobs in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa at Cliffview Primary_Northcliff Johannesburg
Title: Chief Operating Officer
Company: Cliffview Primary_Northcliff Johannesburg
Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Company Description
At Cliffview, we believe that education extends beyond the classroom. Our approach combines a strong academic foundation with opportunities in sport, culture, creativity and personal development. We encourage every learner to discover their strengths, build confidence and participate fully in school life.
We are committed to creating a supportive environment where learners feel valued, encouraged and inspired to achieve their potential. Through academic excellence, sporting opportunities, cultural experiences and personal growth, we aim to equip our learners with the knowledge, skills and values they need to embrace the future with confidence.
With a proud history and a clear vision for the future, Cliffview Primary School continues to grow as a school where learners are encouraged to learn, grow and reach for the stars.
Role Description
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a senior leadership role accountable distinctively, for driving commercial revenue through the strategic use of the school’s facilities, venues, and sports infrastructure. The role carries a 70% revenue-generating mandate, requiring the COO to operate with the commercial discipline of an enterprise director while safeguarding the educational mission, reputation, and values of the school.
The COO will identify, develop, and manage income-generating opportunities — including facility hire, sports facility lettings, holiday programmes, and third-party partnerships — while ensuring core operational functions (finance, HR, estates, compliance,systems and health & safety) remain robust, efficient, and audit-ready.
Key Responsibilities
Commercial Revenue Generation (70% weighting)
- Develop and execute a commercial strategy to maximise income from facility hire, including sports fields, courts, halls, pools and classrooms during evenings, weekends, and school holidays.
- Set and continuously review competitive pricing structures for venue and facility hire to maximise yield while remaining market-appropriate.
- Proactively identify, pursue, and close new commercial opportunities, including corporate bookings, community sports clubs, holiday camps, conferencing, and third-party events.
- Build and maintain a pipeline of repeat hirers and long-term commercial partners (sports academies, clubs, corporates, NGOs) to ensure sustainable, recurring revenue.
- Negotiate and manage commercial contracts, service-level agreements, and lease/hire terms with external clients and partners.
- Own the commercial P&L for facility and enterprise operations, reporting revenue performance, margins, and forecasts to the SGB on a regular basis.
- Oversee marketing and promotion of the school’s facilities to target commercial markets, working with marketing/communications teams where applicable.
- Ensure all commercial activity is appropriately insured, risk-assessed, and compliant with safeguarding requirements given the proximity to a school environment.
Core Operational Leadership (30% weighting)
- Lead and oversee the school’s operational functions, including finance, human resources, facilities/estates management, IT, and administration.
- Ensure the school operates within approved budgets, with robust financial controls and reporting across both core and commercial operations.
- Maintain and improve the condition, safety, and efficiency of the school’s physical estate to support both educational delivery and commercial use.
- Ensure full compliance with relevant regulatory, health & safety, and safeguarding requirements across all school operations and commercial activities.
- Lead, develop, and performance-manage operational and commercial staff, fostering a high-performance, service-oriented culture.
- Act as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), contributing to the school’s overall strategic planning and Board reporting.
- Manage procurement, vendor relationships, and service contracts to ensure value for money across the school.
Essential
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Commerce, Finance, or a related field; a postgraduate qualification (MBA or equivalent) is advantageous.
- Minimum 7–10 years’ senior management experience, with a demonstrable track record in commercial/revenue-generating roles (e.g. venue management, hospitality, facilities enterprise, sports/leisure management, or business development).
- Proven experience owning and being measured against revenue or P&L targets.
- Strong financial management experience, including budgeting, forecasting, and reporting to SGB/Board level.
Requirements added by the job poster
• Master’s Degree