School Business Manager

Job title: School Business Manager

Job type: Permanent

Salary: £47k to £57k per annum dependent on experience

Location: Staines Upon Thames, TW18

EslingKenny is currently recruiting on behalf of a Educational Trust for a secondary school with academy status located in Staines and and educates pupils from the age of 11 (Year 7) to 16 (Year 11). The trust is responsible for the education of 12,000+ pupils and employs just over 1,400 staff. The Trust is organised into both phases and clusters to support specialist and cross-phase collaboration.

In this role you will be the leading business management professional working as part of the senior team to assist the Headteacher in their duty to ensure that the schools meets their educational/operational aims. Will work in close cooperation with the Trust’s central finance, capital, IT and HR executives.

The Business Manager is supported by finance, HR and business staff to support the day to day activities as well as IT and premises colleagues.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

General Duties:

• Work closely with the Trust’s central team to support setting the strategic financial and business direction of the schools
• Negotiate and influence strategic decision-making within the senior team
• Attend senior management/leadership team, full governing committee and appropriate governors’ sub-committee meetings as necessary
• Effectively identify and manage any reputational risks faced by the school Work with the relevant staff within the school and delegate tasks appropriately
• Effectively and sensitively manage conflicts within the workplace, following the Trust’s procedure
• Confidently and efficiently lead a team to meet the school’s strategic goals Actively contribute to the SDP, making meaningful and considered suggestions in areas where the school requires them most
• Promote the highest standards of business efficiency within the administrative function of the school

Finance and Business:

• Manage the long term business strategy for the school in conjunction with the Trust
• Ensure the school’s budget is balanced and appropriately investigate variances in the budget
• Monitor the school’s budget and work with budget holders to ensure that value for money is achieved
• With the Trust Finance Director, forecast future years’ budgets, taking into consideration, and relevant plans and new directions
• Work with the Trust’s central team to benchmark systems and information to assess trends and make appropriate recommendations
• Work with Trust representatives to ensure the school meets all statutory legal requirements of the Education & Skills Funding Agency, Charity Commission and Companies House
• Identify additional finance required to fund the schools proposed activities including the maximisation of income through lettings and other activities
• Put formal finance agreements in place with suitable providers for agreed amounts, at agreed times and appropriate agreed costs and repayment schedules; monitoring the effectiveness and implementation of such agreements

HR Management:

• In conjunction with relevant school staff, plan, lead and implement organisational change in conjunction with the Trust
• Handle HR processes and employee relations appropriately and implement any necessary actions, in conjunction with the Headteacher
• Where appropriate, be involved in the recruitment process of new staff, being able to identify the skills, knowledge and understanding that will be required of candidates
• Give constructive feedback to staff, handle potentially complicated or uncomfortable situations and take the necessary actions following this
• Work with payroll software, offering guidance to colleagues where appropriate Contribute to ensuring equality and confidentiality for all staff in line with the school’s policies and procedures

IT Management:

IT is strategically managed by the Trust’s Head of IT, but the post-holder will work with other senior leaders and the local and Trust central team to:

• Consider approaches for existing use and future plans to introduce or discard technology in the schools
• Consult with relevant people and other parties to introduce new technology or improve existing technology for different purposes
• Communicate and implement the Trust’s ICT strategy and relevant policies, including data protection for use of technology across each school
• Ensure data collection systems providing information to stakeholders are streamlined to maximise efficiency of the data supplied

Desired Skills Required But Not Essential:

• Managing strategic financial plans
• Managing budgets, financial reporting, procurement and fixed assets
• Managing teams
• Qualification or equivalent experience in a relevant discipline
• Accounting qualification or significant experience in financial management
• School Business Manager specific qualification i.e. Fellow of NASBM, DSBM, CSBM
• Recognised finance/management/business degree or equivalent related professional qualification
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Managing within an educational environment
• Managing at a senior management team level
• Managing change projects

Next Steps…

If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV. Please note due to the high volume of applications we sometimes receive it is not always possible to contact every applicant. If you do not hear from us within 14 days, please assume your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion but please continue to apply to more jobs represented by EslingKenny.

If this job isn't quite right for you but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion on your career - see our website for contact details.

EslingKenny Ltd is acting as a recruitment business in relation to this vacancy.