Job Description: School Business Manager (across two schools)

Salary:£32,785-38,403 – pro rata, 30 hours per week from April 2016, rising to 37 hours per week as the schools grow

Start dateASAP

Initially a temporary contract with the possibility of becoming permanent for the right candidate.

The Role

Core purpose of the post

As the School Business Manager for Ascot Road and Lanchester Community Free Schools, the postholder will be responsible for the oversight of the financial administration of the school, ensuring that the school complies with the Trust’s financial procedures, supervising monthly budget monitoring reports for the Executive Principal and the governing body, and ensuring that information required from the school, in order to fulfil all external financial reporting requirements, is provided in an accurate and timely manner.

Responsibility for promoting high standards in premises management across both schools.

Duties:

Finance

  • Prepare the annual estimates of income and expenditure for the school for approval by the Excutive Principal, governors and Trust.
  • Prepare regular management accounts for the Executive Principal and report on the financial state of the school to the governors
  • Advise the Executive Principal and governors on financial policy, preparing appraisals for particular projects
  • Ensure the school complies with Schools Financial Value Standard
  • Use financial management information, especially benchmarking tools to analyse trends and identify opportunities for greater efficiency.
  • Manage school accounting function effectively ensuring compliance with the Trust’s agreed procedures by conducting an annual review
  • Oversee the ordering, processing and payment for goods and services provided to the school
  • Ensure accuracy of monthly bank reconciliations for all bank accounts held by the schools.
  • Maintain the schools’ asset registers
  • Oversee invoices for goods and services supplied, and manage the income collection and debt recovery processes.
  • Prepare required end of year financial information for consolidation into the Trust’s final accounts
  • Prepare all financial returns for the DfE in respect of the school.
  • Maximise income generation within the ethos of the school
  • Process any insurance claims that arise

Human Resources

  • Oversee the operation of agreed personnel procedures including employment clearance for new staff. CRB, occupational health etc
  • Advise principal and governors on the assessment of salaries, expenses, sickness andmaternity procedures
  • Maintain confidential staff records and ensure that all staff records are held centrally.
  • Be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to child protection, health and safety, confidentiality and data protection and report all concerns to an appropriate person
  • Be aware of and support difference and ensure that the schools’ equalities and diversitypolicies are followed.

PREMISES AND HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT

  • Provide leadership and direct line management of facilities staff and office staff
  • Monitor and implement the school’s safety policy to comply with the requirements of theHealth and Safety at Work Act and other legislation
  • Act as the school’s health and safety coordinator
  • Manage the letting of the school premises to outside organisations and school staff and the development of extended schools activities with particular reference to the local community

Supervision

  • The postholder will be line managed by the Executive Principal.
  • Work will be generated by senior and middle managers and by parental, governor and Trust enquiries. The requirements of government and other external bodies, including the DfE will be routinely passed to the jobholder.
  • The postholder manages a small team of office and facilities staff.
  • The postholder provides leadership to all of the schools’ activities that are not directlyrelated to teaching and learning
  • The postholder is responsible for all of the schools’ administrative, reception and back- office functions.
  • Thepostholdermay be asked to carry out such reasonable duties, which may be required, within the competence of the post holder, as necessary, when requested by the Executive Principal.

Person specification: Business Manager

Essential / Desirable
Knowledge / Qualifications
Degree / X
Accountancy qualification or equivalent / X
School business qualifications / X
HR, FM, H&S qualifications / X
Evidence of commitment to CPD / X
Education MIS / X
Financial MIS / X
Understanding of company and charity law / X
Experience
Accountancy experience / X
Experience of supporting academies / X
Experience of leadership and management / X
Procurement and management of contracts / X
Experience of working with a range of external partners / X
Project Management / X
Risk management / X
Experience of providing HR support / X
Experience of facilities management / X
Personal attributes
Ability to communicate at all levels (written, oral and presentation skills) / X
Ability to work independently and proactively / X
Strong team leader supporting development at all levels / X
Commitment to abide by and promote equal opportunities and child protection policies (and health and safety?) / X
Flexible approach to hours (some evening work required) / X
Good sense of humour and flexible / X