Park Lane Primary School

JOB DESCRIPTION

POST TITLE: School Business Manager / SALARY SCALE:
RESPONSIBLE TO: Headteacher
RESPONSIBLE FOR: Administration staff
Premises manager
Purpose

The post holder will be responsible for the day to day management, organisation and efficient operation of the school’s: -

  • Financial management and accounting processes.
  • Human resources.
  • Site and premises services.
  • Catering.
  • Business partnerships, funding and the community.

The post holder will be a member of the senior management team (SMT).

Particular Specific Responsibilities relating to senior management responsibility

  • To uphold and demonstrate explicitly the vision, values and aims of the school and to actively contribute to their development.
  • To contribute to the development of the school improvement plan and to monitor and review its effectiveness. To take responsibility for the implementation of key aspects of the plan.
  • To work alongside all other staff to promote appropriate professional behaviours and a positive ethos within the school.
  • To be a member of the senior management team, contributing to the strategic direction of the school and taking responsibility for the operational management of the school.
  • To co-ordinate and manage the work of staff who are line managed by the post holder.

Other Responsibilities

  • In addition to undertake such duties of a similar nature as may be reasonably directed by the headteacher from time to time.

Main duties and responsibilities

Administration
  • To be responsible for ensuring that the preparation of statistical returns and reports are accurate and undertaken on a timely basis.
  • To be responsible for ensuring that the school attendance records are maintained and monitored appropriately and returns made as necessary.
  • To use and develop the use of ICT and make recommendations to the headteacher (depending on budgetary provisions) to introduce new and innovative systems and procedures where appropriate. For example using an electronic registration and attendance system, electronic dinner money collection, automated cheque run and so on.
  • To be responsible for obtaining the necessary licences and permissions and ensuring they are accurate and kept up to date.
  • To be responsible for branding and marketing for example ensuring the school has an up to date and professional brochure.

Finance

  • To ensure that effective and efficient financial procedures and systems are in place and are strictly adhered to.
  • To have overall responsibility for keeping/overseeing, maintaining and reconciling the school’s accounting records to include the delegated budget, school funds, school journey accounts, dinner monies and so on.
  • To provide information and advice to the headteacher and Governors on budgeting, financial policy and planning and the development of a long-term financial strategy. To support the headteacher and management committee in drawing up budget estimates using the computer budgeting system.
  • To liase with the Council’s auditors and finance department and deal with queries to implement any recommendations to meet legal requirements and report to the headteacher and governors.
  • To be responsible for overseeing the use of the official ordering system and to ensure all expenditure is legitimate, in line with the budget set and against priorities identified in the school development plan.
  • To oversee that all cash handling is safe and secure and within the school’s code of financial practice.
  • To be responsible for ensuring that the school is adequately covered by insurance in all respects.
  • To seek professional advice when necessary on insurance matters and risk assessment. To carry out risk assessments at least once a year. To ensure that third parties and users of the school’s premises are adequately insured in accordance with legal requirements. To handle claims that may arise.
  • To achieve best value in all areas of expenditure by researching suppliers and providers, monitoring the cost of contracts against outcomes and making recommendations for any changes. This includes all service level agreements, contracts, insurance and so on.
  • To ensure the financial terms of reference are adhered to.

Human Resources

  • To be responsible for developing and maintaining up to date personnel records of all staff to include recruitment, training, salary assessments, expenses, allowances, maternity leave, sickness leave, holiday and other leave.
  • To act as the ‘contract compliance manager’ for the pay roll service and ensure that all staff are paid correctly and promptly.
  • To endeavour to solve salary and pay enquiries for members of staff by liasing with the personnel service, pay roll service providers and the lead administration officer.
  • To ensure staff returns and reports are completed within the required timescales.

Site and Premises Services

  • To manage the premises manager to ensure the building is (a) safe and secure and (b) maintained and cleaned to a high standard.
  • To support the governing body and headteacher in drawing up plans for the development of the site and premises.
  • To liase with those from the LA and the headteacher in respect of proposed capital building work.

Information Communication Systems

  • To ensure that all administrative and financial data is regularly and securely backed up. To test back-ups and ensure that they are reliable and can be restored.
  • To ensure that the school’ administrative and financial computer systems are properly maintained and regularly checked.
Other duties and responsibilities
  • To work closely with the headteacher in supporting the work of the school’s governing body, advising and reporting to governors’ meetings as required.
  • To work in accordance with national and agreed LA policies and liaise with LA officers, advisors and other outside agencies as appropriate.

To attend staff and SLT meetings in accordance with the post holders responsibilities.

To provide line management for all staff detailed in this job description, monitor their performance and plan for their training and development needs.

To review and revise the codes of practice and policies annually.

To ensure all duties and responsibilities are discharged in accordance with the school’s health and safety at work policy.

To participate in the school’s performance management scheme, ensuring that performance standards and targets are set and met within the agreed time scale.

To undertake other reasonable duties commensurate with the grade of the post.

Equal Opportunity

The post holder will be expected to undertake all duties in the context of and in compliance with the council’s equal opportunities policies.

Date of issue:______

Signature of postholder:______

Signature of headteacher:______