Woodridge & St Andrew’s primary schools

Job Description: School Business Manager

Post:School Business Manager

Grade:42 - 46

Responsible to:Headteachers of Woodridge Primary School and

St Andrew’s CE Primary School

Job Purpose:

  1. The School Business Manager gives strategic vision and leadership to certain agreedaspects of Budget, Finance and Premises, across two primary schools (Community and VA).
  2. The School Business Manager assists with the financial procedures and systems of the schools, in co-operation with the Headteacher and Governors of those schools; ensuring that legal and safety requirements with regard to people and property and function of the school are maintained.
  3. The School Business Manager promotes the highest standards of business ethos within the administrative function of the school and strategically ensures the most effective use of resources in support of the schools’ learning objectives.
  4. The School Business Manager (with the Headteacher of each school) will assist with the Financial Resource Management, Facility & Property Management and Health & Safety Management of the School.
  5. The School Business Manager is jointly responsible (with the Headteacher of each school) for the effectiveness with which the school deploys its resources to achieve value for money.

Duties:

  1. Finance and Accountancy Plus

The School Business Manager will work with the Headteacher of each schoolon the financial management of the school. Specific responsibilities include:

  • Evaluate information and consult with the Headteacher and Governors to assist in maintaining a realistic and balanced budget
  • Use the school budget to actively monitor and control performance to achieve value for money
  • Advise the Headteacher and Governors if fraudulent activities are suspected or uncovered
  • Maintain a strategic financial plan that will indicate the trends and requirements of the school development plan and will forecast future year budgets
  • Establish systems to maximise 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;
  • To benchmark systems and information to assess trends and make appropriate recommendations
  • To explore possibilities for gaining capital funds under any new proposals that may arise, including bid writing where appropriate
  • To prepare SFVS annually
  1. HR Administration

The School Business Manager will be jointly responsible (along with the Headteacher) for the HR administration of the school. Specific responsibilities may include:

  • Provide the necessary advice to the Headteacher, Senior Leadership Team and Governors on current and relevant employment law and associated matters, including the updates of Policies for this purpose
  • Ensure effective administration with regard to HR documentation
  • Seek and make use of specialist expertise in relation to HR issues
  1. Facilities Management

The School Business Manager will be jointly responsible (along with the Headteacher) for the overall management and maintenance of the buildings, facilities, grounds, fabric and furnishings of the school. Specific responsibilities may include:

  • To support and guide relevant admin, finance and premises staff, where possible
  • Advise upon the maintenance of the school site including fixtures and fittings
  • Establish systems to manage the letting of school premises to external organisations, for the development of the extended services and local community requirements.
  • Seek professional advice on insurance and advise the SLT on appropriate insurances for the school and implement and manage such schemes accordingly.

In order to deliver services effectively and meet the needs of the schools at the time, a degree of flexibility is needed and the postholder may be required to perform work not specifically referred to above. Such duties, however, will fall within the scope of the post and will be decided by the relevant Head.

It should be noted that the postholder will not be required to fulfil all aspects of this job description across both schools; each school will determine which aspects are required for their particular needs and this may be subject to change over time (by negotiation).

Woodridge & St Andrew’s Primary Schools

School Business Manager (Primary Liaison) Person Specification / Assessment Key: A Application Form I Interview
Education and Qualification / Essential / Desirable / Assessment
Relevant professional qualification /  / A/I
Commitment to personal/professional development /  / I
ADSBM / DSBM /  / A
Experience / Essential / Desirable / Assessment
of working in a senior level in a school /  / A
of managing a range of staff /  / A
of managing resources / 
Knowledge and Understanding / Essential / Desirable / Assessment
Be conversant with developments in changing educational environment /  / A/I
Ability to deal with conflicting priorities effectively and diplomatically /  / A/I
Ability to work under pressure and to deadlines / 
Ability to improve own and team’s knowledge through sharing good practice /  / A/I
Good knowledge of Microsoft office products /  / A/I
Good knowledge of Integris /  / A/I
Personal Qualities / Essential / Desirable / Assessment
Enthusiastic and committed /  / I
Flexible, adaptable and innovative /  / I
Excellent interpersonal skills /  / I
Understand the particular requirements of working in an school environment with young people /  / A/I