Job Description

: Bursar

Job Title: Bursar

School: KD Grammar School for Boys, Manchester

Contract: Full-time, Permanent

Responsible to: Headteacher

Responsible for: Finance Office

Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience

KDGB (Kassim Darwish Grammar School for Boys) is an independent Grammar School for 150 boys aged 11-16 situated in South Manchester and also is a member of the Independent Schools Association (ISA). KDGB is a faith school, with a caring inclusive ethos based on Islamic values, open to students of all backgrounds. Although comprehensive in intake, its results are exceptionally high. With small class sizes, teachers have the opportunity to help each student to reach his full potential. Normal school holidays apply, in addition to that, there are extra religious holidays given to accommodate the schools faith. Chorlton is a vibrant area and has easy access to the tram and bus station.

Purpose of the Role

The School Bursar is responsible for the strategic and operational management of the school's financial, estate, and business functions. The role ensures that the school remains financially sustainable, safe, compliant, and efficiently run. The postholder oversees finance, procurement, payroll, bursaries, compliance, and estates management to support the school's educational aims and ethos, ensuring the smooth and effective operation of all business activities in support of high-quality education.

Key Responsibilities

1. Financial Management and Accounting

Lead, manage, and oversee all financial operations, including planning, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting.

Prepare annual accounts, management reports, and financial statements for the Headteacher, Trustees, and auditors.

Monitor income and expenditure, ensuring financial stability, budgetary control, and value for money.

Maintain accurate records in Sage, reconciling daily receipts and expenses and updating staff on collections (trips, lunches, registration fees, etc.).

Manage BACS and card payments, prepare payment runs, and ensure all transactions are authorised.

Oversee petty cash: process vouchers, reimburse staff, maintain records, and prepare top-up analyses.

Administer monthly payroll, liaising with the external accountant, obtaining Headteacher's approval, and distributing payslips.

Record and monitor staff absences, ensuring accurate leave and sickness tracking.

Process statutory payments (SSP, SMP) and liaise with management on pay adjustments.

Process annual salary data and liaise with SLT for updates.

Support annual audits, liaising with auditors and addressing queries.

Prepare VAT figures and support the Trust in financial planning and compliance.

Close annual accounts and ensure all balance sheet items are reconciled and ready for audit.

2. Procurement and Supplier Management

Process purchase orders: analyse requirements, source suppliers, compare prices, check budget alignment, and obtain approvals.

Track orders, verify invoices, and reconcile them in Sage before payment.

Obtain quotations for goods and services, ensuring cost-effectiveness and compliance with school procurement policy.

Manage long-term contracts (e.g., copiers, cleaning) and review service quality and renewal options.

Arrange contractors for repair or maintenance needs.

Arrange contractors for repairs and safety inspections (fire extinguishers, water, gas, electrical).

3. Fees, Billing, and Debtor Management

Manage fee billing, collection, and reconciliation processes.

Set up Direct Debit mandates for all parents and follow up on failed or missing payments.

Maintain debtor records and ensure timely follow-up with parents via phone, email, and formal letters.

Enforce fee collection policies (e.g., penalties for non-payment, withdrawal without notice).

Issue invoices for inter-school cost sharing and external services

Maintain high collection rates and minimise arrears through consistent engagement and follow-up.

4. Bursary Administration

Manage bursary applications for new and existing parents in line with internal policy timelines.

Collect and assess financial documents (P60s, payslips, bank statements, tax returns) to verify eligibility.

Prepare reports for the Trust CEO's decision-making and communicate outcomes to parents.

Maintain up-to-date bursary templates and ensure data confidentiality.

Collaborate with Admissions and the Trust Office to streamline the bursary process.

5. Leadership and Collaboration

Provide financial updates and analysis to the Headteacher, SLT, and Trustees.

Lead and manage a small team of bookkeepers, ensuring that the school operates efficiently and compliantly.

Liaise with the Trust CEO on all financial matters, ensuring efficiency, accountability and alignment of financial operations.

Contribute to the development and implementation of school finance, bursary, and procedural policies.

Safeguarding Recruitment Statement:

We are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and we expect all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. The successful candidate must be willing to undergo an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), including checks with past employers.
Please note that since the new guidance in Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022 came, we also have to carry out an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted candidates. This is to enable us to identify any incidents or issues which have happened and are publicly available online which we might want to explore at interview. Once shortlisting has taken place, this search will be carried out for all candidates who confirm they will attend an interview.

All applicants must be permitted to work in the UK and hold a relevant Passport / work permit where necessary. If you have lived or worked outside of the UK in the last 5 years, the Trust will also require additional information and a Certificate of Good Conduct /Police Clearance from the country abroad you worked/ stayed at, in order to comply with safer recruitment requirements. Any job offer will be conditional on the satisfactory completion of all the necessary pre-employment checks and receipt of satisfactory references.

This post will be exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The amendments to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 [exceptions] Order 1975 provides that when applying for certain jobs and activities certain convictions and cautions are considered protected. This means that they do not need to be disclosed to employers and, if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found in 'Changes to the Criminal Records System November 2020.docx Page 2' on the Ministry of Justice Website and the websites of charities NACRO and UNLOCK.

At the shortlisting stage, candidates will be required to complete a self- declaration form regarding their criminal record (unless 'protected') and will also be required to submit any information that would make them unsuitable to work with children. Any such information will be treated in strictest confidence and used only in consideration of the suitability of the post. Criminal convictions will not automatically exclude you from being considered unless they fall within the threshold of being relevant and unsuitability, and will be considered on a case by case basis or as defined by the Department for Education.

It is an offence to apply for a post engaging in regulated activity relevant to children if you are barred from working with children.

We retain the right to close the advert before the listed closing date based on application volumes.

Please note: We will only contact shortlisted applicants.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: 33,000.00-36,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Canteen Company pension Discounted or free food Free parking On-site parking
Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 01/12/2025
Expected start date: 05/01/2026