Job Description

Role: School Business Manager (SBM)

Location: Whitefriars Primary

Reports to: Headteacher

Line Manager to: Site Supervisor

Hours: 30 - 37 hours a week, 42 weeks a year or 52 weeks (hours and weeks negotiable

Grade: J to K, points 27 - 36 (37,035 - 45,718 FTE)

How to apply

All documents including the full job description, person specification and application form are available on our website https://www.tovelearning.org.uk/vacancies/current-vacancies. Please ensure your application form and covering letter includes examples of your experience and how you meet the criteria outlined in the job description and person specification. Further information requests or completed applications should be sent to E: hr@tovelearning.org.uk

Closing date: Monday 23rd June 2025 at 12 noon.

Interviews: Friday 27th June 2025

Job Context

Whitefriars Primary School is committed to offering all children aged 3-11 a rich and diverse educational experience. Our aim is to provide the best possible learning opportunities to enable every child to fulfil their maximum potential academically, socially and culturally. This means that the adults in the school will strive to support every individual to attain the very best in terms of educational, personal and social development. Whitefriars Primary School joined Tove Learning Trust in September 2024.

The SBM will support the Headteacher with the business support, resources management and HR functions of the school. They will contribute effectively to the senior team to ensure that the school is able to meet its educational aims under the leadership of the Director of Primary Education. The role is one of a lead professional and will be a key member of the leadership team. The post holder will be responsible to the Headteacher but will also have opportunities to participate in activities across the trust and network with other business professionals. The role would also focus on leading and developing the school support staff to become the best they can be.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership

- Provide strong and innovative leadership in all aspects of the role including strategic direction, change management and operational effectiveness.

Finance

- Ensure the effective management, reporting and recording of the school's finances, including budget planning, monitoring, control and communication of financial information for decision-making.

HR

- Manage the school HR systems, working with the central HR team and MHR (itrent) to ensure regulatory and legal compliance. Manage, support and develop all school staff to maintain a stable and effective workforce.

Support Services

- Lead, develop and coordinate support services, or specialist function(s), to support outcomes for pupils across the school.

Premises

- Manage the Site Team and support them to create a safe and inspiring workplace for all students. Assess the needs of the school to ensure that use of existing accommodation is optimised and areas for development are identified as early as possible.

Leadership & Strategy

Contribute to and promote the vision, values, moral purpose and ethos of the school in a purposeful and inclusive manner. Influence priorities and activities in relation to the SDP by providing an alternative viewpoint from a non-teaching perspective that enables wide collaboration and coordination. Demonstrate strong leadership skills when seeking input from others. Sustain team spirit, set expectations, drive performance and provide feedback and encouragement. Develop own CPD by reflecting on performance and feedback. Support the delivery of consistent information across all communication channels. Become actively involved in local and trust networking groups and respond to consultations. Be the lead contact for the Chief Finance Officer (CFO TLT) for consultation, development, tasks and feedback. Advise Governors on all matters relating the legal and financial obligations of the school consulting with external advisors as required. Be responsible for line-managing the office staff and the site team, including long-term planning, appraisal and professional development.

Finance & Procurement

Oversee the financial operations of the school(s) in line with the procedures of the Trust. Assist the Headteacher with setting the school budget linking financial strategy to the School Development Plan. Monitor overall expenditure and performance against budget to ensure the successful achievement of school's objectives whilst delivering a balanced budget. Ensure that financial performance reporting is accurate, clear and relevant to the audience for whom it is intended. Implement effective systems of internal control as laid down by the trust that include clear procedures and accountability. Provide training to colleagues on financial procedures as required. Promote and embed a culture founded in the principles of Value for Money and identify efficiency opportunities based on spend analysis. Communicate the importance of obtaining competitive quotes and follow in full the trust procurement processes, seeking specialist external advice when required. Actively manage school contracts and identify any underperformance to ensure the school receives optimum service. Oversee the maintenance of a contract log including dates and procedures for contract closedown to ensure no financial penalties are incurred for poor timing or lack of notice. Manage the deployment of a range of income-generating activities to maximise the school's financial resilience. Develop a business case for securing funds through successful grant applications and bids. Establish and maintain proportionate business continuity arrangements for financial processes and information. Act with integrity, honesty, loyalty and fairness, always within the limits of professional competence, to safeguard the assets, financial probity and reputation of the school/Trust.

Human Resources

Develop detailed knowledge of the Trust HR policies and assist school leaders in their implementation and compliance. Identify and review annual staffing needs in line with the SDP including recruitment options. Influence and fully understand the recruitment, selection & induction processes. Inform and challenge senior leaders to ensure they also understand them and are fully engaged with the processes in place. Ensure that safer recruitment processes are in place and that the SCR and DBS records are compliant and up to date. Support appraisers to carry out appraisals for all staff ensuring managers have honest conversations with their staff about their strengths, limitations, development needs and career aspirations. Ensure that all activity relating to HR is consistent and in line with legislation including guidance to managers cascaded from our HR advisors and the TLT HR Strategy Manager. Keep accurate and appropriate records of HR-related issues including grievance, absence management, underperformance and disciplinary practice. Comply with and promote safeguarding arrangements.

Support Services (including Admin/ICT)

Ensure the fundamental facilities and services necessary for the school to function are maintained to support teaching and learning excellence. With the trust marketing team, ensure the development of a marketing and communication strategy and materials which promote the school and defines the brand, aims and goals, and maximises pupil recruitment and stakeholder engagement. Lead on the admin functions across the school, ensuring service users receive support that meets their needs and review roles and responsibilities accordingly. With the IT Services Manager, review ICT systems in use by the school and contribute to the school strategic plan for ICT to support teaching and learning and business management processes, whilst harmonising with the overall trust vision for ICT. Within the Trust SBM network, recommend admin, finance and ICT systems and packages that will support the school's development such as cashless catering, reporting software etc. Keep records in accordance with the school's record retention schedule and data protection law, ensuring information security and confidentiality at all times. Be the school's data protection lead, taking responsibility for working with the trust DPO, monitoring data protection compliance and advising the school community on data protection issues Oversee the systems and controls relating to the Catering service for the school and recommend efficiencies and improvements.

Premises & Health & Safety

Manage an effective asset management system to identify and protect the school resources. Have detailed knowledge about the school's expansion and improvement plans to participate knowledgeably in the school / Trust's overall Estates strategy. Assist the Site Manager, to manage the condition survey to identify necessary improvement works and grounds maintenance issues to be costed and planned. Monitor capital projects to ensure that they are delivered on time and on cost. Develop a school culture in which health and safety is prioritised, meets statutory compliance and informs strategy, planning and decision-making. Ensure there are effective arrangements for managing and mitigating risk across the school/trust including insurance, robust risk management and health and safety advisors. Undertake any other task requested by the Headteacher that is commensurate with the grade and responsibilities of the SBM role.
The school business manager will be required to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people, and follow school policies and the staff code of conduct.

Please note that this list of duties is illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of the role. It is not a comprehensive list. The post holder may be required to do other duties appropriate to the level of the role, as directed by the Headteacher and/or CFO.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent

Pay: 37,035.00-45,718.00 per year

Benefits:

Company pension Cycle to work scheme Free flu jabs Free parking Health & wellbeing programme On-site parking
Schedule:

Day shift Monday to Friday
Licence/Certification:

Driving Licence (preferred)
Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 23/06/2025
Reference ID: WHP SBM