School Business Manager

Job Title: School Business Manager

Reports to: Headteacher

Grade Range: PO7 (Awaiting evaluation)

Salary Range: SP 43-47

Leads & Manages

Finance Administrator

Caretakers x 2

Middays x27

Term time only and 4 additional weeks during school holidays

Key Strategic Responsibilities of the Post:

• The postholder is responsible to the Headteacher in all matters.
• The School Business Manager is the school's leading support staff professional and works as part of the Senior Leadership Team to assist the Headteacher in their duty to ensure that the school meets its educational aims.
• The SBM leads and manages Finance, Premises Management, Lunchtime provision, Health and safety and Extended school provision.
• Takes a full and active part in the leadership, operation and development of the school.
• Contributes to system leadership through purposeful collaboration with other schools and organisations.
• Promotes the highest standards of business ethos within the business function of the school and strategically ensure the most effective use of resources in support of the school's aims
• Provides strategic financial oversight to ensure that existing resources are utilised effectively and potential funding streams are maximised.

Specific Tasks:

Leadership & Strategy

• Attend Senior Management/Leadership Team, full Governing Body and appropriate
• Governors' sub-committee meetings
• Negotiate and influence strategic decision making within the school's Senior Management/Leadership Team
• In the absence of the Head Teacher, take delegated responsibility for Financial and other decisions
• Plan and manage change in accordance with the school development/strategic plan
• To lead and manage school support staff as detailed above
• Overseeing the strategy to improve pupil attendance
• Strong working relationship with the School Leadership Team (SLT)

Financial Management

• Prepares the annual estimates of income and expenditure. Working closely with other members of the Senior Leadership Team, prepare and present for approval: three year plans, annual budgets and forecasts and cash flow statements which support the school's Development Plan including any medium term capital plans needed to support the Development Plan.
• To effectively lead on the management of the school fund account.
• Work with the head teacher to link the School Development plan to financial planning using the ICFP tool from the DFE.
• To ensure that the finance systems are compliant with SFVS.
• Manage the operation of the capital/building programme including assessing tenders, monitoring contracts and ensuring suitable controls are in place for managing these projects. Provide constructive support in managing the continuing use of existing facilities during any construction or refurbishment periods.
• Prepare monthly management accounts and present termly management accounts to the Resources Committee, including variance analyses, statements of cash position, donations received and any other agreed information. Investigate variances to budget monthly and communicate overruns to budget holders promptly so that any appropriate action can be taken swiftly.
• Provide regular updates of the actual and projected financial performance position of
• the school with clear and meaningful commentary to assist the Senior Leadership Team and Resource Committee to understand the financial position of the school so that they can make wise and cost effective decisions.
• Prepare and present staff and financial and other information as agreed to be used as a basis for discussions about pay and other employment matters.
• Liaise regularly with budget holders and support them in monitoring their performance against budgets and objectives.
• Maintain financial records in accordance with best accounting practice to meet regulatory requirements and to measure both income and expenditure of the school's operations and its financial position.
• Ensure the school's RM finance accounting system is kept secure and up-to-date, and that the system and all associated procedures for finance and non-finance staff are fully documented and understood by all relevant members of staff.
• Manage, within the school's agreed authority schedule, the administration of incoming and outgoing finances including receipt of income and payment of salaries and other expenditure.
• Identify opportunities for income generation and liaise as necessary with other members of staff.
• Draft proposals for inclusion in Development, Capital and Building Plans and, where appropriate, oversee and monitor implementation.
• Oversee the relationship with external parties such as the LA, Audit, HMRC and other regulatory bodies.
• Prepare the annual CFR return
• Prepare quarterly financial returns
• Oversee the year end accounting processes.
• Oversee the proper payment and reclamation of VAT and any other taxes.
• Prepare, implement and monitor policies concerning the buying and ordering of all supplies and services and creditor payment arrangements.
• Be responsible for negotiating, drawing up, monitoring and enforcing all Service Level Agreements and Contracts operated by the school, including insurance. 3
• Oversee the Early Education Funding Website (Synergy) and ensure that nursery pupil data is accurate in order to ensure the correct funding is received.
• Ensure procedures for recording and managing gifts are suitable. Liaise with and support those involved with the school's fundraising activities.
• Manage policies and procedures for the awarding of and remittance of free school meals.
• To be responsible for the arrangements for school facilities including: catering, transport, lettings and cleaning.

Human Resources

• Supporting SLT with high level HR matters
• Ensure receipt of required vetting details for agency staff, prior to assignment date.
• Check the accuracy of online supply agency timesheets and authorise when appropriate.
• To ensure appropriate arrangements to enable the school to perform human resources functions effectively and in accordance with statutory regulations and guidance including:
• Advise the headteacher, other staff and the GB on human resources issues.
• Update the Pay Policy annually and report to the Resources Committee
• Work closely with the HR representative, to ensure arrangements for an effective case work service relating to individual staff including attendance management, capability, grievance and disciplinary procedures.
• Ensure suitable contracts of employment are in place for all staff.
• Produce amendments to contracts, to the member of staff and payroll.
• Contribute to the development of staff policies, contracts and other personnel matters.
• Ensure effective arrangements for the provision of a payroll system for school staff.
• Submit monthly Teacher payroll reports to the Local Authority, to inform returns to the Pension Scheme.
• Operate an appraisal scheme for non-teaching staff and ensure there is an appropriate strategy to enable professional development.
• Ensure that the school has a comprehensive suite of HR policies and procedures that are understood and followed by all staff

Risk Assessment and Health, Safety and Wellbeing

• To draw up, implement and monitor the school's Health and Safety Policy and Disaster Recovery plan.
• With the Headteacher, identify key risks to the school's educational, staff, financial, physical and information resources, including school trips and visits and monitor and as necessary, update the written policies, procedures and standards by which those resources are to be managed securely and effectively. Be responsible, with the Headteacher and GB for the management of risk.
• Working with the Caretakers, ensure that fire drills are carried out termly and action is taken as a result of any issues raised. These records to be reported to the GB termly.
• Working with the Caretakers, be responsible for the letting of the school premises to outside organisations and for the development of all school facilities for out of school use, with particular reference to the local community.
• Manage the administration of the school's insurance policies.
• Develop and deliver an agreed business continuity plan.
• Provide Health and Safety advice to the school and its employees and ensure compliance with relevant Health and Safety legislation. With the Headteacher report to the GB on Health and Safety matters.
• Ensure that risk assessments are written, implemented and regularly reviewed for all relevant areas and aspects of Valence sites, grounds and buildings.
• Carefully assess and monitor the staff wellbeing strategy with specific focus on interventions and staff training.

IT Support Services

• In consultation with the Senior Leadership Team, develop, implement and monitor an IT resource strategy for the school and update the strategy in the light of changing needs and circumstances.
• Ensure that the school's IT and AV systems work efficiently and effectively in support of the school's activities.
• Arrange appropriate licensing e.g. ICT and copyright licences

Governance and Legal Administration

• Ensure that the school meets its legal obligations in all areas of activity including employment, health and safety, freedom of information and data protection, and report potential difficulties to the Headteacher.
• To work effectively with the Clerk to the governors, ensuring that there are effective systems in place to support the governing body.
• Ensure the completion and submission of statutory and other returns as required by any relevant governmental bodies and ensure all statutory registers are kept up to date.
• Be responsible for contracts and deal with the legal actions of the school.
• Keep abreast of legislation and best practice in financial, personnel and administrative matters by attending suitable training sessions and conferences and reading recommended literature and advise the Headteacher, Senior Leadership Team and GB on appropriate changes in policy and practice in these areas.

Premises and Assets

• Manage the school's estates and assets and in-house premises staff with particular reference to the development of school facilities, routine and planned maintenance and Health and Safety and security. Line manages the site management staff.
• Act as negotiator in all insurance/accident claims
• Ensure the supervision of relevant planning and construction processes is undertaken in line with contractual obligations
• Ensure the safe maintenance and security operation of all school premises
• Lead the maintenance of the school site including the purchase and repair of all furniture and fittings
• Ensure the continuing availability of utilities, site services and equipment
• Follow sound practices in estate management and grounds maintenance
• Monitor, assess and review contractual obligations for outsourced school services
• Ensure a safe environment for the stakeholders of the school to provide a secure environment in which due learning processes can be provided
• Ensure ancillary services e.g. cleaning, etc., are monitored and managed effectively
• Establish, monitor and develop procedures for community access without negatively impacting on the day to day operation of the school.
• 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.

Extended schools

• To develop, lead and deliver extended school activities for pupils.
• Liaise with the SLT to lead and develop extended school services for children by providing childcare and educational, leisure and play opportunities for children.
• Develop appropriate budget plans for breakfast clubs and to use the funding to support the aims of the clubs
• Monitor the quality and scale of services/activities and provide termly reports on their impact and take up.
• Responsible for staff involved with delivering and supporting extended day services
• To oversee fee collection, administrative and financial duties using the school systems which feed into the budget management processes.
• Ensure the service is delivered according to appropriate professional standards and to Ofsted requirements

Other clauses:

• This job description allocates duties and responsibilities but does not direct the particular amount of time to be spent on carrying them out and no part of it may be so construed
• The job description is not necessarily a comprehensive definition of the post. It will be reviewed regularly may be subject to modification or amendment at any time after consultation with the holder of the post
• This job description may be varied to meet the changing demands of the school at the reasonable discretion of the Headteacher
• This job description does not form part of the contract of employment. It describes the way the post holder is expected and required to perform and complete particular duties
• The postholder may deal with sensitive material and should maintain confidentiality in all school related matters