School Business Manager

The Swan School, Oxford

School Business Manager

About the role

This is a rare and exciting opportunity to be part of an exceptional comprehensive secondary school towards the start of its journey. As School Business Manager (SBM), you will provide overall leadership for all business-related aspects of the school, ensuring that the school operates in a financially and operationally sustainable way so that all of our students can achieve the very best possible outcomes. You will work closely with the Headteacher and senior leadership team to be at the heart of strategic and operational decision making for the school, with key responsibilities for finance, resources, site and premises management, health and safety, operations and compliance. To support you in achieving the school's ambitious goals, you will work with a team of talented colleagues (both teaching and support staff) and have leadership responsibility for several heads of operational departments (e.g. Premises Manager)

The successful candidate will share our ambitions for our students. You will relish the challenge of creating a new school that will be different to other comprehensive schools in the city. You will be a highly motivated team player with proven leadership ability, a creative thinker who is unafraid to try new approaches, and a reflective practitioner, keen to continue learning in order to achieve the best possible outcomes for our students.

About our school

The Swan School, part of the River Learning Trust, is Oxford’s first new secondary school for over 50 years, and opened in September 2019. When full, we will have approximately 1,200 students on roll, of whom around 300 will be in the Sixth Form. Our students will be drawn from a local catchment area and the school will be at the heart of the community.

Learning from the most successful approaches at the best schools, The Swan School provides a uniquely challenging and structured experience in a caring and disciplined environment. The ethos is academic; we regard an excellent academic education as the entitlement of all young people, no matter what their background or previous experiences of learning. Students are inspired and nurtured, acquiring the knowledge and skills to think critically and creatively. They will learn to be confident, resilient and ambitious, and will have high expectations in terms of their own achievements and their contribution to wider society.

How to apply

If you have any questions or would like to speak to someone about this post, please contact us via headteacher@theswanschool.org.uk or on 01865 416070. You are advised to visit theswanschool.org.uk/work-at-the-swan/ to find out more about working at The Swan. 

Applications for this post should be made through the My New Term recruitment portal. Please contact us if you have any queries regarding the application process.

The closing date for applications is Monday 20th January, at 8am with interviews likely to be held at the start of the following week. Applications will be considered as they are submitted and the school reserves the right to withdraw the advert early if a suitable candidate is found.

Why work at the Swan 

• Opportunities to increase hours as the school grows
• Annual pay increases for support staff (in line with grade boundaries)
• A Defined Benefit Pension Scheme (LGPS) with favourable terms for all employees
• Moving from the public sector? Those without a break in service can be reassured that RLT will recognise their continuous service
• Employee centred and family friendly policies and practises that support you in and beyond your workplace
• Enhanced sick pay, maternity leave, paternity leave, and parental leave
• Cycle to work scheme
• Funded eye test and glasses for DSE users (subject to T/Cs)

***

Safeguarding

The River Learning Trust and The Swan School are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and preventing extremism. All staff must ensure that the highest priority is given to following the guidance and regulations to safeguard children and young people. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check. Employment will also be conditional on the receipt of at least two acceptable references (one from current/latest employer) and evidence of the formal qualifications required for the role.It is an offence to apply for certain roles within schools if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children. You should contact the school if you are unsure if this role includes regulated activity relevant to children.  

• For all RLT Safer Recruitment Documentation candidates should click on the following link 
• The Swan School's Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy can be found here 

The Swan School is a free school managed by The River Learning Trust, which is an exempt charity and a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales with a registered company number 7966500. Registered Office: c/o Gosford Hill School, Oxford Road, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, OX5 2NT