Business Manager - Ongoing Level 1-5

government schools; City of Manningham; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Donburn Primary School in East Doncaster is seeking an experienced Administration professional to lead the school’s administrative functions. The role focuses on managing staff, budgets, HR processes, and financial reporting to support teaching and school operations.

The successful candidate will oversee publications, student admissions, contracts, and routine budgetary controls while working closely with senior management to deliver efficient school services.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated capacity to lead an office team with directive authority.
• Experience with human resources and financial records systems.
• Knowledge of financial management requirements and reporting.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Deliver School Services: Design and produce school publications and documents.
• Finance: Prepare annual budgets and regular financial statements and contribute to financial decision making.
• Finance: Prepare funding submissions for the leadership team and school council.
• Finance: Direct accounting processes and ensure funds are accounted per Treasury regulations.
• Finance: Provide advice to staff on spending against budget.
• Finance: Administer government grants and other school income.
• Finance: Manage fundraising activities.
• General Administration: Provide administrative support for the Principal and teaching staff.
• General Administration: Support external service providers as required.
• General Administration: Process student admissions, registrations, enrolments and transfers.
• General Administration: Support school events, functions and projects.
• General Administration: Implement induction programs for new staff, volunteers and other workers.
• Human Resources: Research, plan and prepare development programs for support staff.
• Human Resources: Manage recruitment procedures.
• Human Resources: Provide authoritative advice to leadership on support structures and work practices.
• Human Resources: Ensure health and safety standards are maintained.
• Human Resources: Manage employee relations procedures.
• Human Resources: Assist in HR planning.
• Manage School Resources: Coordinate use and maintenance of school buildings and equipment.
• Manage School Resources: Liaise and negotiate with service providers on cost and quality of services.
• Manage School Resources: Supervise delivery of contracted services.
• Manage School Resources: Develop resource materials and draft reports.
• Manage School Resources: Evaluate IT systems and propose improvements.
• Manage School Resources: Develop techniques that affect work practices beyond the workplace.
• Manage School Resources: Manage a technical program with broad scope across the school.

Skills

Office leadership

People management

Financial reporting

HR records knowledge

Written and verbal communication

Job description

Occupation: Administration

Reference: 1551151

Selection Criteria

SC1Demonstrated capacity to lead an office team, including capacity for directing the work of others.

SC2Demonstrated knowledge and experience in respect to human resource and financial management records systems.

SC3Sound knowledge of financial management legal requirements and practices, including the capacity to produce reports and provide advice in respect to those reports.

SC5High level written and verbal communication skills.

Role

Direction on targets and goals is provided but the position will have some degree of latitude in determining how they are achieved. This latitude will generally be limited by standard procedures and school policy.Deviation from standard procedures and school policy will require guidance and direction from senior management.

Management of staff to achieve the expected outcomes is a key responsibility.Staff management issues will be resolved with minimal reference to senior management, although guidance will be required in more complex cases.Senior management will be provided with timely reports and advice in matters relating to the school finance, human resources or school administration.

Responsibilities

Deliver School Services

• Manage the design and production of school publications and documents

Finance

• Manage and direct the preparation of annual budgets and regular financial statements and contribute to the financial decision making of the school.
• Prepare funding submissions for the leadership team and school council.
• Direct the accounting processes of the school and ensure that all funds, including school investments, are effectively accounted for according to Treasury regulations.
• Provide advice to staff on spending against budget in respect to faculties, programs and other school projects.
• Administer government grants and other school income.
• Manage fund raising activities.

General Administration

• Ensure the provision of a range of administrative support functions for the Principal and teaching staff.
• Provide administrative support to external service providers as required.
• Manage the processing of student admissions, registrations, enrolments and transfers.
• Provide required level of administrative support for school events, functions and projects.
• Implement induction programs for new staff, volunteers and other workers to the school.

Human Resources

• Research, plan and prepare development programs for support staff.
• Manage recruitment procedures.
• Provide authoritative advice to the leadership team on support structures and work practices.
• Assist in the development of work practices that ensure appropriate occupational health and safety standards are maintained.
• Manage procedures relating to employee relations issues.
• Assist in the development of human resource planning.

Manage School Resources

• Coordinate the use and maintenance of school buildings and equipment.
• Liaise and negotiate with service providers in respect to the cost and quality of services.
• Supervise the delivery of contracted services.
• Manage the development and collection of resource material at the school.
• Draft reports and make recommendations on operational issues.
• Evaluate and report on the operational efficiency of computer systems in production, making recommendations for improvement where appropriate.
• Develop techniques and procedures that will affect work practices beyond the work place.
• Manage a technical program with a broad scope across the school.

Who May Apply

Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of the position.

Diversity and Inclusion

The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department.The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces.It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines ).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [e-mail]

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.

Child Safe Standards

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees,including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.

Donburn Primary School is located in East Doncaster. It was founded in 1973 and currently has 550 students. Donburn Primary School is a vibrant and safe learning environment growing in harmony with its community. Our mission is to develop critical learners and passionate thinkers who can move fluidly and confidently across cultures. Excellence in teaching and learning is developed through a distributed leadership model that empowers teachers in their practice and prioritises improvement in student learning outcomes. Donburn has consistent, differentiated and challenging teaching and learning programs which are defined and expertly implemented to ensure maximum learning growth for all students. A main priority at Donburn Primary School is ensuring the wellbeing and inclusion of all students. Through the implementation of School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) and the Restorative Practice Approach students feel supported, respected and valued.

Applications close Sunday 15 November 2026 at 11.59pm