School Business Manager

Teaching Vacancies; Edgware; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Shalom Noam Primary School seeks an experienced School Business Manager to take ownership of the school's business and operational functions. You will support the Headteacher, staff and governors with robust financial controls, reporting and procurement, while driving efficiency and value for money.

The role covers finance, HR and payroll, administration, premises, health and safety, compliance, IT and income generation, with strategic influence on day-to-day operations and school improvement.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in finance, business or operational management within education.
• Confident in budgets, financial controls, forecasting, reporting and procurement.
• Ability to manage and develop staff and create accountable ways of working.
• Highly organised with ability to handle multiple priorities and governance.
• Understanding of compliance, risk, health and safety and data protection.

Responsibilities

• Oversee finance, HR/payroll, school administration, premises and health and safety.
• Manage compliance, procurement and IT, ensuring value for money.
• Lead income generation activities including voluntary contributions and fundraising.

Skills

Finance experience

Budget management

Staff development

Organisation

Compliance & risk

Income generation

Process improvement

Attention to detail

Effective communication

Job description

What skills and experience we're looking for

This is an exciting opportunity to take on a key leadership role at Shalom Noam Primary School, a single form entry community and family minded faith school. This role will make a real difference to the successful running and future development of our school.

We are looking for an experienced, capable and highly organised School Business Manager to take ownership of the school’s business and operational functions, ensuring that the Headteacher, teaching staff and governors are supported by a strong, professional and well run operational infrastructure.

This is a full time school leadership role with broad responsibility across finance and commercial management, HR and payroll, school administration, premises and health and safety, compliance and risk, procurement, IT, and income generation. The School Business Manager will work closely with the Headteacher and will play an important role in translating the school’s priorities into effective day-to-day operations.

A key part of the role will be ensuring that the school has robust financial controls, accurate budgeting and reporting, effective procurement and good value for money, while maintaining strong systems and processes across the wider school operation.

The successful candidate will also lead and develop the school office and relevant support functions, helping to create a culture in which responsibilities are clear, issues are dealt with proactively and high standards of service are maintained for pupils, parents and staff.

The role also has an important compliance and assurance dimension, ensuring that the school maintains effective arrangements around health and safety, premises, statutory and regulatory requirements, data protection, financial controls, policies and risk management.

Income generation will be an important and specific area of responsibility. The School Business Manager will own the school’s Voluntary Contribution collection process from end to end, including parent communications, collection arrangements, monitoring, reporting and appropriate follow -up. They will also work with the Headteacher and governors to identify other opportunities to strengthen income, including fundraising, grants and the effective use of school resources.

We are therefore looking for much more than someone who can administer the school's finances. We want someone who will take ownership, spot what needs doing, establish effective processes, follow matters through to completion and continuously look for ways of making the school run better.

What we’re looking for

• Has strong experience in finance, business management or operational management, ideally within a school or education environment
• Is confident managing budgets, financial controls, forecasting, reporting and procurement
• Can manage and develop staff and create effective, accountable ways of working
• Is highly organised and able to manage a broad portfolio of competing priorities
• Has a strong understanding of compliance, risk, health and safety and good organisational governance
• Is comfortable taking responsibility for important processes and following them through from beginning to end
• Is commercially minded and able to identify opportunities for efficiency, cost control and additional income
• Has excellent attention to detail without losing sight of the bigger picture
• Communicates confidently and sensitively with parents, staff, governors, suppliers and external organisations
• Is proactive and solutions-focused, with the judgement to know when to act independently and when to escape
• Is comfortable improving established processes rather than simply administering them
• Understands that a successful school relies on excellent operations behind the scenes
• Shares the school’s commitment to providing the best possible environment and opportunities for its pupils

What the school offers its staff

Shalom Noam Primary School is a warm, welcoming and highly regarded one-form entry school with a strong sense of community, partnership and shared purpose. This role offers the opportunity to become a key member of the school leadership team, working closely with the Headteacher and governors to help shape the strategic direction of the school while making a tangible difference to the day-to-day experience of our pupils, staff and families.

We offer a varied and rewarding leadership role with genuine responsibility and autonomy across all aspects of school business and operations. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to lead improvement, influence decision-making and develop systems that support the continued success of the school. In return, we provide a supportive and collaborative working environment, opportunities for professional development, and the chance to contribute to a school that is ambitious for its pupils and committed to providing the highest standards of education, care and operational excellence.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment. Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance. Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) medical online and social media prohibition from teaching right to work satisfactory references suitability to work with children You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.