School Business Manager

Clear Education Ltd; Manchester; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Clear Education Ltd is seeking an experienced Interim School Business Manager to provide immediate operational and business support during a period of restructuring. You will manage non-teaching functions to ensure compliance, financial control and smooth operations in a secondary school environment.

The role requires substantial SBM or senior school operations experience, preferably in a secondary school or academy, with the ability to work autonomously and hit the ground running in a busy

Qualifications

• Experience leading non-teaching operations in a school or academy
• Strong grasp of financial controls, procurement and value for money
• Knowledge of HR processes including contracts, recruitment and staff records
• Experience with compliance, safety, safeguarding and data protection

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day business and operational functions of the school.
• Support Headteacher and SLT with operational planning and problem solving.
• Review processes for immediate operational or compliance risks.
• Monitor budgets, purchasing, procurement and value for money.
• Work with the academy trust's central finance team on budgets and reporting.
• Oversee HR administration, contracts, absence, recruitment and staff records.
• Ensure safer recruitment and pre-employment checks are completed.
• Oversee premises, site management, maintenance, contractors and statutory compliance.
• Ensure health & safety procedures, risk assessments and records are maintained.
• Monitor contracts and suppliers including cleaners, catering and utilities.
• Support estates projects, repairs and planned maintenance.
• Review operational policies and procedures for consistency.
• Oversee or support administrative and business teams and MIS usage.
• Ensure GDPR/data protection procedures are followed.
• Support emergency planning and business continuity.
• Produce reports for Headteacher, SLT and Trust.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
• Provide handover and recommendations for a future permanent post.

Skills

Financial management

Budget monitoring

HR administration

Compliance & risk

Procurement

Leadership & team coordination

Tools

SIMS

Bromcom

Arbor

Job description

Our High School is seeking an experienced Interim School Business Manager to provide immediate operational and business support to the school. The successful candidate will take responsibility for the effective day-to-day management of key non-teaching functions, ensuring that the school remains compliant, financially controlled and operationally effective during the interim period.

Likely key responsibilities:

• Oversee the school's day-to-day business and operational functions.
• Support the Headteacher and SLT with operational planning and problem solving.
• Review existing processes and identify any immediate operational or compliance risks.
• Financial monitoring, budget control, purchasing, procurement and value for money.
• Work with the academy trust's central finance team on budgets, reporting and financial procedures.
• Oversee HR administration, contracts, absence, recruitment processes and staff records alongside trust HR.
• Ensure safer recruitment and appropriate pre‑employment checks are being completed.
• Oversee premises, site management, maintenance, contractors and statutory compliance.
• Ensure appropriate health & safety procedures, risk assessments and records are maintained.
• Monitor contracts and suppliers including cleaning, catering, utilities, maintenance and other outsourced services.
• Support estates projects, repairs and planned maintenance.
• Review operational policies and procedures and ensure they are being followed consistently.
• Oversee or support administrative and business support teams.
• Support effective use of school systems and management information.
• Ensure GDPR, data protection and information‑management procedures are followed.
• Support emergency planning, business continuity and school risk management.
• Produce reports and management information for the Headteacher, SLT and Trust as required.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary expenditure.
• Provide a clear handover and recommendations for the permanent Business/Operations Manager.

We have an exciting opportunity for a secondary experienced school business manager who understands how academies work, to start work immediately, during the intermin of an exciting restructure, where a new role will be created and the temporary candidate will be welcome to apply for the opportunity. At the moment the academy needs someone who can go in and hit the ground running with operational experience., The ideal interim candidate would have substantial school business management or senior school operations experience, preferably within a secondary school or academy environment.

They should be confident walking into a busy school, establishing priorities quickly and working autonomously rather than requiring extensive induction.

Experience of academy/MAT structures, school finance, HR, estates, compliance, procurement and managing support staff would be particularly valuable. Knowledge of systems such as SIMS, Bromcom, Arbor or similar school MIS/finance systems would also be useful.