School Business Manager / Bursar

Totalwellnessacupuncture; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

KPI Education is exclusively supporting an ambitious London school to appoint an exceptional School Business Manager / Bursar for October 2026 or January 2027. This role sits at the heart of the leadership team, with accountability for finance, HR, operations, estates and commercial strategy.

You will work alongside the Headteacher and Governors, manage and develop a skilled support team, and have genuine autonomy to improve systems and processes.

Qualifications

• Experience as School Business Manager, Bursar or senior operations professional.
• Experience in finance, HR, operations & estates.
• Experience in school, academy or Multi-Academy Trust preferred.
• Qualifications such as CIPFA, CIMA, ACCA or CIPD welcomed but not mandatory.

Responsibilities

• Own non-teaching functions to support pupils and teaching staff.
• Lead finance, HR, procurement, estates and compliance activities.
• Partner with Headteacher and Governors on strategy and contract negotiation.
• Develop and manage an established support team.

Skills

Commercial awareness

Attention to detail

Leadership ability

Confidence to challenge

Education

CIPFA/CIMA/ACCA/CIPD qualifications welcomed

Job description

School Business Manager / Bursar – London

Ready to Run the Business Behind an Outstanding School?

October 2026 or January 2027 Start | Permanent | £50,000–£70,000 DOE

Are you an experienced School Business Manager, Bursar or senior operations professional looking for a role with genuine influence?

Do you want to sit at the heart of a school's leadership team, taking ownership of finance, HR, operations, estates and commercial strategy?

Perhaps you've reached the point where you want more than simply keeping things running – you want the opportunity to shape how a school operates?

KPI Education is exclusively supporting an ambitious and successful London school to appoint an exceptional School Business Manager / Bursar for October 2026 or January 2027.

The school's identity is being kept confidential during the initial stages – but for an experienced education professional, this is absolutely worth a conversation.

School Business Manager / Bursar – The Headlines

• School Business Manager / Bursar
• London
• £50,000–£70,000, dependent on experience
• Permanent, full-time position
• October 2026 or January 2027 start
• Key member of the school's senior leadership structure
• Significant responsibility across Finance, HR, Operations & Estates
• Work directly alongside the Headteacher and Governors
• Manage and develop an established support team
• Genuine autonomy to improve systems and processes
• Excellent long-term career opportunity
• Confidential conversations welcomed before formal application

This Is Much More Than Managing a School Budget

The Headteacher isn't looking for somebody to simply process invoices, manage spreadsheets and keep the lights on.

They want a commercially minded, strategically strong professional who understands that an outstanding school needs an outstanding operation behind it.

You will take ownership of key non-teaching functions and ensure that resources, people and processes are working effectively to support pupils and teaching staff.

Your remit could include:

Finance & Budgeting | HR | Payroll | Procurement | Estates | Compliance | Contracts | Facilities | Health & Safety | Governance | Operational Strategy

You'll have the opportunity to identify inefficiencies, improve processes and influence major decisions about how the school invests its resources.

Could This Be Your Next Move?

The school is interested in speaking with experienced:

• School Business Managers
• School Bursars
• Finance Managers
• Operations Managers
• Trust Business Managers
• School HR & Operations Leaders
• Academy Business Managers
• Senior education support professionals ready to progress

Experience within a school, academy or Multi-Academy Trust would be highly advantageous.

Qualifications such as CIPFA, CIMA, ACCA, CIPD or School Business Management qualifications would also be welcomed but aren't the only thing the Headteacher will consider.

They're looking for someone with commercial awareness, attention to detail, leadership ability and the confidence to challenge when necessary.

Why Is This Opportunity Different?

Because you'll have a genuine voice.

You'll work closely with the Headteacher and Governors rather than operating as a back-office function.

The school wants someone who can look at a £multi-million budget, understand where money is being spent and ask:

"Can we do this better?"

Someone who can negotiate contracts, develop staff, improve systems and ensure every pound spent contributes towards delivering the best possible education.

For the right individual, there is also scope to significantly expand the position as the school continues to develop.

You don't need to formally apply before understanding the opportunity.

If you're currently successful in your role but wondering what the next step could look like, this may be worth exploring.

Applications are welcomed from candidates available for October 2026 or January 2027.

Great schools aren't only built by great teachers. They're built by exceptional people behind the scenes too.

INDEDU