School Business Manager Contract Full Time NEW

Philosophy Education LTD.; Rochester; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Philosophy Education is partnering with a trusted secondary school in Rochester to recruit an experienced School Business Manager. You will lead financial planning, budgeting, payroll, and procurement while overseeing HR, estates and compliance.

This pivotal role supports long-term sustainability and school excellence. Working closely with the Headteacher and Governors, you will drive strategic finance, ensure robust controls and foster external partnerships to enhance resources and educational

Qualifications

• Experience as SBM or equivalent, ideally in secondary schools.
• Strong financial management, budgeting and reporting skills.
• Experience preparing management accounts and supporting financial audits.
• Excellent knowledge of financial controls, procurement and payroll processes.
• Proven experience managing and developing staff.
• Understanding estates management, facilities and health & safety compliance.
• Experience managing contracts, external suppliers and service providers.
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and make sound operational decisions.
• Excellent communication with Headteacher, Governors and senior leaders.
• Proactive, adaptable and commercially minded.

Responsibilities

• Take responsibility for the school’s financial management, budgeting, forecasting and long-term planning.
• Prepare monthly management accounts, financial reports and recommendations for Headteacher and Governors.
• Oversee payroll, purchase ledgers, supplier payments and financial controls.
• Monitor expenditure and identify savings for resource efficiency.
• Oversee HR, administrative functions and operational staff performance.
• Provide strategic oversight of estates, facilities and health and safety compliance.
• Review contracts and procurement to ensure value for money and service quality.
• Identify opportunities to generate income and support financial sustainability.

Skills

Financial leadership

Budgeting

Forecasting

Management reporting

Payroll processes

Procurement

Staff management

Contract management

Strategic thinking

Communication with leadership

Education

Accounting qualifications

School business management qualifications

Finance or operational leadership qualifications

Tools

FMS

Access Education

SIMS

Job description

School Business Manager – Secondary School

Location: Rochester, Medway, Kent
Contract: Permanent
Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience
Start Date: To be agreed / January 2027

An Exciting Opportunity for an Experienced School Business Manager

Philosophy Education is working in partnership with a highly regarded secondary school in Rochester to recruit an experienced and commercially astute School Business Manager (SBM).

This is an excellent opportunity for an established School Business Manager, Senior Finance Manager or experienced education operations professional looking to take on a key strategic leadership position within a successful school.

The successful candidate will play an integral role in the school’s leadership and operational management, working closely with the Headteacher, Governors and wider leadership team to ensure the effective management of finance, human resources, estates, facilities and administrative functions.

We are seeking a confident, proactive and solutions-focused professional who combines strong financial expertise with excellent operational leadership, and who can contribute to the school’s long-term financial sustainability and continued success.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Management & Strategic Leadership

• Take responsibility for the school’s financial management, budgeting, forecasting and long-term financial planning.
• Prepare accurate monthly management accounts, financial reports and recommendations for the Headteacher and Governors.
• Oversee financial compliance, audit preparation and statutory reporting, including Local Authority and Department for Education returns.
• Manage payroll processes, purchase ledger functions, supplier payments and financial controls.
• Monitor expenditure, identify potential savings and ensure effective use of school resources.
• Provide financial advice to senior leaders to support strategic decision-making.

HR, Administration & School Operations

• Oversee key HR and administrative functions, ensuring effective systems, accurate records and efficient processes.
• Manage and support operational staff, promoting high standards of performance and accountability.
• Ensure school policies, procedures and administrative systems are implemented effectively.
• Work collaboratively with teaching and non-teaching colleagues to support the smooth running of the school.

Estates, Facilities & Health and Safety

• Provide strategic oversight of the school’s buildings, grounds, facilities and maintenance programmes.
• Line-manage the Premises Manager and wider site team.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety legislation, statutory inspections, risk assessments and site security requirements.
• Oversee planned maintenance, capital improvement projects and external contractors.
• Review premises, catering and ICT contracts to ensure value for money and high-quality service delivery.

Income Generation & Commercial Development

• Identify opportunities to generate additional income through external lettings, community partnerships and grant funding.
• Manage school facility lettings, invoicing and external stakeholder relationships.
• Review supplier contracts, service level agreements and procurement arrangements.
• Develop commercially effective solutions that support the school’s financial sustainability.

About You

We are looking for a highly organised and experienced professional who can demonstrate:

• Previous experience as a School Business Manager, Senior Finance Manager, Finance & Operations Manager or equivalent, ideally within a secondary school or multi-academy trust.
• Strong financial management, accounting, budgeting and reporting skills.
• Experience preparing management accounts and supporting financial audits.
• Excellent knowledge of financial controls, procurement and payroll processes.
• Proven experience managing and developing staff.
• An understanding of estates management, facilities, health and safety legislation and statutory compliance.
• Experience managing contracts, external suppliers and service providers.
• The ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and make sound operational decisions.
• Excellent communication skills, with the confidence to advise Headteachers, Governors and senior leaders.
• A proactive, adaptable and commercially minded approach to problem-solving.

Desirable Experience

• Knowledge of school finance systems, including FMS, Access Education and SIMS.
• Experience managing school lettings and developing additional income streams.
• Experience overseeing capital projects and planned maintenance.
• Relevant qualifications in accounting, school business management, finance or operational leadership.

Why Apply?

This is an opportunity to take on a varied and influential position within a well-regarded secondary school, where your expertise will have a direct impact on the school’s operational effectiveness and long-term success.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Work closely with the Headteacher and Governors on strategic financial and operational matters.
• Lead and develop essential school business and support functions.
• Influence financial planning, procurement and investment decisions.
• Take ownership of estates, facilities and operational improvement projects.
• Make a meaningful contribution to the wider school community.

Applications from professionals with relevant transferable experience in education finance, business operations and estates management are also welcomed.

Philosophy Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to relevant safeguarding and pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS check where required.

We have a policy to respond to all applications within three working days. However, because of the volume of applications, we are sometimes unable to reply to individual enquiries. If we have not contacted you within this specified time your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.