School Business Manager

Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: £45,000 – £55,000 per annum (Depending on experience)

Setting: Secondary School

Role Overview

We are seeking a driven and experienced School Business Manager (SBM) to join the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) at a progressive secondary school in the Newcastle area.

In this vital role, you will take strategic command of all non-instructional operations across the school. You will be responsible for maintaining the financial health of the institution, leading human resources, ensuring strict health and safety compliance, and overseeing comprehensive estate management. This role requires an astute professional who can balance commercial efficiency with the unique operational demands of a secondary educational setting.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Strategy & Oversight

• Serve as the principal financial advisor to the Headteacher and Governing Body, steering a substantial secondary school budget.

• Produce precise monthly financial monitoring reports, cash flow forecasts, and robust long-term financial plans in line with local authority/ESFA frameworks.

• Optimize school expenditure through strategic procurement, robust contract negotiation, and rigorous service level agreement (SLA) reviews.

• Drive alternative revenue streams, maximizing income through grant applications, community bids, and sports/facility lettings.

Premises, Security & Health and Safety

• Direct the Site Manager and facilities team to ensure a pristine, safe, and highly secure environment for learning.

• Oversee planned preventative maintenance (PPM) schedules, capital building improvements, and technical infrastructure updates.

• Act as the lead authority on site risk management, ensuring absolute statutory compliance with fire safety, water hygiene, and health and safety legislation.

HR Leadership & Team Management

• Provide operational leadership, support, and line management to the school’s administration, finance, premises, and catering departments.

• Manage the school's operational HR lifecycles, from safer recruitment coordination and contract administration to payroll verification.

• Ensure the Single Central Record (SCR) is meticulously maintained and completely compliant with statutory safeguarding guidelines.

Governance & Statutory Compliance

• Prepare clear operational data and financial analysis for presentation at full Governing Body and committee meetings.

• Guarantee the school meets all legal frameworks set out by the Department for Education (DfE), data protection regulations (GDPR), and local authorities.

Required Criteria

• Experience: Proven experience as a School Business Manager, Operations Manager, or senior finance leader, ideally within a secondary school or multi-academy trust (MAT) setting.

• Qualifications: A professional qualification in school business management (CSBM/DSBM) or a relevant degree/professional qualification in business administration, finance, or accounting (ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA).

• Technical Skills: Exceptional familiarity with school financial systems and Management Information Systems (such as Bromcom, SIMS, or Arbor).

• Attributes: A highly resilient leader with excellent interpersonal skills, capable of managing competing priorities under pressure to support the school's educational vision.

What the School Offers

• A highly supportive and visionary Senior Leadership Team.

• Generous local government pension scheme (LGPS).

• Clear pathways for continuous professional development (CPD) and networking within the region.

To Apply

Please submit your current CV to be considered for this position.