Bursar (Chief Operating Officer) – Bromsgrove School

Bromsgrove School are seeking a strategic Bursar to add to their Executive Team.

Bromsgrove School is an ancient institution but a large and modern educational force. Founded in 1553, it is now one of the largest co-ed independent day and boarding schools in the country. There are over 2,000 pupils, including 600 boarders, across four schools: Bromsgrove Senior School, Bromsgrove Prep, Bromsgrove Pre-Prep and Nursery, and Winterfold School, a prep school and nursery which merged with Bromsgrove in 2016. Bromsgrove was in the vanguard of international expansion with franchises in Thailand and China to which it now plans to add further, as well as its own International Summer School and boarders from across the world.

The Headmaster and Governors seek to appoint a financially astute, commercially driven and strategic Bursar as a critical member of a tight, high-functioning Executive Team. International success and growth in pupil numbers has enabled significant development in recent years which means Bromsgrove now has the performance, facilities and size to compete with the best. The new Bursar will work with the Executive and Governors to ensure this progress and innovation continues.

With responsibility for the School’s finance, estates, operations, HR, IT, transport, compliance, catering and commercial activities, the Bursar will lead a team of 450 support staff. As a key member of the Executive, they will shape and lead the next phase of the School’s development to ensure its financial and commercial success. An outstanding communicator, they will need to demonstrate compassion and the ability to quickly win the respect and trust of a very large School community.

Candidates will be able to demonstrate proven ability in executive leadership and financial control, balancing the needs and challenges of large complex organisations, managing resources, delivering results, thinking strategically, and inspiring and motivating high functioning teams. A strong skill set including finance, strategic planning and execution, and operational delivery is required.

Prior experience in the education sector is not a prerequisite and applications are encouraged from candidates with commercial, charitable, private-sector and public-sector backgrounds. The successful candidate must, however, be sympathetic to Bromsgrove’s distinctive values and ethos and have an understanding of the provision of excellent co-ed boarding and day education.

Interested candidates are invited to contact RSAcademics to arrange an informal and confidential discussion about the role:

The closing date for applications is 10.00am on Monday 24 February 2025.

Applications should be made electronically to RSAcademics. To submit your application, please click on “Apply Now” on the right side of this webpage and upload your documents according to the instructions provided.

You should submit:

1. A completed application form.
2. A covering letter addressed to the Headmaster, Mr Michael Punt. The letter should be a maximum of two pages and should explain your reasons for applying and outline your suitability for the role.

If you have any questions about uploading your documents please contact Laura Beacon, Project Coordinator (Appointments), at Laura can also be reached by calling our Head Office on +44 (0)1858 383163.

Bromsgrove School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Bromsgrove School is also committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.

The safeguarding responsibilities of this post are detailed in the candidate information brochure.

RSAcademics is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and to promoting diversity and inclusion in schools.

Closing date for applications is Monday 24 February 2025 at 10.00am (UK time)

Preliminary interviews will take place with RSAcademics via Teams in the week commencing Monday 3 March 2025

Longlist interviews will take place at the School in the week commencing Monday 10 March 2025

Final interviews will take place at the School in the week commencing Monday 17 March 2025

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