School Business Manager

A rare and exciting opportunity

After 26 years of dedicated service, our much-valued School Business Manager will be retiring. This creates a very special opportunity for an experienced, ambitious and forward-thinking School Business Manager to join Sparrow Farm Primary School at an exciting point in our journey.

Sparrow Farm is a warm, inclusive and ambitious primary school at the heart of a wonderfully diverse community. We are proud of our children, our families and our committed staff team. Our school values — Ambitious, Bold and Curious — shape the way we work, learn and lead. Our motto, “Shaping the Future,” reflects our belief that every child deserves the very best opportunities, and that every member of our team plays an important part in making this possible.

The role

As School Business Manager, you will work closely with the Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher, governors and senior leaders to provide strategic leadership across the school’s business and operational functions.

You will lead and develop our administrative, finance and premises operations, ensuring that systems are efficient, compliant and responsive to the needs of our school community. You will play a vital role in shaping our next phase, helping us to strengthen our office structure, improve processes, support financial sustainability and ensure that our business functions enable school improvement.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys both strategic thinking and practical problem-solving. You will need to be highly organised, financially confident, calm under pressure and able to build positive relationships with staff, governors, families, contractors and external partners.

Key responsibilities will include

• Acting as a professional adviser to the Headteacher and Governing Body on finance, HR, premises, procurement, compliance and operational matters.
• Leading the school’s financial management, including budget planning, monitoring, forecasting and reporting.
• Supporting governors and senior leaders with clear, accurate and timely financial and operational information.
• Providing strategic leadership for administration, HR processes, payroll liaison, contracts, procurement, premises, IT systems, data protection and health and safety coordination.
• Leading, supporting and developing the school’s administration, finance and premises teams.
• Ensuring that statutory returns, census information, website compliance and key school records are accurate and well managed.
• Overseeing robust systems for financial controls, procurement, risk management, insurance, asset management and value for money.
• Supporting the smooth running of a busy two-site primary school.
• Playing an active role in the Senior Leadership Team and contributing to the wider life and strategic direction of the school.
• Upholding the school’s commitment to safeguarding, inclusion, equality and the welfare of all children.

About Sparrow Farm

Sparrow Farm is a school with heart, ambition and a strong sense of community. We serve a richly diverse community and are proud that our children bring a wide range of languages, cultures and experiences to school life. We believe this diversity is one of our greatest strengths.

Our staff are passionate about creating a school where children feel safe, valued and inspired to achieve. Relationships are at the centre of our work, and we are committed to relational practice, inclusion and high expectations for all.

We are a school that is always moving forward. We are reflective, outward-facing and determined to keep improving. We want our next School Business Manager to be part of that ambition: someone who can help us make thoughtful, sustainable decisions so that our school continues to thrive.

What we are looking for

We are seeking a committed, skilled and enthusiastic professional who has:

• strong financial management skills, including experience of budget setting, monitoring and forecasting;
• excellent organisational and planning skills;
• the ability to analyse information and present it clearly to leaders and governors;
• experience of leading and developing teams;
• strong knowledge of school business management or the ability to transfer relevant experience from another complex setting;
• excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
• confidence in managing competing priorities and meeting deadlines;
• a secure understanding of HR administration, procurement, premises, health and safety, data protection and compliance;
• a calm, positive and solution-focused approach;
• the ability to build strong relationships with staff, governors, parents, the local authority and external partners;
• a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for children.

Experience of working in a school would be highly desirable, but we would also welcome applications from candidates with strong financial, operational or business-management experience in another relevant setting.

What we can offer

At Sparrow Farm, we can offer you:

• a warm, welcoming and inclusive school community;
• children who are enthusiastic, curious and proud of their school;
• a committed and caring staff team;
• a key leadership role with genuine influence;
• the opportunity to shape and strengthen our business and office systems;
• supportive senior leaders and governors who value collaboration and professional expertise;
• the chance to lead a developing administration, finance and premises structure;
• opportunities for professional development;
• a school where your work will directly support children, families and the quality of education we provide.

This is a rare opportunity to build on the strong foundations established over many years, while also helping to shape the future of our school.

Application process

Interview date: Interviews will be held in October
Start date: as soon as possible after interview

Sparrow Farm Primary School is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from candidates who share our commitment to inclusion, equality and ensuring the very best for every child.

Sparrow Farm Primary School is proud of its commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Appointment to this post is subject to an Enhanced DBS disclosure. We are an equal opportunities employer.