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School Business Manager

Employer
Rachel Bliss
Location
Alcester, Warwickshire
Salary
Band Q
Closing date
8 Dec 2020

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Alcester Academy is a small, oversubscribed school in South Warwickshire meeting the needs of 640 pupils in Y7-11.

The school is a stand-alone academy providing education for children in the local priority area. Alcester Academy has enjoyed securing extremely positive pupil outcomes over the last four years. This has placed the school in the top five percent of schools nationally and in a most favourable position in comparison to selective schools.

This is a very exciting time for the academy. Under new leadership, the school is looking to secure future development opportunities and we are seeking an experienced, dynamic, professional Business Manager to help facilitate these opportunities.

The successful candidate must have strong financial and business management skills and equally impressive leadership ability as Business Manager, to lead a group of support staff and manage the financial, administration and IT functions supporting the academic and non-academic activities. The role will include duties as day-to-day Financial Controller, Fire Officer, Health and Safety Appointed Person and Data Protection Officer.

The successful candidate must be a Graduate or have equivalent education, with a professional qualification ideally financial and should have experience working in general, financial, property and IT/systems management and have undertaken advanced studies and/or have relevant professional qualifications in those areas. Excellent communication, administration and interpersonal skills together with flexibility and a commitment to working proactively and creatively as part of a team are essential qualities for the role.

The standards for school business managers are set out by the Institute of School Business Leaders.

The successful candidate will be measured against these standards.

This is a critical school appointment working alongside a passionate and committed senior leadership team. The salary package will be commensurate with the experience of the appointed candidate.  

Alcester Academy is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be subject to appropriate checks including an enhanced DBS check and reference checks.    

A full job description and person specification can be found below. 

Employment Particulars

Hours per week: Monday to Friday. Guide hours are 8.00 am to 4.30pm. Notwithstanding these normal hours, the expectation is that the post holder will work those hours necessary to fulfil the roles and responsibilities outlined below.

Salary: Band Q.

Holiday: Your annual leave entitlement is 25 paid working days, excluding all public bank holidays.

Notice Period: There will be an initial three month probationary period with the option to extend this to six months if required. During which time the notice period will be one month by both parties.  After this probationary period one full term’s notice is to be given.

Key working relationships

Reports to:  Headteacher and SLT, Board of Governors.

Line Manages: Finance team, Catering Manager, Midday Supervisors, Office Manager.

The Role

Day to Day Financial Control and Management (within the ESFA guidelines)

  • Overseeing the academy’s treasury function, including the management of cash reserves and the preparation of cash flow forecasts.
  • Ensuring that proper books of account (including income and expenditure accounts and balance sheets) are kept and that reports of the material and financial affairs of the academy are produced to the Governors in accordance with their requirements and the requirements of the law.
  • Advising the Governors on general financial policy.
  • Oversight of and experience using SAGE.
  • Preparing (in consultation with the Headteacher and heads of subjects) annual estimates of income and expenditure to include the preparation of departmental budgets within the academy and longer-term forecasts of income and expenditure.
  • Monitoring income and expenditure in relation to the annual budget and presenting regular management reports to the governing body.
  • Preparation and oversight of the five year forecast.
  • Scrutinising and passing for payment all invoices received by the academy and ensuring invoices are issued by the academy.
  • Keeping analyses of costs and other statistical reports. 
  • Preparing financial appraisals of particular projects.
  • Maintaining the academy’s Fixed Asset Register.  Arranging for the safety, security and effective maintenance of the assets of the academy in accordance with the policies of the Governors; updating key policies as required.
  • Work with the SLT and Governing body to ensure the correct and robust financial controls and procedures are in place and that the academy complies with regulations and procedures within the Academies Financial Handbook.
  • In consultation with professional advisers, ensuring the academy has adequate insurance cover at all times to include employer’s liability, buildings and equipment cover, personal accident, travel insurance and other relevant cover.
  • Purchasing, either directly or through a purchasing group, all goods and services for the academy.
  • Identifying opportunities to generate income through grant applications, lettings, CIF funding, wrap around care provision etc.
  • Liaison with internal and external auditors.
  • Facilitating staff pay roll and pay progression.
  • Issuing and updating staff employment contracts.
  • Oversight of all staff pension contributions and PAYE.
  • Reporting to the Governors on a regular basis (Finance Sub Committee).
  • Meeting the financial reporting needs of the ESFA, DfE, Companies House and FGB.
  • Advising the Headteacher regarding academy staffing.
  • Liaison with local press to help market the school.
  • Act as Contracts Officer.

General Management, School Administration and Human Resource Management

  • Managing the employment, terms and conditions of service and welfare of teaching and support staff.
  • Overall responsibility for the maintenance and improvement of the schools Information Communications Technology (ICT) systems, MIS network, infrastructure and database including purchasing and contracts. This includes overall line management of the ICT Manager and Lourdes IT.
  • Ensuring that the schools cyber defences are effective and that the school is fully compliant with GDPR.
  • Advising on and taking the appropriate physical security measures with the school for the protection of both staff and pupils.
  • Recruiting, selecting and managing the employment, terms and conditions of service, supervision and welfare of all staff in a HR capacity.
  • Oversight of new staff induction processes and routines.
  • Providing information about the work and performance of a team of support staff in connection with their future employment.
  • Acting as a bridge to promote and facilitate closer working relationships between teaching and support staff.
  • In consultation with the school’s Employment Law advisors, advising the Headteacher and Governors on employment matters including disciplinary procedures and ensuring that the school has appropriate disciplinary and grievance procedures. 
  • Assisting the Headteacher, as appropriate, in dealing with all discipline, complaints and grievance cases relating to any member of staff or pupil.
  • Ensuring that all relevant staff have contracts of employment and ensuring that the school protocol reflects any changes to Employment Law, as advised by the schools Employment Law advisors.
  • In consultation with the Headteacher, formulating, implementing and complying with, and ensuring the compliance of all members of staff with the policies and rules of the academy and with all relevant employment law and legislation including employment protection, equal pay, minimum wage, Working Time Directive or discrimination on the grounds of sex, race or disability.
  •  In conjunction with any necessary legal advice taken by the Governors, advising the Headteacher and Governors on any matters affecting the legal duties of the Headteacher and the Governors.
  • Assisting the Headteacher in developing and implementing the marketing strategy for the academy.
  • Preparing the academy improvement or business plans and presenting them to the Governors; working with the Headteacher to implement these plans.
  • Be prepared to act as secretary at meetings of the Finance Sub Committee.
  • Line management of the caterers within school and systems related to this.
  • Line management of the finance staff team.
  • Line management of Office Manager.
  • Manage support staff appraisal.
  • Procurement of academy uniform suppliers.

Property Management

Overall responsibility for the school’s routine maintenance programme and health and safety compliance including:

  • Overseeing the Site Team to ensure the general maintenance of the buildings and equipment therein, including the appointment of appropriate specialist contractors to maintain the buildings, lighting, ventilation and all mechanical and electrical systems (excluding the wood and stone processing systems) and monitoring the performance of those contractors.
  • Project management as required.
  • Working with the Site Team ensuring the up keep of the school grounds, surfaces and maintenance of boundaries and rights of way.
  • Preparing maintenance schedules, a rolling refurbishment programme and keeping records in conjunction with the Site Team.
  • Overseeing the Site Team to ensure the installation and maintenance of equipment for the detection, warning, protection and escape from fire ensuring the necessary fire risk assessments are carried out.
  • Overseeing the maintenance and efficiency of all installations and plant for electric and gas supply, heating, domestic hot water etc.  Ensuring energy supply contracts at competitive rates, either directly or through a purchasing group.  Promotion of energy conservation.
  • Responsible for formulating, monitoring and implementing the school’s policy to comply with the requirements of health and safety legislation.  Carrying out risk assessments where appropriate and monitoring all departments to ensure they are carrying out risk assessments.  Oversight of whole school health and safety.
  • Ensuring that the on-site catering standards are maintained and that the catering areas meet the requirements for food hygiene and safety at all times.
  • Working with the Site Team managing in-house and contract cleaning.
  • Drawing up outline specifications for new buildings, obtaining tenders, planning permissions, CIF bids and grants.
  • Acting as a key holder when required.
  • Performing daily duties within the academy in order to maintain high standards of behaviour and routine.
  • Appoint or co-ordinate outside contractors regarding quotations, work agreed and access to the premises.

Other

The above is only an outline of the tasks and responsibilities of the role. The post holder will carry out any other duties as may be reasonably required by his/her line manager. The job description and person specification and any accompanying documentation may be reviewed on an on-going basis in accordance with the changing needs of the academy and do not form part of the employment contract.

The successful candidate will need to appreciate the need to be flexible in terms of the time allocated to the respective areas of work outlined above, as this is likely to change according to the pattern of the year - especially the academic year – and the evolving needs of the school.

Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy

It is the post holder’s responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people. You will comply with the Academy Safeguarding Policy, and the requirement to report to the Designated Safeguarding Lead any concerns relating to the safety or welfare of children or young people.

Terms and Conditions of Service

The post holder will be required to comply with all policies and procedures issued by and on behalf of the College. The post holder will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Certificate. The post holder will be required to participate in any academy appraisal procedures as an appraisee and if applicable, as an appraiser. The post holder will be required to attend any statutory and mandatory training.

Information Security, Confidentiality and Data Protection

During the course of employment, the post holder may have access to, see or hear information of a confidential nature and he/she will be required not to disclose such information. All personal identification information must be held in the strictest confidence and should be disclosed only to authorised people in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation and the Academy Privacy Notice, unless explicit written consent has been given by the person identified.

Equal Opportunities

The post holder must comply with and promote Equal Opportunities and avoid any behaviour which discriminates against others on the grounds of sex, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, age, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion, political opinion, trade union membership.

Health and Safety

Under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, it is the responsibility of individual employees at every level to take care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their own acts at work. This includes co-operating with the academy and colleagues in complying with Health and Safety obligations to maintain a safe environment.

To apply for this role, forward a completed application form, an equal opportunities monitoring form and a covering letter outlining why you feel that your skills and experience would equip you to take on this role, by email to: admin@alcesteracademy.org.uk

The deadline for applications is Tuesday 8th December at 12 noon

Interviews will take place week commencing 14th December for shortlisted candidates.

Starting as soon as possible and ideally no later than January 2021

If you have any queries about the role or would like to discuss it in more detail, please contact Sarah Mellors – head@alcesteracademy.org.uk

Under Covid-19, we are still happy to organise an out of hours tour of the school if desired.

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