School Business Manager

Behind every well-run school is someone who makes it all possible. That person is you.

Teaching Personnel is recruiting on behalf of a well-regarded, Ofsted-rated Good co-educational secondary academy in Crawley, serving over 1,200 students aged 11 to 19. This is a school with a strong sense of community, a clear commitment to student wellbeing and ambition, and a leadership team that understands the value of having the right people running the business of the school so that teachers can focus on what they do best.

They need an experienced, capable and confident school business manager to join them as soon as possible. This is a senior, strategic role at the heart of the school's operations — not an administrative position, but a genuine leadership opportunity for someone who takes pride in running a complex, high-profile organisation with precision, care and purpose.

What the role involves

• Taking strategic and operational responsibility for the school's financial management, including budget planning, monitoring, forecasting and reporting to the headteacher and governing body.
• Leading procurement processes, managing supplier and contractor relationships and ensuring the school achieves best value across all expenditure.
• Overseeing all HR administration, including recruitment, contracts of employment, performance management and maintaining the Single Central Register in line with safeguarding requirements.
• Managing the school's site, facilities and premises, including planned maintenance, capital projects and health and safety compliance.
• Leading and line managing the administration and site teams, setting clear expectations and supporting professional development.
• Ensuring the school meets all statutory, regulatory and compliance obligations, including data protection, financial reporting and health and safety legislation.
• Attending senior leadership team and governor committee meetings, contributing to the strategic direction of the school.
• Supporting the headteacher with business continuity planning, risk management and school improvement planning from an operational perspective.

Who we're looking for

• Proven experience in a school business manager role or a similarly senior operational and financial leadership position, ideally within an academy or multi-academy trust environment.
• A relevant professional qualification such as the Certificate of School Business Management (CSBM), Diploma of School Business Management (DSBM), or equivalent experience in finance, business management, HR or operations.
• Strong financial acumen with the ability to manage budgets, interpret data and present clear, accurate reports to governors and senior leaders.
• Confident leading, managing and motivating a non-teaching support team.
• Excellent knowledge of compliance, health and safety, data protection and HR legislation as it applies to schools.
• Highly organised, detail-focused and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• A collaborative, professional and solutions-focused approach to working with headteachers, governors, staff and external stakeholders.
• Enhanced DBS on the Update Service, or willingness to apply for one.

What's in it for you

• Competitive salary in line with your experience and the seniority of the role.
• A permanent, full-time position with a well-established and well-regarded secondary school in Crawley.
• A genuine senior leadership role where your contribution is visible, valued and directly shapes the success of the school.
• A supportive headteacher and leadership team who understand the importance of strong operational management.
• The opportunity to make an immediate impact in a school that is ready to move forward.

Teaching Personnel is recruiting for this role on behalf of a confidential client. To apply or find out more, contact Jordan Woolnough at Teaching Personnel on 01273 809 975 or email jordan.woolnough@teachingpersonnel.com. All applications will be handled directly by Teaching Personnel.

All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQ’s on the Teaching Personnel website for details.
All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available at a later date.
Teaching Personnel is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ this may also include an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted applicants.
We offer all our registered candidates FREE child protection and prevent duty training. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Full assistance provided.
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