School Business Manager

1. The School Business Manager is a key member of the senior leadership team, responsible for the effective leadership and management of the school’s business and operational functions
2. The School Business Manager works closely with the Head of School, Operations Manager and Executive Leadership Team, to ensure that the school’s provision is delivered effectively and aligns with its aims and priorities
3. The School Business Manager has line management responsibility for a range of support staff, ensuring effective day‑to‑day supervision, performance management and professional development, ensuring consistency, accountability and continuous improvement.
4. The School Business Manager monitors the workload, capacity and resilience within their teams, ensuring appropriate delegation, prioritisation and operational efficiency

1. Lead the administration function to ensure efficient, responsive and compliant school operations.
2. Oversee the management of pupil data, including pupil records, admissions database and attendance records, ensuring accuracy, integrity and full compliance with GDPR and relevant statutory frameworks and guidance.
3. Continually develop and review administrative systems and processes to improve operational efficiency across the school.
4. Ensure administrative support effectively meets the complex needs of pupils, families and external professionals.

1. Oversee the day‑to‑day management of petty cash for the school, ensuring that all transactions are accurately recorded, receipts retained, and accounts accurately reconciled.
2. Monitor and control expenditure against the agreed budget, actively managing resources to ensure best value for money, highlighting any significant variances to the Finance Director.
3. Ensure that all invoices are accurately processed and submitted to the finance team in a timely manner.

1. The School Business Manager will work in partnership with the IT Manager to ensure that technology effectively supports the operational and educational needs of the school.
2. Ensure that appropriate resources, training and systems are in place to enable staff to make effective use of ICT.
3. Act as the school’s Data Protection Officer, ensuring that GDPR and data protection responsibilities are clearly understood, policies are maintained, and staff receive appropriate training and guidance.
4. Ensure that all administrative and ICT‑related operations comply fully with UK GDPR and data protection legislation, working with the IT Manager to address technical compliance and risk management.

1. Provide operational management of all human resources functions, ensuring practice is compliant with employment law, safeguarding requirements and regulatory expectations.
2. Have overall responsibility for the effective administration, maintenance and accuracy of Sona (the HR MIS), ensuring staff records are up to date, compliant and securely managed.
3. Lead and oversee all recruitment and onboarding activities, ensuring processes are fair, transparent and aligned with the school’s values and staffing needs:

• Ensuring safer recruitment practices are rigorously applied in line with statutory guidance, including Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) and school policy.
• Oversee pre‑employment checks including DBS, right‑to‑work, prohibition checks and references, ensuring all appointments meet safer recruitment and safeguarding requirements.
• Support senior leaders in recruitment panels, providing guidance on safer recruitment and best practice.
• Oversee staff induction processes, ensuring all new employees receive a thorough and structured onboarding experience relevant to their role.

1. Maintain the Single Central Record, ensuring it is accurate, complete and in line with statutory requirements.
2. Manage payroll processes, ensuring accurate and timely payment of staff salaries, in liaison with the finance team.
3. Manage staff contracts, variations, pay changes and allowances, ensuring documentation is accurate and compliant.
4. Advise and support senior leaders on employee relations matters, including disciplinary, grievance, capability and absence management.
5. Ensure HR policies and procedures are applied consistently, fairly and lawfully, reducing risk and promoting positive workplace relations.
6. Manage the planning, monitoring and recording of staff training and professional development, including mandatory training, maintaining training records, ensuring compliance.
7. Maintain accurate, confidential HR records, ensuring compliance with GDPR and data protection requirements.

1. Line manage the School Caretaker, setting priorities, allocating work, monitoring performance, and ensuring appropriate training and development.
2. Work collaboratively with the Group Maintenance Manager to plan, coordinate and prioritise maintenance and compliance activity across the site.
3. Oversee day-to-day premises operations, including, utilities, grounds, cleaning and security arrangements.
4. Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date premises compliance records, ensuring all statutory checks, servicing and inspections are scheduled and completed on time.
5. Coordinate external contractors and service providers, in conjunction with the Maintenance Manager ensuring:

• Appropriate vetting and safeguarding checks
• Clear specifications and service level agreements
• Work is completed safely, on time and to the required standard

1. Ensure robust site security arrangements, including access control, alarms, CCTV (where applicable), and opening/locking procedure, enabling the maximum level of security consistent with the ethos of the provision and in line with statutory requirements.
2. Lead on premises-related risk assessments and ensure that identified actions are implemented and reviewed.
3. Ensure the site is prepared for inspections, audits and visits (e.g. Ofsted and H&S audits), addressing any premises-related actions promptly.
4. Promote a safe, well-maintained and welcoming environment for pupils, staff, visitors and the wider community.

1. Ensure the school meets all statutory premises, health & safety and compliance requirements, including (but not limited to):

• Fire safety and evacuation procedures
• Legionella management
• Asbestos management
• Gas and electrical safety
• Water hygiene
• Manual handling
• Playground inspections

1. Ensure the school complies with all relevant legislation, guidance and school policies, promoting a strong culture of safety and wellbeing across the school.
2. Oversee the implementation of the school’s health and safety policies and procedures, ensuring they are understood and consistently applied by staff.
3. Manage and oversee the school’s first aid arrangements, ensuring:

• Adequate numbers of trained first aiders
• Training is up to date and refreshed as required
• First aid equipment and supplies are maintained and accessible
• First aid and accidents logs are recorded accurately and maintained
• RIDDOR reporting (where applicable)
• Monitor trends in accidents and incidents, escalating concerns and implementing preventative actions where necessary.

1. Manage and oversee the administration of pupil medication, ensuring robust systems are in place for:

• Secure storage and recording
• Staff training and authorisation
• Compliance with statutory guidance and school policy
• Clear communication with parents and carers

1. Ensure appropriate risk assessments are completed, and reviewed for (in conjunction with the senior leadership team):

• Premises and site activities
• Educational visits and events
• Pupils with medical or additional needs
• Staff roles and workplace activities

1. Ensure staff are appropriately trained and informed in health and safety matters, including induction, refresher training and awareness of key procedures, enabling regular consultation and training with staff on health and safety issues
2. Ensure the school’s written health & safety policy statement is clearly communicated and available to all staff and visitors.
3. Act as the Responsible Person (where appropriate) for health and safety relating to the premises, escalating risks and issues to senior leaders and the Maintenance Manager as required.

1. Provide operational oversight of the school’s internal catering provision, ensuring a high‑quality, cost‑effective and compliant service for pupils, staff and visitors.
2. Line manage the school catering team, including supervision, performance management, staffing levels, recruitment and professional development.
3. Ensure the catering service complies fully with food safety, hygiene and health & safety legislation.
4. Maintain oversight of menus, portion control and food quality, ensuring provision meets the needs of different age groups, dietary requirements and cultural considerations.
5. Ensure robust systems are in place for the safe management of allergens and special diets
6. Ensure accurate records are maintained for food safety checks, temperature logs, cleaning schedules, training and audits.
7. Work collaboratively with senior leaders to align the catering service with the wider school vision, timetable requirements and events calendar.

1. Be a member of a team of professionals, providing therapeutic care and education to children
2. Support the emotional and physical wellbeing of all the children by meeting their needs in line with the National Minimum Care Standards and Hopedale’s policies and procedures
3. Ensure that the dignity of all children in attendance is upheld
4. Work with team members to achieve a warm, familial, therapeutic atmosphere within the home and schools
5. Be alert to signs of distress or abuse, and to ensure that pupils and staff are kept informed
6. Be sensitive to the needs of individual children, taking account of race, culture, language and religion, having regard for all protected characteristics
7. Actively promote and celebrate diversity
8. Work within the organisation’s ethos; promoting and working towards our shared vision
9. Any other reasonable tasks deemed appropriate to the role.

The list of duties contained in this job description is not exhaustive and will develop in accordance with the needs of the school and children.