School Business Manager

Location: Manchester

Ofsted Rating: Outstanding

School Type: Secondary School & Sixth Form (Co-educational)

Contract: Full-Time, Permanent (37 hours per week, Full Year)

An Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ secondary school and Sixth Form in Greater Manchester is seeking a strategic, commercially sharp, and visionary School Business Manager to join their Executive Leadership Team. This is a high-profile leadership role for a seasoned operational professional, whether an established school business leader or an ambitious corporate/public sector operations director, to lead the non-pedagogical strategy of a premier Northwest educational institution.

About the Role

As the School Business Manager, you will serve as the strategic driving force behind the school’s financial sustainability, operational excellence, and infrastructure development. Working in close partnership with the Headteacher and Governing Body, you will hold executive oversight across five core operational domains: Financial Management & Commercial Growth, Human Resources, Premises & Estates, Health & Safety, and Administrative Services.

• Start Date: Immediate or upcoming term

• Environment: A flagship Manchester secondary school celebrated for academic ambition, exceptional progress scores, and cutting-edge facilities

• Culture: A collaborative, forward-thinking executive environment where operational innovation, fiscal stewardship, and staff leadership are central to institutional success

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Financial Management: Formulate, manage, and monitor multi-million-pound operational and capital budgets; execute long-term financial forecasting, risk management, and statutory audit compliance in accordance with DfE/ESFA standards.

• Estates, Premises & Capital Projects: Lead the facilities team in maintaining a safe, sustainable learning campus; oversee capital expenditure programs, estate expansion projects, contractor procurement, and environmental sustainability initiatives.

• Commercial Strategy & Income Generation: Identify and secure external funding streams, grant opportunities, and commercial lettings strategies to maximize revenue and reinvestment in student resources.

• HR, Payroll & Operational Leadership: Direct non-teaching support operations, ensuring robust HR policies, safer recruitment compliance, payroll oversight, contract management, and workforce development.

• Governance & Regulatory Compliance: Present comprehensive financial reports and strategic risk registers to the Board of Governors; ensure strict compliance with health and safety, data protection (GDPR), and statutory educational frameworks.

Requirements

• Professional qualification in business, finance, or operations (e.g., CSBM/DSBM, CIPFA, ACCA, CIMA, or a relevant Degree/Master’s in Business Administration).

• Proven track record of senior operational management and fiscal control, ideally within an educational setting, academy trust, local authority, or complex public/private organisation.

• Deep knowledge of public sector financial management, procurement law, contract negotiation, and estate development.

• Outstanding leadership and people-management capabilities, with a proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary support teams with clarity, empathy, and high standards.

• Exceptional negotiation, strategic thinking, and analytical skills, with the ability to communicate financial data clearly to governors, auditors, and educational leaders.

Salary & Benefits

• Pay Scale: Senior Leadership Support Scale / Local Authority Grade 10–12 equivalent (commensurate with executive experience and qualifications).

• Greater Manchester Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), generous annual leave allowance, continuous executive CPD funding, and access to comprehensive employee health and wellbeing programs.

How to Apply

If you are an accomplished operational leader ready to shape the business strategy of an Outstanding secondary school in Manchester, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your application as soon as possible for consideration.