School Business Manager

What skills and experience we're looking for

•

Relevant professional qualification (e.g., CSBM, DSBM, or equivalent)
• Significant experience in budget management, financial planning, and reporting
• Experience operating within a regulated or complex environment
• A proactive, analytical mindset with excellent attention to detail
• Relevant professional qualification (e.g., CSBM, DSBM or equivalent)
• Knowledge of facilities management and health & safety regulations

What the school offers its staff

• Health Assured - Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to Benenden Healthcare
• Free Flu Jabs
• CPD afternoons
• Access to Mental Health First Aiders
• Free parking on all our sites
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme

Further details about the role

Blackfen School is a progressive and vibrant learning community that focuses on raising the aspirations and releasing the potential of every young person in our care.

We are seeking an outstanding School Business Manager to join the senior leadership of the School, with a primary focus on financial strategy, sustainability, and performance.

This is a pivotal leadership role for a commercially minded professional who can ensure that financial planning, control, and decision-making directly support the delivery of high-quality education.

Working closely with the Headteacher and Governors, you will take ownership of the school’s financial position—providing clarity, insight, and strategic direction to ensure long-term stability and impact.

In this role you will:

• Lead the development and delivery of robust, sustainable budgets
• Provide clear financial insight to inform strategic decision-making
• Ensure the school achieves maximum value
• Balance financial control with enabling investment in student outcomes
• Lead on matters relating to premises and facilities management

Alongside this, you will oversee all operational services to ensure they support financial and organisational efficiency.

This post is considered to be a customer-facing position; as such it falls within scope of the Code of Practice on English language requirement for public sector workers. The school therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 to ensure that the post holders have a command of spoken English sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the person specification. These will be applied during the recruitment / selection and probationary stages.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment. Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance. Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) medical online and social media prohibition from teaching right to work satisfactory references suitability to work with children You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.