School Business Manager

School Business Manager

Post Reference Number: SBM002

Post Title: School Business Manager

Recruiting Manager: Headteacher

Location: Expanse Learning Wigan School, Tyrer Avenue, Wigan, WN3 5XE.

Salary: £30,842 - £35,735

Work Pattern: FTE (37.5 hrs per week)

Responsible to: Headteacher

Responsible for: General Management of Expanse Wigan School

Closing Date: 2nd November 2026

Role Purpose

The School Business Manager will play a key strategic and operational role in the effective management and smooth running of Expanse School. Working closely with the Senior Leadership Team, the postholder will oversee a broad range of business, financial, HR, health and safety, compliance, student data and administrative functions.

The role will provide professional leadership and support across the school, ensuring that robust systems, processes and procedures are in place and maintained to support the delivery of high-quality education and a safe, effective and well-managed school environment.

The School Business Manager will have responsibility for managing staff and supporting the school’s people functions, including recruitment, safer recruitment, employee relations, attendance, professional development, staff wellbeing and maintaining accurate personnel records.

The postholder will also oversee financial and administrative processes, including purchasing, invoices, funding information, petty cash and school monies, ensuring that appropriate controls and records are maintained.

The School Business Manager will oversee the accurate management and reporting of student and attendance data, ensuring the school’s MIS is maintained effectively and kept up to date. The postholder will produce regular reports and provide accurate data to support school leaders, governors and external reporting requirements, while identifying trends and ensuring data quality and compliance across the school.

Another aspect of the role is health, safety and facilities compliance, including tracking school staff training, emergency procedures, risk management, statutory checks, contractor compliance and maintaining appropriate records.

The successful candidate will be highly organised, proactive and professional, with excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to manage competing priorities in a busy specialist school environment.

Job Description Statement

This job description provides an outline of the duties and responsibilities of the role, and the necessary skills and knowledge required to perform them as at the date it was created. By applying for this role, the candidate accepts that over time this job description may be subject to change as the candidate's duties and job evolves or as any changes to the school arise, this will be in consultation and discussion with the candidate. It will periodically be reviewed as part of ongoing continuing professional and school development. In addition, it may be amended at any time after consultation with you.

Safeguarding Statement

Expanse Learning is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All post holders are subject to satisfactory disclosure and clearance prior to employment.

It is unlawful for Expanse Learning to employ anyone who is barred from working with children. It is a criminal offence for any person who is barred from working with children to apply for a position at Expanse Learning. All applicants will be made aware that providing false information is an offence and could result in the application being rejected, or summary dismissal if the applicant has been selected, and referral to the police and/or the DBS.

Equality Statement

We are committed to achieving equal opportunities in the way we deliver services to the community and in our employment arrangements. We expect all employees to understand and promote this policy in their work.

Employees will be recruited based on their qualifications and experience to do the work to be performed, regardless of sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, nationality, religion or belief, political opinion, age, pregnancy & maternity, disability or trade union membership status.

Health and Safety

All employees have a responsibility for their own health and safety and that of others when carrying out their duties, and must support the school’s health and safety policies.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership and Management

• Provide effective operational and business management across the school.
• Line manage the Business Administration, School Chef and Welfare Assistant functions.
• Attend Senior Leadership Team meetings and contribute to strategic discussions and decision-making.
• Support the school as a member of the Senior Leadership Team during Ofsted inspections and other external reviews.
• Provide appropriate training and support to governors.

Finance and Business Administration

• Oversee the school’s purchasing and financial administration processes.
• Manage purchase orders and invoices, including those relating to cleaning, facilities, classroom resources, consultants and furniture.
• Prepare and maintain annual funding summaries.
• Manage student funding correspondence and documentation.
• Oversee petty cash processes and maintain appropriate records.
• Manage and account for school trip and charity monies.
• Review and verify monthly payroll reports to ensure accuracy.

Human Resources and People Management

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date employee records on PeopleHR.
• Support safer recruitment processes.
• Support with safer recruitment checks for new employees.
• Manage employee absence processes, including accurate recording, attendance monitoring, reviews, correspondence and meeting records.
• Coordinate and deliver new employee inductions.
• Arrange, monitor and maintain records of staff training and professional development.
• Support the review and implementation of school and group HR policies.
• Support new starter processes, including IT account creation, equipment, identification badges and relevant employee documentation.
• Coordinate employee IT equipment and system access in liaison with the IT Manager.
• Support recruitment interviews, including preparation of interview documentation.
• Manage DBS information for contractors, regular visitors and relevant external service providers.

Health, Safety and Facilities

• Coordinate placement assessments for alternative education placements and maintain H&S/Safeguarding documentation on our central system.
• Monitor and arrange mandatory health and safety training, including fire safety and first aid.
• Deliver health and safety inductions for new employees.
• Coordinate regular fire safety testing and emergency procedures.
• Arrange and record weekly fire alarm testing.
• Coordinate termly fire evacuation drills.
• Coordinate bi-annual invacuation drills.
  
• Complete termly first aid kit checks, including monitoring allergy medication stock.
• Support the ordering of Science chemicals and provide required documentation to suppliers.
• Complete and record monthly defibrillator checks.
• Maintain Databridge records relating to health and safety events and compliance.
• Coordinate the issuing, cutting and signing-in/out of staff keys.
• Ensure staff complete required driver declarations and Expanse minibus training.
• Communicate relevant access and gate code changes to waste collection providers.
• Maintain food hygiene documentation and reports.
• Maintain pest control documentation and reports.
• Oversee asbestos management processes, including contractor sign-off and register requirements.
• Ensure visitor and speaker documentation is completed and appropriately recorded.
• Arrange and monitor cleaning audits with external providers.

Student and School Administration

• Coordinate student vaccination days and associated communications.
• Ensure accurate student information on Databridge, including emergency contacts and EHC documentation.
• Maintain and oversee the school admissions register.
• Coordinate student visits, school tours and initial visits for prospective students and families.
• Ensure administrative systems relating to students are maintained accurately and effectively.
• Produce and provide accurate student, attendance and school data reports to support school leaders, governors and external reporting requirements.
• Monitor data quality and identify trends or discrepancies, providing relevant information to support effective decision-making and school improvement.
  

NOTE TO APPLICANTS

If you require any aids or adaptations to either our workplace or policies and practices that may assist or enable you to successfully carry out this role, please inform us. This job description is subject to annual review in accordance with the changing nature of students and institutional need.

The Personal Specification