School Business Manager

Are you an experienced and forward-thinking School Business Manager who wants to make a real difference to a warm, diverse and ambitious primary school? Join Datchet St Mary’s CofE Primary — a friendly Church of England academy where Christian values of Friendship, Honesty, Forgiveness, Resilience, Equality, Love and Compassion sit at the heart of everything we do. This is a chance to lead the school’s business operations, support colleagues and governors, and help shape the environment in which our pupils thrive.

About our school

Datchet St Mary’s is a small, caring primary for pupils aged 3-11 (202 on roll) and part of the Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust. We are proud of our diverse community. We are driven by a clear vision: every pupil experiences success here regardless of background. Staff build strong relationships with families and pupils feel valued, understood and supported. We are committed to equality, inclusion and community, and to helping pupils learn about different backgrounds and faiths.

Current priorities include:

• Raising writing attainment and increasing the proportion of pupils working at greater depth (including in early years)
• Implementing our new assessment tool, Insight
• Strengthening in-class SEND support and progressing through the Delivering Better Values SEND programme
• Improving teachers’ formative checks so misconceptions are identified and addressed quickly, and deepening pupils’ subject vocabulary and disciplinary knowledge

About the role

Reporting to the Headteacher and working closely with the Local Governing Body and Trust, the School Business Manager will provide strategic and operational leadership for the school’s non-teaching functions. This is a varied, high-impact role where you will:

• Lead the school’s financial management: prepare and manage a 3-year budget, oversee financial administration, and support strategic decision-making
• Manage procurement, contracts (cleaning, catering, site works) and lettings, ensuring value for money and compliance with ODST and school procedures
• Line-manage office staff, Site Controller, wraparound care and lunchtime supervisors; support recruitment, induction, appraisal and development
• Oversee premises, health & safety, insurance and licences, and support the school to meet financial management standards
• Coordinate payroll administration, absence management and other complex administrative systems
• Support marketing and community engagement to promote the school
• Provide detailed analysis, reports and professional advice to the Headteacher, SLT and governors

This role will be central to the smooth running and improvement of the school and offers clear opportunities to shape systems and have a direct impact on pupil outcomes.

About you (the ideal candidate)

We are looking for a confident, organised and personable professional who can lead with integrity and collaborate effectively across the school and trust. You will have:

• Proven administrative and financial experience, ideally in a school or education setting, with proven experience of managing complex budgets and contracts
• Strong organisational, ICT, literacy and numeracy skills and attention to detail
• Experience of leading and developing teams and supporting recruitment and staff development
• Good understanding of health & safety, safeguarding requirements and data protection (GDPR)
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach, excellent communication skills and high emotional intelligence
• The ability to manage competing priorities calmly and to build positive relationships with pupils, staff, families and external partners

School Business Manager qualifications (e.g. DSBM or CSBM) and experience with school finance systems are desirable but we welcome applications from talented candidates with the right combination of skills and drive.

We value diversity and welcome applicants from all backgrounds who share our commitment to equality and inclusion.

What we offer

• A warm, inclusive school community with strong Christian values
• A genuinely collaborative SLT and governing body who value the SBM role and strategic contributions
• Professional development opportunities through the school and Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust
• The chance to influence key school improvement priorities (SEND provision, attendance, assessment and curriculum development) and make a measurable difference to pupils’ experience and outcomes