School Business Manager

Buckinghamshire | Onsite | September start | 3-6 month contract

Competitive day rate (umbrella)

Want to make an application Make sure your CV is up to date, then read the following job specs carefully before applying.

Panoramic Associates is supporting an Academy Trust with their search for an experienced Interim School Business Manager to join a special school in Buckinghamshire. This is a key senior operational post, supporting the Principal and leadership team by ensuring the school's business functions run efficiently, compliantly and sustainably.

You'll take day-to-day lead across finance oversight (budget monitoring/forecasting and reporting), HR operations (recruitment/induction/employee relations in liaison with central HR), health & safety / estates and facilities compliance, procurement and contract management, GDPR/data protection, and academy administration systems. You'll also contribute to governance support, including preparing reports and attending relevant meetings as needed.

Please note: the trust has a dedicated CFO and Finance Manager, so you'll be involved in accounts and reporting, but won't hold sole end-to-end finance responsibility.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide operational leadership across the school's business functions and advise the Principal/leadership team
• Budget monitoring, forecasting and reporting (with central finance), plus oversight of day-to-day finance activity
• Lead operational HR processes with central HR support, including safer recruitment and induction
• Own academy-level compliance: SCR / safer recruitment records, GDPR, policies and statutory requirements
• Oversee estates/site, H&S and risk management, including contractors, inspections and record-keeping
• Procurement, contracts and supplier management to secure best value
• Line-manage the school's admin function and coordinate wider support teams via relevant managers

Criteria:

• Proven SBM (or equivalent senior xwzovoh school operations) experience - ideally within an academy
• Strong grounding in budgeting/reporting, HR processes, H&S/compliance, and SCR/KCSIE
• Confident producing clear written reports and working with senior stakeholders/governance
• Calm, pragmatic, and able to stabilise and improve systems quickly in an interim post
• Special school/SEND experience is helpful, but not essential

Contract details

• Start: September 2026 (or as close as possible)
• Length: 3-6 months
• Location: Onsite, Buckinghamshire
• Rate: Competitive day rate (umbrella)
• Interviews: This week