About Us
Are you looking to begin your career as a School Business Manager or are you an experienced School Business Manager looking for a new challenge?
An exciting opportunity has arisen for the right person to become a valued member of our welcoming team.
We are a three‑form entry, Gold Rights Respecting Infant School seeking a motivated and forward‑thinking School Business Manager to join our team. You will lead the strategic and day‑to‑day management of our business operations, including finance, HR, health and safety, compliance and administration- helping to ensure our school runs smoothly so that teaching and learning can continue to flourish. We are looking for the right person- could it be you? Training is available to help the successful candidate if required.
Rated Good in all areas by Ofsted (June 2025), our school puts children’s needs and rights at the heart of everything we do. With inspiring facilities - including a rainforest‑themed library, Forest School area and Computing Suite- we are proud to offer an engaging, creative learning environment.
We are looking for someone with the skills, enthusiasm and vision to support the ongoing development of our school and its provision for pupils.
Job Details
Salary: Grade 8- 9, SCP £33,699 to £36,363 FTE per annum, dependent on experience
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Pattern: 30 hours per week, term time plus 5 INSET days
Interviews: Monday 15th June
Starting date: 1st September 2026
Key Responsibilities Include:
- Financial & strategic management: overall leadership of budgets, financial planning, reporting and effective use of resources
- People & operations oversight: responsibility for HR, recruitment, payroll, compliance and line management of a small team of staff
- Facilities & compliance management: management of premises, health & safety, contracts, statutory requirements, catering, and lettings
A full list of key responsibilities is available in the attached job description.
What You Need to Succeed
We are looking for someone who has:
- Proven experience in school or organisational management, with strong financial and HR knowledge
- Excellent leadership, organisational and communication skills, with the ability to line manage and develop a team
- Confidence working collaboratively with a range of stakeholders; knowledge of local authority procedures is desirable
We can offer you:
- Strong administrative and premises teams to support operational delivery
- The opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the school’s ongoing development
- A committed, supportive staff team and governing body, plus access to local SBM networks and professional development
We would be delighted to hear from you if you think that you would be a suitable candidate for the post and visits to the school are warmly welcomed.
Please contact us at [email protected] or on 01903 773177 if you would like to arrange a visit or a conversation about the role with Claire New, Headteacher.
Further Information
East Preston Infant School and West Sussex County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to an appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service check along with other relevant employment checks, including satisfactory references.
How to Apply
To apply for this role please download the job description and application form below.
Please complete the application form and ensure that you outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills in the job description).
Once complete please return this to [email protected] by midday on Friday 5th June.
Should you have any questions regarding the role or the application please feel free to email us or contact us on 01903 773177
The reference number for this role is SCHO02356.
NOTE TO CANDIDATES - Please do not select the ‘Apply online’ button as the School processes your applications directly rather than through this site.
