APPOINTMENT OF Business Manager Spring Term 2012

Christs School, Queens Road, Richmond upon Thames, TW10 6HW. Tel: 020 8940 6982 e-mail: amylles@christs.richmond.sch.uk www.christs.richmond.sch.uk

Dear Thank you for your interest in this post as School Business Manager at Christs School. We are making this appointment at a key moment as we are hoping to expand the school from a four form 11-16 mixed comprehensive to a five form 11-18 mixed comprehensive. The post 16 provision will hopefully develop to one of between 200-250 students. We are also considering converting to an Academy. This post is therefore an opportunity for someone of suitable experience and expertise to have a major impact across the whole school at an historic point in the schools history that began nearly 300 years ago in 1713. The challenge with the finances is to keep things steady through these difficult economic times. With the premises it is to make the most of our very constrained facilities in a creative way; there are good examples of how we have done this in recent years and we want to continue with such improvements. On the personnel front there are always new tasks to undertake or problems to resolve: it is an area of school life where we always have to be alert, not least in fulfilling our safeguarding responsibilities. And as a member of the Leadership Team, the successful applicant will have an important part to play in co-ordinating the support we give as a school to staff, students and the wider community. These services, often unseen, are vital to the good running of the school. Above all, we would like to appoint a new colleague who can help develop our capacity for change in a way consistent with our underlying Christian educational vision. Christs School is a very good school with an excellent staff, student and parent body and supportive local community. If you think that this post could be for you, please do contact my PA, Karin Humberstone, khumberstone@christs.richmond.sch.uk, for details of an appropriate time for an informal visit. We also look forward to receiving your application form. In your supporting letter we would ask you to include the following points in particular: address the main points in the person specification; why this post at this time; the impact which your leadership would have on these areas of the school; three examples of your outstanding practice in work related to this post.

I do hope that the information you have received will encourage you to apply for this post. Yours sincerely

R.E. Burke Headteacher

Christs School 2012

Business Manager

We are looking to make an appointment with effect from May 2012 of a new Business Manager. This is a key post within the school. It is a full time post and is NOT term-time only.

The School
Christs School a Church of England comprehensive school for 600 young people aged between 11 and 16. It is situated on an enviable site adjacent to Richmond Park in Richmond upon Thames in South West London. We have excellent links with our feeder primary schools and the local community. We are proud to be a faith school and welcome students from Christian and other religious backgrounds. All members of our community are encouraged to learn and achieve. We recognise and celebrate success wherever we can. We believe that we all have talent and that it is our responsibility to identify, nurture and develop that talent to the best of our abilities with the help, guidance and support of others. There are currently 30 full time and 14 part time members of the teaching staff. We have 42 support staff on a variety of full and part time contracts. Our catering and canteen staff are employed by sub-contrated firms, Wilson-Jones and Christies. Our outcomes have dramatically improved over the last seven years. Last summer 93% of our year 11 cohort attained +5 A*-C GCSE (or equivalent) grades, with 71% including GCSE English & mathematics. The Ofsted report from the January 2011 inspection and the subsequent SIAS inspection report were very favourable indeed. They are available to access through the school website. For further information about the school, copies of the school prospectus can be downloaded from our website at www.christs.richmond.sch.uk

Christs School 2012

Job Description
The Business Manager is a key member of the Leadership Team at the school. The main fuctions of the post are extremely important to the overall success of the school but there are many other responsibilities which relate to the efficient running of the school. In the event that the school converts to an Academy this post may become the Company Secretary.

Key Function
To assist the Headteacher as a member of the Schools Leadership Team in: formulating the aims and objectives of the school establishing the policies through which they shall be achieved managing staff and resources to that end monitoring progress towards their achievement (through all the above) fulfilling the Christian educational vision of the school

The Business Manager is responsible to the Governors through the Headteacher for the nonteaching element of the Schools function including the overall financial management of the School. The post holder will lead the following functions: Finance HR Support Staff including school administration Facilities and other non staff resources Project Management

Main Specific Responsibilities

(A full Job Description will be provided to the Appointed Candidate)

General
To be the member of the Leadership Team responsible for the oversight of personnel, finance and premises, as well as for the leadership of School support services as a whole To work with other members of the Leadership Team to ensure effective long-term strategic leadership of the School as well as its efficient day-to-day management To ensure that the Schools policies relating to its non-teaching aspects including those for staffing and pay, financial management and planning, premises, security and health and safety are carefully and successfully implemented To support the Headteacher in forming strong relationships with persons and bodies outside the school, most notably with members of the schools Governing Body, officers of the Diocese, Local Authority and other educational establishments, the schools architects, contractors, suppliers, cleaners and caterers, as well as with providers of other service agreements To manage large scale projects including building and change management projects

Financial
Preparing the school budgets and monitoring income and expenditure in relation to these alongside overall financial management Preparing and submitting returns for particular agencies including the Department for Education, the Diocese, the Local Authority, Companies House, the Charity Commission and Teacher Pensions Preparing the final annual accounts and arranging for these to be audited Responsible for the management of collection of fees and paying of all invoices Being responsible for the payment of all salaries and wages, Administering pension schemes for teaching and other staff; Preparing long-term assessments of future financial performance of the School Procurement ensuring that all resources are effectively procured in line with good practice and at best value

Christs School 2012

Governance
Support the Finance and Staffing Committees of the Governing Body Ensuring the compliance of the school and all members of the staff with all legal matters Advising on all aspects of necessary risk assessments and Health and Safety policy Ensure the school is safe and secure, complying with Safeguarding policies and promoting student welfare

School Buildings, Grounds and General Duties

Responsibility for the maintenance of all school buildings, equipment and grounds Ensuring that the grounds and buildings meet all statutory Health and Safety requirements Responsibility for fire safety Overall responsibility for school vehicles and catering Responsibility for procurement relating to catering and the delivery of statutory policy and good practice in relation to student nutrition

Support Staff and Administration

Ensuring good HR practice is delivered To ensure effective management of statutory employment practice including equal opportunities compliance To be responsible to the Headteacher for the appointment, management, deployment, induction, training and development of all staff To ensure that all administrative processes are efficient and cost effective

Person Specification
In line with national competencies for School Business Manager, we wish to appoint someone who meets the following criteria - essential unless otherwise stated. Is able to manage his/her own time and resources well o Committed to own professional development o Knows how to build up contacts and draw on advice and support o Has high professional and ethical standards and is a person of integrity Can provide leadership to others at a whole school level o Capable of contributing effectively to a school development plan o Has an excellent knowledge and understanding about school management to ensure the school complies with legal, financial and other requirements and fulfils statutory duties in terms of financial and other reporting to the Local Authority, Diocese and Department for Education o Can manage risk safely, wisely and effectively o Has experience of ensuring that statutory procedures for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people are followed o Can help to create confidence and good will in and beyond the school Can plan, lead and organise changes within the school o Can innovate successfully o Can build capacity for future change Can lead and manage people effectively o Forms good relationships with both colleagues and external contacts o Can delegate well and judge how much a task has to be monitored and supervised o Can play an active and informed role in staff recruitment o Has experience of performance management and staff development o Good at working in, building and leading a team 5

Christs School 2012

Is qualified to take on this particular role o Has the necessary experience and expertise to manage school finances o Has Certificate/Diploma in School Business Management o Is competent to oversee premises maintenance and development o Experience of property management (desirable) o Has experience of work in personnel or human resources o Experience of using SIMS (Schools Management Information System) (desirable) o Has enhanced CRB disclosure Can do the key functions and responsibilities successfully o Excellent project management skills - handles projects well o Understands the importance of good processes o Knows how to improve services within a school and to the wider community o Has a track record of organisational improvement

As a church school we also hope to appoint to this role on the schools Leadership Team someone who is able to support the schools ethos and participate actively in the life of a church school in different ways.

Behaviours
We expect the person appointed to show the following:

Good people skills Support and loyalty to the Headteacher and Governors at all times Enthusiasm about his/her role The ability to provide information to support decisions on financial planning Respect for ideas of others and try to implement them if they have merit Emapthy with all staff The utmost discretion An understanding of the ethos of a Church of England secondary school A willingness to give up time above and beyond contracted hours when necessary. A willingness to undertake further training to improve skills A sense of humour An understanding that the impossible can happen and often does happen in a school Attributes of a good team player

Skills and Knowledge

Strong accountancy skills, although not necessarily a qualified accountant. Up to date with good financial practice, current legal issues and the pension schemes that the school operates. Understand the Health and Safety issues facing the school in all aspects of its operation Understand the workings of budgeting of an Academy and be able to operate effectively within the constraints that this presents Have a good knowledge of the building industry in order to be able to get the best from any contractors employed by the school Understand employment law, particularly in relation to contractual agreements Strong strategic planning skills, the ability to think laterally and good organisational skills Dynamic communication and strong management of personnel. 6

Christs School 2012

Be able to access, analyse and interpret information Ability to work to deadlines and coordinate a variety of different tasks at the same time Very competent ICT skills and the willingness to undertake training to extend these if necessary

Terms of the Post

The post is a full time post with six weeks paid holiday plus bank holidays. The post is an integral part of the Leadership Team of the school and is equivalent to a Deputy Headteacher. Holiday must be taken at times which are agreed with the Headteacher, and might be either during or out of term time according to pressure of work at particular times of year. Formal hours are 8.00am to 5.00pm with an hour for lunch, but there are many days when attendance at meetings is required beyond 5.00 pm. Leadership Team meetings take place on Wednesdays . Salary will be in the region of 60000 per annum but will depend upon the experience of the chosen candidate. The school operates a Local Government Final Salary Pension Scheme Lunches are provided daily during term time as the Leadership Team are expected to be on duty during the lunch break.

The Appointment
Applications should be sent in the form of a completed application form and a letter outlining why the candidate feels he or she is suited to this post. Only complete application forms will be considered and incomplete forms will be returned for completion. If you have any queries about what is expected in a particular section of the form, please telephone Amanda Mylles on 0208 4390662 and she will be able to help you. References will not be taken up until an offer of a post has been made. However, no appointment will be formalised until both satisfactory references have been received and a CRB check has been completed. In the interests of Child Protection we reserve the right to telephone referees to clarify any questions which arise from application forms, verify facts and investigate any inconsistencies between a written reference and the form. We are looking for completed application forms to be returned by midday on Tuesday 31 January with a view to first interviews taking place in the week beginning 6th February and second interviews in the week beginning 20 February. The interview will include some practical tasks as well as question and answer sessions. This will include questions investigating the applicants attitude to Child Protection issues. Christs School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Christs School is an Equal Opportunities employer as detailed in our Equal Opportunities Policy. Any appointment made will be subject to checks that details given on the application form are as stated. It will also be subject to receipt of a satisfactory medical disclosure form. Before an appointment can be confirmed a CRB enhanced disclosure will be required.

Christs School 2012