Trust Business Manager

The postholder will manage a group of schools up to a maximum of seven working alongside other Central Team staff in the following areas:
Financial Management

• Responsible for monitoring all accounting procedures, identify areas of risk and to resolve any problems, including:
• The ordering, processing and payment of all goods and services provided to the school
• The operation of all accounts, ensuring a full reconciliation is undertaken at least once a month
• Maintaining an assets and risk register
• Responsible for the administration of the payment of all invoices for expenditure and income collection in accordance with payment timescales and the Trust's procedures.
• Work with Senior Leaders to develop a strategic plan for the staff and resources using Integrated Curriculum Financial Planning.
• Preparation of monthly management accounts to monitor and maintain the budget and forecast figures for the school's allocated using the Trust's budgeting software.
• Responsible for a three-year financial plan for the academy (five-year, on request) and as part of this exercise prepare the annual budgets which support the financial plan.
• Meet regularly with the Senior Leaders to discuss monthly management accounts reports.
• In conjunction with the relevant Senior Leaders and the Trust, support the planning and implementation of capital purchase programmes.
• Liaise with funding agencies to identify and source additional funding and identify potential funding opportunities, agencies or government initiatives to ensure income generation from both diverse and obvious sources.
• Prepare financial reports, estimates and completion of financial returns as required by the Trust Board, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Finance Officer (CFO), Senior Leaders, Local Academy Board (LGB), Department for Education, Companies House and HM Customs and Excise and any other group or organisation for which this information is required.
• Ensure the effective operation of financial controls and ensure they receive value for money for all expenditures.
• Review a rolling 12-month cash flow forecast, identifying any concerns and ensuring they are raised to the Trust Finance & Operations Manager at the earliest opportunity.
• Work with the Trust Finance & Operations Manager to manage and monitor internal recharges between the schools' and Central budget, ensuring that costs are recharged on a timely basis.
• Meet regularly with the Trust Finance & Operations Manager to review management accounts.
• Attend all relevant Trust and Local Academy Board (LAB) Meetings and ensure they are all given the necessary information, both at the meeting and in advance, to discharge their duties effectively.
• Work with key finance staff and the Trust internal and external auditors to support the audit requirements, ensuring that information is timely and accurate.
• Have an awareness of potential fraudulent activities on the school's bank accounts ensuring that all relevant colleagues have access to webinars and/or online training for fraud or trending financial subjects.
• Adhere to Trust procurement processes, assisting with management of tenders where appropriate, working collaboratively with the Trust Finance & Operations Manager.

• Embed and implement all Trust equality, recruitment, appraisal, staff development, grievance, disciplinary and redundancy policies and procedures to comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Carry out low level disciplinary or grievance investigations where necessary, taking advice from the HR Team as required.
• Lead on attendance management across the group of schools, liaising with the HR Officer/Headteachers to monitor absence and carry out hearings and reviews as required.
• Produce absence reports and analyse data and provide solutions to reduce staff absence levels.
• Lead on the strategic recruitment plan within the school's allocated, ensuring that staffing decisions are factored into the school's budget.
Maintain effective communication to ensure a coordinated approach on HR and payroll matters, liaise with the Trust's payroll and HR providers as necessary.
• Ensure all relevant parties are aware of changes to staffing so that relevant paperwork can be checked/authorised as necessary.
• Responsible for the reconciliation of the payroll information monthly against budgeted costs and investigation and conclusion of any discrepancies.
• Assist Senior Leaders in the development of a staffing structure that meets financial considerations.
• Act as Appointing Officer for all…