School Business Manager - Full-time - Special Needs Position

City of Rochester School, Cliffe Woods

• Ref:MED887-6011-129S
• Posted:01/06/2026
• Pay:Negotiable - depending on experience
• Start Date:asap
• App Close Date:31/08/2026 at 11:00
• Interviews:TBA

Advert

This is not just a School Business Manager role. This is an opportunity to help shape the future of a school where every decision ultimately impacts the lives of children and young people with additional needs.

At City of Rochester School, we believe that outstanding education is built on strong foundations. We are looking for an exceptional School Business Manager who shares that belief and is ready to lead our business operations with vision, integrity and ambition.

You will be a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, helping to ensure that our resources, people and systems enable the very best outcomes for our pupils. As School Business Manager, you will lead a talented support services team, including the IT Manager, Premises Manager and a small team of finance and administrative staff. You will provide clear strategic direction, ensuring that every aspect of the school's operations contributes to a safe, efficient and high-performing environment where pupils and staff can flourish.

This is an exciting opportunity for a strategic and operational leader who wants to make a genuine difference in a specialist setting where relationships, inclusion and aspiration are at the heart of everything we do.

The Role

This is a senior leadership role with responsibility for the business functions of the school. You will:

• Lead and manage the school's finance, HR, premises, health and safety, compliance and administrative functions
• Provide strategic financial leadership to support sustainable school improvement
• Work closely with the Headteacher and Trustees on budget planning, financial forecasting and resource management
• Ensure robust systems and processes that support effective day-to-day operations
• Lead, manage and develop the school's support services, including the IT Manager, Premises Manager and finance and administrative teams
• Provide effective line management, coaching and professional development for operational leaders and support staff
• Oversee contracts, procurement and value-for-money initiatives
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and independent school standards
• Contribute to the strategic leadership and development of the school
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You will play a central role in ensuring that the school operates effectively, efficiently and sustainably. Through your leadership of finance, administration, IT and premises functions, you will create the conditions that allow staff to focus on what matters most – delivering exceptional outcomes for pupils.

About You

• An experienced business leader with strong financial and operational expertise
• An experienced people leader with a track record of managing and developing teams
• A strategic thinker who can see the bigger picture whilst maintaining attention to detail
• An effective leader who can inspire, support and develop others
• Highly organised, proactive and solution-focused
• Committed to inclusion and the values of specialist education
• A skilled communicator who can build positive relationships with staff, trustees, parents and external partners
• Resilient, adaptable and able to thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Passionate about making a difference to the lives of children and young people

Experience within education is desirable, but we welcome applications from candidates with transferable leadership and business management experience from other sectors. The post is full-time across 52 weeks a year.

Information about the school

City of Rochester School is a specialist school for children and young people aged 5–18 with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC). We are proud of our pupils, our strong partnerships with parents and carers, and our dedicated staff team who work together to create a safe, happy and inspiring environment for learning.

As a small school, we offer a highly personalised and bespoke curriculum built around the individual pupil. Guided by our core principles of Confidence, Resilience and Success, our curriculum is broad and ambitious, combining academic, vocational and creative learning delivered through a therapeutic and nurturing approach.

From Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 5, pupils can access a range of accredited programmes, from entry-level qualifications to GCSEs and beyond. Experiential learning is a key feature of our curriculum and includes opportunities such as forest school, STEM activities, photography, wellbeing, music, geographical exploration and meaningful work experience. Pupils in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 also access age-appropriate vocational experiences at the Vocational College that build early practical skills, curiosity and independence.

Our partners include Squirrell’s Riding School, Larkin Farm, Creepy Claws Farm, Medway League of Friends and St Helen’s Church – to name a few. These partners understand the individual needs of our pupils and work with patience, flexibility and care to support confidence, inclusion and success beyond the classroom.

A key strength of the school is our Vocational College, which provides practical, hands-on pathways for pupils who thrive through technical and vocational learning. Courses include construction trades, engineering and motor vehicle studies, with English and mathematics embedded throughout. This provision is particularly well suited to pupils who do not enjoy learning in a traditional classroom environment and who are motivated by learning through “doing”.

Our post-16 provision, based at the Vocational College, focuses on preparing pupils for adulthood and life after education. Bespoke programmes develop independence, employability and life skills, including access to our on-site flat and extended work experience opportunities that support successful next steps.

Alongside academic learning, we place a strong emphasis on pupils’ social, emotional and communication development. Our therapeutic approach is embedded across the school and supported by a wraparound therapy team, including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, play therapy, arts therapy and counselling. Strong relationships between staff, pupils and families form the foundation of our work.

During the most recent Ofsted Inspection in July 2024, inspectors recognised that “the school has designed its educational offer very carefully to ensure that pupils achieve well academically,” with learning that “deliberately builds on what came before and enables pupils to build their knowledge and understanding in manageable steps.” They also noted that pupils “work hard to meet the school’s high expectations for their behaviour and conduct and to achieve well in their learning.” This picture is strongly reinforced by feedback from our Parent Survey (2025), where all parents who responded said that their child is happy at City of Rochester School and spoke positively about the progress their child has made both academically and personally. Parents highlighted improvements in confidence, engagement with learning and readiness for next steps, saying that the consistent support helps pupils achieve success in ways that are meaningful for them.

Alongside our educational provision, City of Rochester School is committed to ensuring that our operational infrastructure is equally strong. The successful candidate will join our Senior Leadership Team and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the school. Leading our finance, administration, premises and IT functions, the School Business Manager will manage a talented team including the IT Manager, Premises Manager and finance and administrative staff. Working closely with the Headteacher and Trustees, they will help ensure that our resources, systems and facilities continue to support the highest possible standards of education, care and outcomes for our pupils. This is an exciting opportunity to make a genuine strategic contribution to a growing and ambitious specialist school.

City of Rochester School also benefits from an experienced and supportive Trustee Board, whose breadth of knowledge and expertise provides strong strategic oversight and ensures a continued focus on high standards and positive outcomes for pupils.

We are proud of our school community and warmly welcome you to City of Rochester School.

Alicja Emmett Headteacher

Job Contact Information

• Name:Alicja Emmett
• Address:Bradbury Centre, View Road, Cliffe Woods, Kent, ME38UJ
• Telephone: 01634570706
• Email: alicja.emmett@cityofrochesterschool.org