Bursar

St Cedd’s School

Job Description

Job Title/Role:

Bursar

Purpose:

Responsible for the business management of the School

Responsible to:

Head

Performance Review:

Head and Chair of Finance and General Purpose Committee

___________________________________________________________________________

Responsibilities and Duties

Responsible for all non-teaching aspects of the School, including financial reporting, budgeting, cash
flow, long term financial planning, Health and Safety, catering, cleaning, managing the School Shop
and  estate management,  to  include  production  of  termly  management  accounts,  annual  statutory
accounts and associated filing and reporting.

Responsible  for  line  managing  the  Assistant  Bursar,  Finance  Assistant,  Front  Office  team,  Site
Manager, Site Assistant, Catering Manager, Cleaning Supervisor and School Uniform Shop personnel.

Membership of one or more of the following School committees:

Senior Leadership Team
•
•  Health and Safety Committee
•

Food Forum

The professional duties of the Bursar shall include but not be limited to the following sections:

Finance and Accountancy

In consultation with the Head and the Chair of the Finance and General Purposes Committee:

•  Ensure the Head and the Governing Board are fully informed of the School’s finances on a

regular basis.

•  Advise on the general financial policy of the School.

•  Preparation of termly management accounts, annual budgets, periodic forecasts and business

plans

•  Preparation of annual accounts and liaising with the auditors
•  Assist  the  Head  regarding  curriculum  department  budgets,  preparing  statements  for  the

Heads of Departments on a half-termly basis.

•  Process monthly payroll
•  Regular review and renegotiation of tenders and contracts.
•  Prepare and submit quarterly HMRC VAT Returns.
•  Advise on taxation matters generally and ensure compliance with VAT regulations.
•
•  Prepare, produce and agree monthly bank and other reconciliations.
•  Assist in the development of the School in consultation with the Head and Governors through

Scrutinise and process all expenditure and maintain records regarding all invoices received.

business plans and strategic assessment.

Management of School Fees

•  Prepare, produce and issue termly fee invoices for all pupils.
•  Collect all fees and extras, scrutinising and adjusting where necessary all variable direct
debit payments of fees and extras and process collection through BACS payment system

•  Process and maintain records of charges for extras included on fee invoices.
•  Calculate charges for Pre-School sessions based on data from the Admissions Registrar
•
•  Monitor overdue fees and issue chasing letters where appropriate and take legal action
regarding unpaid fees, including attendance at Small Claims Court, when necessary.

Liaise with the Admissions Registrar regarding childcare vouchers.

General Administration

•  Comply with the School’s staff recruitment policy and provide assistance to the Head and the
Head’s PA, as required, liaising with regard to staff salaries and employment contracts.

•  Assist the Head in the induction training of new staff.
•  Ensure  that  the  School  has  adequate  insurance  cover  at  all  times  to  include  employer's
liability,  buildings  and  equipment  cover,  personal  accident  insurance  and  other  relevant
cover.

•  Monitor and manage the School Uniform Shop.
•  Oversee the letting of school premises to outside organisations.
•  Assist the Assistant Bursar and Head with annual surveys including the DfE return and SLAC.
In line with the School’s performance management policy and procedures, support the Head
•
and SLT in conducting performance reviews of some members of the ancillary staff according
to the School’s performance management policy.

Estate Management and Health and Safety

•  Manage the Assistant Bursar and Site Manager in all building and site-related improvements

and maintenance work, including on-site sporting facilities.

•  Monitor the  upkeep of  playgrounds  including  pollarding  of  trees  and monitoring  of  school
boundaries, gardens, all weather surfaces, long jump pit, play equipment, Forest School area
and gardens.

•  Prepare maintenance schedules and maintain records of refurbishment.
•  Co-ordinate  and  develop  policies  to  comply  with  the  relevant  requirements  of  the

•

Independent Schools Inspectorate and Health and Safety legislation.
Liaise with the Head’s PA regarding compliance checks on outside contractors and manage
the contractors on site.

•  Maintain  the  installations  and  maintenance  of  equipment  for  the  detection,  warning,
protection and escape from fire, plant for electric and gas supply, heating, domestic hot water,
water softening, lighting and ventilation in all school buildings.

•  Project management of new ad hoc projects as required.

Catering and Housekeeping

•  Ensure excellent standards of catering and cleanliness are provided to students and staff and
that  kitchens  and  equipment  are  well  maintained  and  comply  with  Health  and  Safety  and
Hygiene regulations.

•  Monitor  catering  and  cleaning  service  standards  and  levels  as  well  as  scrutiny  of  financial

performance against budgets.

Clerk to the Governors

•  Provide procedural, legal and administrative support and expertise to the Governing board
•  Act as Company Secretary including filing documents at Companies House and the Charity

Commission.
Induction of new Governors.

•
•  Attend all Governors’ meetings and present management reports, as required, including

the Bursar’s Report at F&GP and Full Governors’ Meetings.

•  Meet with the Head regularly to keep him/her informed of the School’s financial status
providing records and reports, as required, and in preparation for Governors’ meetings.

Other Professional Requirements:

•  Maintain professional standards and duties by attendance at relevant courses, seminars and
conferences,  and  feed  back  the  relevance  and  content  of  the  training  to  the  Head  and
Governors.

•  Participate in arrangements for his/her appraisal with the Head (and one Governor) and in the
identification of areas in which he/she would benefit from training, and shall undergo such
training.

•  Maintain  membership  of  ISBA  and  provide  guidance  to  the  Head  and  Governors  as  new
legislation  and  regulations  are  implemented,  and  distribute  newsletters  and  publications
provided by ISBA to Head and Governors.

•  Operate at all times within the stated policies and practices of the School.
•  Support the ethos of the School and be involved with the day-to-day activities of the School.

Safeguarding Children

The post holder’s responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young
persons, for whom she/he is responsible, or with whom she/he comes into contact, will be to adhere
to and ensure compliance with the School’s Safeguarding Policy at all times. If in the course of carrying
out their duties, the post holder becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare
of children in the school she/he must report any concerns to the School’s Designated Safeguarding
Lead or the Head as detailed in the Safeguarding Policy.

Whilst every effort has been made to explain the main duties and responsibilities of the role, each
individual task undertaken may not be identified. Employees will be expected to comply with any
reasonable request from the Head to undertake work of a similar level that is not specified in this
job description.