Business Manager

Position Type: Full-time | Position Title: Business Manager | Location: Based in Tamworth with regular work from Gunnedah

Carinya Christian School is accepting applications for the position of Business Manager.  This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic team of over 200 Christian staff between the Tamworth and Gunnedah schools.  Working closely with the executive team, we hope to strengthen our Christ-Centred approach to education through creating a wonderful learning environment, with modern and impressive facilities.  The Business Manager will be responsible for the day to day management of Professional and Operational staff to support the effective and efficient running of the Tamworth and Gunnedah schools.

Christian Leadership

Applicants must be committed Christians of reformed evangelical persuasion. As an independent Christian School, the school’s purpose is to provide a Christ-centred learning environment. To be able to support the purpose of the school, it is a requirement that Administrative Support staff:

• Affirm and practice the Christian Faith, including attendance at a church

• Affirm and adhere to the first 20 Chapters of the Westminster Confession of Faith

• Demonstrate and maintain a Christian approach when dealing with others

• Promote and support the ethos of Carinya, including Carinya’s vision of Christ Centred Education

• Demonstrate and maintain team-oriented, collegial and collaborative Christian leadership

Personal Attributes

In addition to the requirements for Christian Leadership, the following personal attributes will enable and ensure that the Business Manager is a positive influencer in the schools:

• Highest commitment to privacy and confidentiality

• Personal time management and sound judgement

• Integrity, loyalty, honesty, empathy and assertiveness (pleasantly)

• Willingness to contribute to the broader life of Carinya

• Analytical and problem-solving skills to resolve routine and non-routine issues

• Ability to remain calm and courteous in complex and stressful situations

• Ability to access and engage constructively and appropriately with staff and students on a basis that supports the school’s vision

Reporting to the CEO and Board, the successful applicant will be required to fulfil the following responsibilities:

Duties

1. You will have the delegated responsibility for the conduct of the Tamworth and Gunnedah Schools as detailed in the delegation schedule. The Board retains the right to modify, add to or withdraw individual delegations if it sees fit to do so.
   
   

2. The Business Manager will act as Board Secretary and consequently shall attend all meetings of the Board and, as required, its sub-committees. 
   
   

3. The Business Manager must keep the CEO informed about matters of significance. The CEO will normally be the main channel for communication with the Board on matters concerning the operations of the School.  
   
   

4. In general terms, the Business Manager is responsible indirectly by delegation, for:

   1. the internal organisation and day to day administration of the Schools

   2. the implementation of applicable School policy as approved by the CEO

   3. maintenance of good relations with all members of the School community

   4. establishment and maintenance of good relations with the broader business and local community

   5. the prudent management of School resources and finances, in conjunction with the CEO, and within the budget approved by the Board

   6. the development and management of School buildings and grounds in conjunction with the CEO, and within the budget approved by the Board

   7. meeting compliance requirements under the Australian Education Act 2013

   8. liaising with the Association of Independent Schools in matters relating to funding and developments within the School’s sector. 

5. The broad objectives of the Business Manager role, as fulfilled in the carrying out of their duties, is:

   1. To ensure the ongoing financial viability and development of the school.

   2. To ensure that the School is well managed and able to provide the resources needed for the education and welfare of each student, the professional growth of each member of staff and the proper maintenance of School facilities.

   3. To oversee the successful implementation and achievement of current and future Strategic Plans as developed and approved by the School Board.
      
      

6. The Business Manager must perform his / her duties, including the duties set out on the position description, which is attached as Schedule 4 (Position Description) and such other duties as are incidental and ancillary to the role of Business Manager, as well as duties which may from time to time be assigned by the CEO.  
   
   

7. In carrying out his / her duties, the Business Manager shall comply with all lawful instructions issued by the CEO. In the absence of the CEO, the Business Manager shall comply with all lawful instructions issued by his / her acting delegate.
   
   

8. The Business Manager must perform all his / her duties in accordance with the ethos, aims and objects of the School, as determined from time to time.

1. The successful conduct and organisation of the Schools under The Business Manager’s delegated authority will be assessed under the following general headings:

   • The satisfaction of all compliance requirements for external parties to receive ongoing funding, grants and subsidies in a timely and accurate manner.

   • Ensuring the school is appropriately insured and policies are in place to manage the spectrum of risks affecting the School.

   • Maintaining the schools master plans and executing capital works projects to achieve these plans.

   • The successful production and implementation of annual budgets for both recurrent and capital purposes, to ensure the long term financial viability of the schools.

   • Maintaining effective ongoing relationships with and ensuring access to external providers of short term and long term finance.

   • The maintenance of strategy and policy around the setting and collection of school fees to ensure a positive fee payment culture is maintained within the school community.

   • Ensuring that the school has sufficient capacity to service and meet the schools liabilities to regulatory authorities, creditors and finance providers as they fall due.

   • On behalf of the Board, monitoring and maintaining effective governance policies and practices to meet the requirements of regulatory authorities.

   • Ensuring industrial agreements are maintained to govern the employment of all staff.

   • Providing school facilities for the use of students and staff which are safe, effective, maintained and well presented.

   • The maintenance of an engaging, effective and positive relationship between and amongst all Professional and Operational staff members.

As the leader of operational activities across the schools you are responsible for ensuring the following tasks are achieved with the support of a professional and pperational staff who play a key role in their completion.

Financial Management

• In consultation with the Financial Controller, satisfy compliance requirements of external parties to receive ongoing funding, grants and subsidies in a timely and accurate manner.

• Preparation and submission of the State and Federal Student Census

• Preparation and submission of the Federal Student Attendance Data

• Preparation and submission of the Federal Financial Questionnaire including the submission of additional details for further verification as required by the Department 

• Completion of Financial Accountability Certification for both the State and Federal Government

• Preparation and Submission of the Annual Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission return

• Preparation and Submission of the Student Background Data Collection for ACARA

• Ensuring that appropriate Copyright Licensing is obtained each year for the use and reproduction of resources within the School

• Preparation and submission of the Annual Financial Accountability Certification for the Association of Independent Schools in relation to grants received

• Ensuring Compliance Certification for the Australian Department of Education is submitted when due by the Deputy Principal

• When capital grants are obtained via the BGA, prepare maintain and submit financial records on a monthly basis as required in addition to Financial Acquittal certification as required at the completion of the project

Risk Management

• Sourcing and maintaining appropriate insurance protection for the spectrum of risks affecting the School, ensuring adequate cover at competitive prices

• Lodging and managing claims against insurance policies required to compensate for losses incurred

• Liaising with parents of students who have experienced an accident or injury to enable them to lodge a claim against the Student Accident Insurance policy

• Reporting of all staff accidents and incidents to the school's workers compensation insurers within 48 hours of their occurrence.

• Completion and submission of the Annual Workers Compensation Declaration

Work Health and Safety

• Acting as an Officer of the PCBU to ensure compliance with the WHS ACT and Regulation

• Provide day to day management of WHS practices, policies and systems at the School

• Meeting with the WHS Committee to discuss and plan improvement to the school’s facilities, practices, policies and systems with regard to WHS

• Recording and investigating accidents and incidents at the school (both students and staff- with the HR Manager) to eliminate and reduce the risk of recurrence

• In conjunction with the HR Manager, manage all workers compensation claims

• Co-ordinate the return to work for injured workers including liaising with external return to work providers appointed when required.

Capital Works Planning and Design

• Consulting with the CEO and Board to formulate plans for future capital works 

• In conjunction with the Projects and Facilities Manager, appoint and work with Architectural, Structural, Civil, and Electrical Design Consultants to produce designs and plans for future capital works projects

• Liaising with town planners, Tamworth Regional Council and other regulatory bodies to seek approval for the completion of capital works projects in accordance with Local and State regulations

• Preparation and submission of applications to the Block Grant Authority (BGA) administered by the Association of Independent Schools to access capital grants

Capital Works Management

• Source and review tenders from suitably qualified and experienced Construction Contractors for the completion of capital works projects

• Selecting Construction Contractors and entering into appropriate Commercial Contracts to govern the agreement for the completion of capital works projects

• Financial management of capital works within the budgets determined by the greater Financial Planning process to ensure that works are completed without the creation of financial stress on the enterprise and within cash flow constraints

• Oversee and manage capital work projects on behalf of the Proprietor including the planning and arrangement for alternate access and rooms throughout the construction phase of the project.

Financial Budgeting (Annually)

• Produce a detailed and complete annual Budget for the Tamworth and Gunnedah Schools combined, seeking to provide for an operating profit in consideration of Fees, Funding, Wages, Enrolments, Operating Costs and Overheads, Cash Flow requirements, planning for Capital Works, and the economic environment in which both schools are operating

• Present Annual Budgets to the Finance Committee and School Board for Approval and implementation

• Translate the annual operating budget into a Monthly Profit and Loss and Cash Flow Budget

Financial Planning (5 Year)

• Develop and maintain a 5 Year Budget plan in consideration of wages, enrolments, fees, and capital requirements

Financial Management

• Maintaining a close and effective relationship with external providers of short term and long term finance and associated banking activities

• Negotiate with credit providers on all matters relating to loans or cash flow affecting the School

• Managing the day to day and long term cash flow to ensure adequate funds are available to service the anticipated short and long term needs of the School

• In conjunction with the Financial Controller, oversee the preparation of financial records on a monthly, quarterly and yearly basis to provide accurate and timely reports and records to the Finance Committee on a Monthly basis, and to the School’s Auditors on a Quarterly and Yearly basis

• Achieve an unqualified audit opinion for the Proprietors Financial Statements on an annual basis 

Promotion & Marketing

• In conjunction with the Promotions Coordinator, oversee and manage promotional activities, strategies and initiatives aimed to further develop brand awareness within the community including:

  • Ensuring that the School’s have an active and up to date online presence

  • Liaising with designers and consultants as required for the production of promotional materials

  • Seeking out, planning, promoting and managing opportunities for the school to engage with the broader Tamworth and Gunnedah communities

  • Day to day management of the school website including all updates and changes as required

• Engaging with and supporting external organisations seeking to use the school's facilities so as to make the school available to the community

Staff Entitlements

• In conjunction with the Financial Controller and Payroll and Employee Benefits Administrator, oversee the fortnightly payment of wages to all staff.

• Ensuring compliance with the National Employment Standards and appropriate enterprise agreements in the payment of wages and entitlements to all staff

• Ensuring compliance with the Long Service Leave Act and appropriate enterprise agreements in the production and implementation of the School’s Long Service Leave policy

• Liaising with the Australian Payroll Association and the Association of Independent Schools to seek informed and accurate advice for the resolution of issues related to staff entitlements

• Ensuring accurate and available records are kept for staff annual leave, personal leave, and long service leave in compliance with the appropriate enterprise agreements and governing Acts

• Ensuring PAYG obligations to the Australian Taxation Office are met on a fortnightly basis, and that the PAYG withholding annual report is lodged at the completion of each Financial Year

• Ensuring fortnightly Pay Advice Slips, and annual Payment Summaries are provided to all staff in accordance with Statutory Requirements

• Ensuring superannuation contributions are made for all staff in accordance Statutory requirements and that these contributions are paid as and when required to the appropriate Super Funds using Super Stream compliant methods

• At the commencement of each school year, ensuring adjustments are made as appropriate and notice provided to all part time staff in accordance with their allocated FTE

• At the completion of each school year, ensuring that termination and pro-rata leave payments are made in accordance with the appropriate enterprise agreement

School Fees and Fee Payments

• As part of the Financial Planning and Budgeting process, setting a strategy for School Fees and implementing this during the annual budget via the setting of School Fees for the following year

• Producing, distributing and making publicly available detailed Fees Information on an annual basis

• In conjunction with the Financial Controller, overseeing the production and distribution of Annual Fee Invoices

• In conjunction with the Financial Controller, overseeing the collection of school fees including the receipt of Fee Payment Election Forms at the commencement of the school year and the weekly monitoring, management and negotiation of fees payments for the remainder of the school year

• Generally managing debtor procedures so monies owed to the School are collected in a timely and appropriate way throughout the year with the aim being to prevent families from accumulating large debts over successive years

• Liaising with the external collection agency for the payment of monies owed to the School

• Meeting with parents to discuss and provide assistance where appropriate via the Emergency Assistance program when the short term payment of school fees has become an issue

• Reporting on the collection of school fees on a Monthly basis to the Finance Committee

Creditors

• Overseeing the purchasing processes used at the school to ensure adequate authority and budget allocations are in use

• Overseeing creditor procedures so monies owed by the School are paid in a timely and appropriate way

Fee Rebate Program

• Managing the school's policies to provide assistance and relief to parents when required including the Fee Rebate program, EdStart application, and Fee Write Off requests. 

• In conjunction with the Financial Controller:

  • Producing and distributing Fee Rebate applications to families are required.

  • Receiving and assessing completed Fee Rebate applications and meeting with families as required to discuss their application.

• Assessing requests to Write Off fees outstanding in accordance with the Fees Policy and delegated authority to provide fee write offs.

Acting as the Secretary of the School Board

• Producing and maintaining all required documentation for the running of the Board

• Planning all Board meetings including the production of all agendas and the recording of minutes

Acting as the Secretary of the Finance Committee

• Producing and maintaining all required documentation for the running of the Finance Committee

• Planning all Finance Committee meetings including the production of all agendas and the recording of minutes

• Providing recommendations from the Finance Committee to the Board for discussion and approval

Governance

• Maintaining the Company’s Governance policies and procedures

• Ensuring Annual Declarations are completed by all Responsible Persons and kept on record

• Providing all notifications with regard to Governance Matters to the required parties as defined within the Governance Manual

• Arranging for the professional development of Responsible Persons on an annual basis in accordance with NESA requirements

Managing Support Staff

• Performing inductions of Professional and Operational staff upon their commencement of employment

• Developing Position Description and Role and Responsibilities for support staff

• Generally overseeing and supporting those staff who provide leadership and oversight for support functions across the school including:

  • Financial Controller

  • Registrar and Office Manager (Tamworth)

  • Office Manager (Gunnedah)

  • Maintenance Manager (Tamworth and Gunnedah)

  • Projects and Facilities Manager

  • ICT Manager

• Managing day-to-day problems as they arise

Uniform Shop

• Overseeing the financial operations of the Uniform Shop

• Supporting the Uniform Shop Manager in the day to day management of the Uniform Shop

Staff Recruitment

• Working with the CEO and HR Manager to develop and support staff recruitment strategies

Employment Relations

• In conjunction with the Association of Independent Schools, managing the process for the acceptance of enterprise agreements by both Teaching and Support staff and implementing these agreements in accordance with their terms 

Leadership

• Leading and working in collaboration with the Accounts Team and Support and Operational staff

• Attending executive meetings in both Tamworth and Gunnedah

To be negotiated with the successful applicant based upon Qualification and Experience in the Independent Education Sector.