Business Managers and what is their role.

[Maverick]

Hi folks.

I've been in the role for over 4 years now and I'm beginning to realise that just maybe I had it good.

The BM at the time left me to do what I do and cracked on with what she did. We even had a Health and Safety audit and their representative was very impressed by how I had everything covered. Any overtime was noted and paid without question and as long as I followed her rules regarding expenditure everything was fine. In fact the Head told me anything needed under £500 just get it if its needed.

But the previous BM retired 12 months ago. The new one has changed everything. She gets involved in all aspects of the H&S, weekly meetings to discuss, she is involved with the Midday staff and the list goes on.

So I don't know if its just me but I thought the role of the BM was the finances involved in running a school. Again that's changed. Everything now needs to go on a requisition form no matter how small and signed off by the head before its even considered being ordered.

[twiglets]

Each BM will be slightly different. Some will want to control everything, others will empower our roles with some things. Some will delegate, some will dump.
Our line is everything goes on an order form, BM will sign off. Petty cash before purchase is preferred (like washing up liquid type things).
I know of some BM's who will belittle our role as they build their empire.
Fortunately, my BM is fantastic and we discuss most things as to the best way forward. Money isn't always there so many things have to wait, and changing priorities is regular.
Good luck.

[magpie]

Our BM changed and became exactly what you are saying has become of your new BM, although we were still good friends. Just remember though especially if you work for an academy that they are told from above what they have to do. My friend used to have to work from 6am until lunchtime every Saturday morning just to catch up with normal work after getting stupid requests all week from the academy trust overpaid people. Emails would arrive at 4am, she was told to keep her phone on and with here at all times, asking for reports on whatever to be sent in by 9am, stupid stuff like that. My friend left the job only a few months after me because she had no life. There are some BMs that are power mad but others that are just overloaded with idiotic requests from people who don't have a clue. It is certainly a job that i would never have considered.

[EBJ]

Bad memories with my BM especialy as we started off vey well and i would have done anything for her, eventually i resigned under a cloud.

[Richard M]

Can relate to a BM who micro-manages. Very frustrating when you know what you are doing and just want to get on with it.
A new manager is almost like a new job as you adjust to their way of working. It seems you will have to go along with the new procedures (purchases) etc In time I expect you will gain respect from the BM and she will become more confident and not feel the need to get into every detail. Good luck and stick with it.

[jay]

Well, my first BM was okay and left me to get in with it.
After a job review there was no change.

We got a new BM, and I’ll not say my thoughts on an open platform.

But that BM changed their title from BM to Business Director, which I think sums up his attitude.

[Vera]

Its just unfortunate that the one person who has most influence on our jobs has such a loose fitting job description and can pretty much do as little or as much as they please.

For me it is the way that they conduct themselves that makes the biggest difference.
I had a BM once that besides being ok to work for had a nasty habit of blaming others for their mistakes.
Even had to send an email stream to the finance director of the trust after the BM tried to make out an issue was my fault, the email stream proved otherwise.

That way of working I cannot abide. thankfully they left some time after and were followed by an excellent BM who tells the truth.

[Dexter]

I think everything said is valid. (I might have mentioned before (!!) but I was a bursar then BM for 25 years in secondaries and now a primary school site manager.)

External auditors will expect that all purchases are for the school's purposes and at the right price with all necessary permissions being given beforehand. There is a balance to be struck with availability and timeliness of getting things in the real world. (The idea of trade cards are abhorrent to auditors but may be necessary for a school that does a lot of its own day-to-day maintenance.) Any identified deviation from financial rules has to be defended by the BM so they will try and minimise instances of non-compliance. They have to strike a balance and it may seem onerous to you. If things do not happen because of such restrictions a good BM will have to be open to some future relaxation.

BMs' (or similar) job desriptions vary but most are not just finance and include management of site and health and safety.
They will want to have, and to show/prove, that they are on top of their brief. This is particularly so when they are new to the school. If they want to have regular meetings it may be that they want to give the right impression but also to learn from you about school issues and how you work. Obviously, if they are inexperienced as a BM all of this will be more pronounced. You may find that meetings will become less regular, and/or briefer, after a while as trust grows.

The BM will, themself, have to have meetings with the Head and show have a full oversight of the areas under their brief. Again, the Head may be asking more questions to them to begin with (which then impacts on you) until they trust the BM.

You may find that the BM relaxes and becomes more of a colleague and more human with time. It can be a very stressful role and any thoughtfulness or sign from you that you are there to support, as well as make demands of them, may help your working relationship.

[ElGuapo]

I think everything said is valid. (I might have mentioned before (!!) but I was a bursar then BM for 25 years in secondaries and now a primary school site manager.)

External auditors will expect that all purchases are for the school's purposes and at the right price with all necessary permissions being given beforehand. There is a balance to be struck with availability and timeliness of getting things in the real world. (The idea of trade cards are abhorrent to auditors but may be necessary for a school that does a lot of its own day-to-day maintenance.) Any identified deviation from financial rules has to be defended by the BM so they will try and minimise instances of non-compliance. They have to strike a balance and it may seem onerous to you. If things do not happen because of such restrictions a good BM will have to be open to some future relaxation.

BMs' (or similar) job desriptions vary but most are not just finance and include management of site and health and safety.
They will want to have, and to show/prove, that they are on top of their brief. This is particularly so when they are new to the school. If they want to have regular meetings it may be that they want to give the right impression but also to learn from you about school issues and how you work. Obviously, if they are inexperienced as a BM all of this will be more pronounced. You may find that meetings will become less regular, and/or briefer, after a while as trust grows.

The BM will, themself, have to have meetings with the Head and show have a full oversight of the areas under their brief. Again, the Head may be asking more questions to them to begin with (which then impacts on you) until they trust the BM.

You may find that the BM relaxes and becomes more of a colleague and more human with time. It can be a very stressful role and any thoughtfulness or sign from you that you are there to support, as well as make demands of them, may help your working relationship.

Thanks for the post Dexter, that was interesting and enlightening to hear it from the BM's perspective.

[OXSET]

Had BMs in the past who didn't like premises stuff so left it to me unless otherwise needed. Always backed what I needed etc. Trust has reformed this. No more Business Managers really, unless you used to be one then you stay until you leave and then replaced with a cheaper Office Manager and most higher level finance stuff is centralised.... Site Manager in this structure makes life... interesting. The HEAD is my line manager and again, they are paid to lead teachers not people like me so have no real idea what I do.. Mine trusts me, some don't because again they have no idea what we do and don't like that sometimes it may look like we're just ambling around on our compliance walks etc!