BUSINESS MANAGER - Oporto British School

APPLICATION PACK FOR THE POST OF
BUSINESS MANAGER
BUSINESS MANAGER
About Oporto British School
Oporto British School, established in 1894, is accredited by the Council of International Schools, approved by the Independent Schools Inspectorate and a member
of the Council of British International Schools It currently has an enrolment of approximately 400 students between the ages of 3‐18.
The students follow the Cambridge International Primary and Secondary Programmes for English, Mathematics and Science, enhanced to meet local
requirements, followed by the IGCSE and the International Baccalaureate
Diploma Programme.
The vast majority of students are Portuguese. A major feature of the school is that it
strives to keep a very favourable teacher – pupil ratio with maximum class sizes of
20; over 60% of teaching staff are of British nationality.
The school, renowned for its family atmosphere, has a small and attractive campus,
with a new Sports Hall and Secondary Building. It is sited near the estuary of the
Douro River, a few minutes’ walk from the sea.
We are seeking a Business Manager to lead the financial, administrative and facilities management of the school.
The successful candidate will be a highly effective and proven leader, with a commitment to excellence. He/She will display
strong financial and business management skills with at least 10 years’ experience in relevant positions and an outstanding track
record of driving organizational change and efficiency.
Key Functions
Working with the Headmaster and the Board of Governors of the School, the core responsibilities of
the role are:
• To provide strategic guidance, leadership and management of the School’s financial, accounting,
administrative and support functions;
• To advise and support the Headmaster and Board of Governors on financial and campus development strategy supporting the educational objectives of OBS;
• To ensure that all aspects of the school’s finance and support functions are compliant with legislation
and with all other regulatory requirements to which it is subject;
• To lead the organization and management of all support staff and managers engaged in finance,
administrative, maintenance and other support functions;.
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BUSINESS MANAGER
Core Responsibilities
• To be responsible for managing the interaction
and adequate insurance cover as required by ap-
with any third parties that provide outsourcing
plicable law and as appropriate to the insurable
services to OBS in any of the areas under the
risks that the School faces;
business manager responsibility, where such out-
• To develop and maintain an efficient procure-
sourcing services exist;
ment policy ensuring School supplies, equipment
• To develop and maintain effective financial and
and services procurement is compliant with policy
company policies, processes and management
and best value for money;
reporting systems;
• To prepare and manage the School’s business
• To prepare, maintain and develop, on an ongoing
plans, budgets and forecasts;
basis, the School’s Risk Register, identifying risks
• To prepare and present the management ac-
and developing and implementing effective risk
counts and key financial and business perfor-
management and mitigation measures;
mance indicators to the Head Master, Finance
• To manage the School’s insurance policies, en-
Committee and the Board of Governors;
suring at all times that the School has appropriate
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BUSINESS MANAGER
• To evaluate and make recommendations on capital expenditure projects, including purpose and
justification, financing options, determination of net
present values and return on investment;
• To develop, sustain and maximize non-fee income
and fund raising initiatives and opportunities;
perience and having the flair and energy to take
on such a role;
• Have some experience of property design, development and construction and be familiar with
related planning and development processes;
• Have the ability to prioritize, demonstrating first
class organizational and project management
Person Profile
skills;
The successful candidate will:
• Have strong commercial acumen, be highly nu-
• Be educated to degree level in Business Man-
merate and financially literate with strong analyti-
agement, Economics, or Financial Accounting;
cal and problem solving ability;
• Demonstrate relevant profession qualifications
• Be innovative with entrepreneurial flair and have
and at least 10 years’ experience in business and
demonstrable strategic aptitude and ability;
financial management roles;
• Be able to deliver planned outcomes in high
pressure situations and meet deadlines;
• Be a strong leader with outstanding team management and organizational skills;
• Have the ability to build strong external relation-
• Be proficient in English and Portuguese includ-
ships with stakeholders, including government
ing excellent written skills;
and local authorities, to enhance and strengthen
the School’s profile;
• Be a strategic analyst and planner, possessing
demonstrable and successful experience in busi-
• Be a collegiate and collaborative team-player ca-
ness management with transferable skills and ex-
pable of establishing a successful working relation4
BUSINESS MANAGER
ship with the Headmaster, the Board of Governors,
the senior leadership team, as well as local and
state government departments and agencies.
• Be a highly credible and confident communicator (written and verbal) at all levels with strong
presentational skills;
• Be emotionally intelligent; a shrewd, analytical
and flexible thinker with good judgment, resilience and a person of absolute integrity, values
and business ethics of the highest order;
• Be a self-starter, highly energized, motivated
with a very high level of commitment and passion
for excellence and able to inspire others to excel
and achieve;
Salary: a competitive local salary plus benefits
Start Date: ideally, in the first quarter of 2015
How to Apply
Applications should include an up-to-date CV in English, a covering letter outlining your interest and
suitability for the position and professional references should be listed.
Applications should be sent to recruitment@obs.edu.pt
Closing date for applications: 15 January 2015.
The school reserves the right to recruit before the deadline.
OPORTO BRITISH SCHOOL. RUA DA CERCA, 338; 4150-201 PORTO. PORTUGAL. TEL. +351 226166 660. www.obs.edu.pt
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