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School business manager: what they do and how to become one

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How to become a school business manager: Quick summary

  • There are many progression routes into school business management - you can progress from school admin roles or finance and operations roles outside education.
  • You can expect salaries to grow as you develop skills and experience in the education sector.
  • The average UK salary for school business manager jobs is £40,018 per year, though you could progress to a higher salary in a more senior role.
  • Useful skills to get into school business management include financial literacy, management experience, and understanding of the education context.
  • An MA in Education or Educational Leadership can help you develop the financial and leadership skills valued in senior school business manager roles.

Are you looking for an exciting and fulfilling career in education?

School business management can be an enjoyable and fulfilling career option, particularly if you have great organisational skills and are passionate about working in education. This role is crucial in supporting the leadership team in ensuring efficient school management.

Demand for employees in education continues to increase, and the median weekly earnings for full-time employees in education grew by 4.6% between April 2024 and April 2025, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) data.

Find out what a school business manager (SBM) does day-to-day, how you can become a school business manager, and what to expect from salaries.

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What is a school business manager?

Also known as a school operations manager, a school business manager is responsible for reporting on financial performance and managing administration and operational tasks. This includes managing areas such as human resources (HR), facilities, compliance, and administration to help the school run efficiently. While the head teacher and deputy head teacher manage the educational provision, the school business manager oversees the business operations.

A school business manager may work in individual schools, multi-academy trusts (MATs), FE colleges, or independent schools. In larger MATs, a school business manager is often called a chief operating officer.

What does a school business manager do?

Are you interested in becoming a school business manager, but need more clarity on what they do? Here is what you can expect to take on in an SBM role:

  • Financial management

    Financial planning will make up a huge part of your week as a school business manager. This includes forecasting, financial reporting, and procurement. You'll also be expected to develop budgets that accurately represent the school's needs and resources. This can be a rewarding role in making sure savings go towards better learning tools or classroom resources.

  • HR and staffing

    School business managers organise and assist with recruitment administration, payroll oversight, and HR compliance. In some schools, you may even be tasked with supporting inductions, so soft skills such as excellent communication are important. Understanding employment laws and educational funding models is also an important part of the role.

  • Data, compliance, and governance

    It can be useful to refresh yourself with GDPR policies and school safeguarding, as you may be tasked with ensuring the school complies with data protection laws. Depending on the school, you could also be expected to help the school prepare for Ofsted inspections.

  • IT and systems management

    The role often includes overseeing the IT systems used across the school, and working with IT staff and providers. This could include monitoring developments in technology and assessing how they benefit the school.

  • Community and stakeholder communication

    School business managers regularly communicate with staff, governors, parents, suppliers and external organisations. You will be expected to provide financial or operational updates, work with contractors and maintain positive relationships with key stakeholders.

  • Line management

    Depending on the school, you'll likely be expected to lead and manage administrative staff. This could include overseeing their work, monitoring performance, and motivating them in their role. It can therefore be important to develop your leadership skills through relevant education and prepare to guide other staff.

    The role scales by school size; For example, a SBM in a small primary school may cover all of the above, whereas in a large MAT, roles are likely to vary more depending on the level.

What to expect from a school business manager salary

The salary you can expect in your role is dependent on your role level, location, qualifications and experience. School business manager pay isn't governed by the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions (STPCD), so your pay can also depend on the school's budget. Below, we've provided salary estimates based on Glassdoor reports.

Here are the different UK salaries for the following roles, including what to expect from each:

SBM

As covered above, as a school business manager, you'll oversee the non-teaching business and operational side of a school. At this level, you'll typically have greater responsibility for areas like budgets, staffing, premises and compliance, and will likely manage other administrative or support staff.

UK salary: The average salary for a School Business Manager is £40,018 per year.

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Senior SBM or head of school business management

As your role progresses and you have greater experience and knowledge, you'll likely reach senior level in a school. Sometimes known as a head of school business manager, the position involves taking responsibility for operations in a larger maintained school or for a small multi-academy trust, working closely with the operations director. A head of school business management role is a great role to move into if you want more responsibility and the chance to lead a larger team.

UK salary: The average salary for a head of school business management is £55,275 per year.

How does location impact your salary?

Due to factors such as the higher costs of housing in London, salaries in London are typically higher than the rest of the UK. Those in larger MATs in inner London are likely to earn closer to the top end of the salary range. According to the Office for National Statistics, in April 2025, median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in London were £958.20, compared with £766.60 across the UK as a whole.

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A man and a woman discussing over a laptop

Qualifications and training for school business managers

While there isn't a single mandatory qualification for an SBM, professional development is strongly expected. The government's school business training and development guidance also offers helpful advice on developing your skills. It can be useful to take on training in useful areas such as school financial policy, HR, procurement and compliance to further build your skills.

If you apply for a school business manager role, you'll also be expected to pass enhanced background checks and a DBS check.

How a postgraduate qualification can support senior and MAT-level roles

Your education and eagerness to improve your skills don't need to end after your undergraduate degree or course. Improving your management and leadership skills through an MA programme can really set you apart and build on the skills that so many schools look for in confident leaders.

If you're looking to progress into a more senior role, postgraduate study can help prepare you to take the next step. An MA in Education or Educational Leadership builds the strategic, financial, and leadership skills valued in senior SBM and MAT operations roles. Additionally, they can also help you build the skills and confidence to move further into roles such as head of school business management or education advisor.

If you're looking to move into a specialist role, such as an advisor for a special education needs (SEN) school, completing a course such as the Online MA Special and Inclusive Education can help you to stand out.

Postgraduate education has enhanced my career development and strengthened my professional trajectory.

Louise Maruta, MBA Student at Walbrook
Louise MarutaMBA Student at Walbrook

How to become a school business manager

There isn't just one set route into becoming a school business manager, and some popular options are:

  • Routes from backgrounds outside education

    If you don't have experience working in education, don't worry, as you can still work towards becoming a school business manager. Employers may value experience in finance, business, operations, HR or administration, even if you've worked outside the education sector. These roles can help you develop transferable skills that are relevant to the day-to-day management of a school.

  • Routes from school administration and bursary roles

    A more classic route to go down is progressing from a school administration or bursary role. Perhaps you have worked as a finance assistant or administration assistant in a school; both of these roles are extremely relevant to the position and demonstrate your operational skills in an education setting.

  • What do employers look for in a school business manager?

    Financial literacy, excellent organisation, and understanding of the education context are important when applying for a school business management position. If you're wondering how to progress into school business management, there are lots of routes you can go down to build up your profile. These roles include assistant SBM roles, school administrator roles with finance responsibility, or even a finance assistant role outside of education.

    If you're looking for a school business manager role, it can help to build knowledge of the school funding system through development opportunities. Even taking on postgraduate education can show your commitment to improving the leadership and operational skills that employers look for.

  • Building knowledge of the school funding system

    It is useful to build up knowledge of ESFA compliance and DfE reporting requirements when looking for a role in school business management. In your interview, you can impress employers by showing your commitment to learning more about the school funding system, and your interest in the sector.

Is there progression in school business management?

As well as reaching a senior school business manager role, you could also work your way up to the following roles:

MAT operations director or chief operating officer

If you progress to an MAT operations director, you'll take responsibility for operational services across multiple schools. This likely includes estates, HR, IT, finance and compliance, and you'll typically have staff management responsibility. As this role brings greater seniority than overseeing one school, it typically involves a higher salary than a senior SBM in a single school.

A COO (chief operating officer) has a broader and more senior role, working closely with the CEO (chief executive officer) and other senior leaders to put the trust’s strategy into practice.

UK salary: The salary range for an operations director or COO at a multi-academy trust isn't widely shared; however, you can expect the salary range for an MAT to often be higher due to the additional responsibilities.

Read our complete guide to understanding management titles and roles.

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Education consultancy or public sector advisory roles

If you have a real passion for improving educational outcomes, you could even become an education consultant. In this role, you'd have the chance to offer advice and support to schools and educators to improve the school's success. Consultants work closely with institutions to improve administration processes, curriculum design and professional development for teachers.

As well as hands-on experience in education, employers look for strong communication, research, and business skills. They also normally expect a bachelor's degree in education, or a related field such as business. Advanced credentials such as a master's degree in education are seen as a huge plus, and can help you develop the skills that many employers value in the industry.

UK salary: The average salary for a public sector advisor is £62,981 per year.

Explore our MA Education programmes: Apply today

If you choose a Walbrook MA Education programme, you can enjoy flexible online study from wherever you are. This also provides a convenient way to study around your existing work commitments, and with a 24/7 Careers Hub, you have access to many useful tools and resources.

With 8-week module blocks and a start time of any month, our programmes make it easier to fit study around your work and personal life. Choose between full and part-time study, and graduate from our programmes in as little as a year.

In an education system often driven by pressure and compliance, our programmes take a different approach. They are grounded in careful thinking, real inquiry, and a clear commitment to the students at the heart of education.

Robert White, Academic Lead for Education
Academic Lead for EducationRobert White

School business manager jobs: FAQs

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