Business Manager

This position reports directly to the superintendent or designee. The role focuses on managing staff, liaising with all stakeholders, cultivating consensus on goals and tactics, and making the operations and learning teams more efficient. The North Lawrence Community Schools Business Manager oversees the district's financial operations, ensures efficient resource utilization, and aligns processes to the district's strategic goals. The following outlines core duties and responsibilities and highlights some daily experiences.

Please apply for the job on the district website.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

Administrative Financial Expertise:

• Enhance financial processes and services to achieve better outcomes.

• Serve as an advocate for efficient resource allocation, addressing financial needs and concerns.

• Act as a change agent, managing financial processes to increase organizational effectiveness.

• Lead and support the finance team, embodying integrity, accountability, inclusion, and district core values.

• Manage procedures to ensure receipt and disbursement of monies and prepare monthly reports of fund balances.

Strategic Partner:

• Identify, design, implement, and evaluate financial solutions that align with district objectives.

• Translate the district's financial vision, strategic direction, and long-term goals into specific projects with clear timelines and objectives.

• Monitor the progress of financial initiatives toward achieving the district's vision and goals.

Operational Efficiency:

• Design and oversee financial programs, practices, and policies that promote employee equity and opportunity.

• Streamline digital financial communications and workspaces for improved efficiency.

• Establish, document, and mature repeatable processes for critical business functions.

Communication and Liaison:

• Develop and deliver communication materials for town halls, training sessions, and strategic initiatives.

• Act as a gatekeeper, ensuring the Superintendent focuses on important priorities.

• Facilitate difficult interactions among senior leaders to achieve optimal outcomes.

Project Management:

• Provide overall leadership and project management for strategic financial initiatives.

• Gather and analyze data to support financial project outcomes and communicate progress effectively.

• Ensure visibility and alignment between strategic financial initiatives by attending cross-functional meetings.

Leadership and Development:

• Hire, train, and mentor staff at all levels.

• Coach and advise leaders on developing their financial skills and capabilities.

• Foster a culture of teamwork and collaboration across the organization.

Risk and Conflict Management:

• Identify, analyze, and mitigate financial risks.

• Manage and resolve financial conflicts effectively to ensure a positive work environment.

• Act as an ethical agent, promoting integrity and responsible financial leadership.

Other Duties:

• Assist in the development and implementation of the strategic plan by preparing projections, cost analyses, case studies, reports, etc.

• Assist in cost analyses, projections, reports, etc., to support the 2025 Strategic Plan and strategy implementation.

• Manage and nurture human capital throughout the district.

• Build consensus among leaders about the organization's strategic direction and long-term financial goals.

"Day In the Life" Overview

On a regular day, as the Business Manager of North Lawrence Community Schools, you might:

• Connect one-on-one with executive directors and principals to review and manage progress on key financial initiatives that support the values and strategic plan.

• Facilitate a meeting with learning and technology teams to develop a financial dashboard to track and display Key Performance Indicators identified by the board and superintendent.

• Prepare presentations on strategic financial plans for special initiatives for the executive team, staff, and all stakeholders.

• Meet with the finance team to develop and implement budgeting processes to optimize resource allocation.

• Conducted financial analyses and shared data that supported the implementation of the Strategic Plan.

• Facilitate progress monitoring meetings with the superintendent, directors, and principals.

• Organize meetings with the learning and technology teams to make financial processes more efficient for teachers.

• Compare financial data and performance metrics to surrounding districts and charter schools.

• Work across all teams to review and submit items for the school board, including updated agendas, reports, projects, and requested data before executive sessions and public meetings.

• Act as a liaison to neighboring districts, private schools, and charter schools to stay informed about developments and areas of financial collaboration.

• Attend weekly and monthly team meetings, especially cross-functional ones, to ensure visibility and alignment between strategic financial initiatives.

• Respond to inquiries based on the needs of the Board or other key stakeholders.

• Supervise the administration of the INPRS Fund and other receivable funds.

Competencies and Dispositions

As an ideal candidate for this role, you will be able to demonstrate the following:

• Understanding of the NLCS district and how public schools function and thrive.

• Project management leadership skills and a solid ability to identify financial targets and produce deliverables even when projects are fluid or ambiguous.

• Establish and maintain robust internal controls to safeguard district assets, maintain accurate financial records, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

• Demonstrate a keen ability to design, implement, and monitor control processes, identify weaknesses, and mitigate financial risks through proactive management and continuous improvement.

• Manage multiple relationships with internal and external stakeholders and act as a liaison when needed.

• Strong communicator in both written and verbal communication.

• Ability to develop and present financial presentations and facilitate meetings for all employees.

• Simplify complexity.

• Strategic and systems thinking and problem analysis.

• Manage the process of idea to execution.

• Risk management-anticipate and avert problems.

• Ability to manifest and add value to the school board and superintendent's vision.

• Organizational psychology.

• Possessing personal and professional integrity with the ability to act as an ethical agent.

• Responsible leadership.

• The ability to develop, track, and display effective financial performance measures.

• Ability to work across teams and departments to keep projects on track.

Requirements

• A master's degree, preferably in organizational leadership, business, operations, information technology, public management, or another relevant field. (Preferred)

• Active teacher's license and 8+ years of experience in public schools. (Preferred)

• 4+ years of leadership experience. (Preferred)

• Emotional intelligence.

• Analytical aptitude.

• Experience with executive school leadership advising.

• Fluency with Google Workspace.

• Track record of managing multiple and simultaneous projects, especially competing learning and operation projects.

• Strong knowledge, skills, and dispositions for leadership and management development.

• Willingness to join and participate in the Indiana Association of School Business Officials.

Benefits and vacation days.