Business Systems Manager

Applicant Information Pack

Business Systems Manager

A foreword from our Principal and Chief People Officer

Richard Backhouse - Principal

Berkhamsted is among the schools leading the way in pursuing a ‘foundation structure’. As a group of six schools, it combines scale of resource with individual attention and development of pupils –and staff. We start with our values: we aim for excellence – aiming high with integrity – in all that we do. We are adventurous, and support development, research, and experimentation in teaching and learning We serve others – at both pupil and staff level: ours is a non-hierarchical school in which the opinions of all matter, and in which we all share in the support and contribution to our local community

Above all, we are committed to developing remarkable people, both among our pupils and our staff We are looking for highly committed, ambitious and adventurous people to join a thriving staff body, whom we can support to flourish here, and whom we can help to grow. Our staff are so important that we have a Chief People Officer as one of our most senior members of staff.

Tracey

Evans - Chief People Officer

Our staff are our most important asset at Berkhamsted; investing in their professional development with their wellbeing a key priority We foster a working environment that firstly provides a sense of belonging and supports staff both professionally and personally. We offer a wide range of staff wellbeing initiatives. Colleagues can easily access financial, physical, emotional and social well-being support from school

We seek to enable all members of the school community to achieve their full potential in an environment characterised by equality, equity, respect and opportunity We work hard at Berkhamsted, but we also know how to come together as a community and enjoy downtime, building relationships which last a lifetime and enrich our professional and persona

History of Berkhamsted Schools Group

Berkhamsted School is situated in the historic Hertfordshire town of Berkhamsted, a prosperous community surrounded by Chiltern countryside and within easy reach of London Berkhamsted is a leading Independent School for pupils aged 3 to 18 years, the foundation of which dates back to 1541 (when John Incent, the Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, successfully applied to King Henry the VIII for a license to purchase a piece of land for a ‘freescole’)

In 1888 a Girls School was founded in Berkhamsted under the same governing body, and the Boys’ and Girls’ Schools merged to form a diamond school in 1997 The Prep School was also integrated at this stage, and the School became Berkhamsted Collegiate School.

In 2011 the School merged with Heatherton House, a small independent day School for girls in Chesham Bois, and became the Berkhamsted Schools Group. Operating as a satellite Prep School, Heatherton provides a feed of Girls to the Berkhamsted Girls School every year In 2012 Berkhamsted Schools Group acquired Haresfoot, a small proprietary prep school in Berkhamsted This site now houses the Berkhamsted Pre-Prep and Berkhamsted Day Nursery Limited, and Berkhamsted Prep takes children from age 7-11.

Berkhamsted is the only School in the Herts, Beds and Bucks region, and one of only a small number of Schools in the country, to offer a ‘diamond’ structure that combines the best of both single-sex and co-educational teaching Boys and Girls are taught together until the age of 11 (Berkhamsted Pre-Prep and Prep), separately from the age of 11-16 (Berkhamsted Boys and Berkhamsted Girls), before coming back together again in a joint sixth form (Berkhamsted Sixth)

Job Description

Reporting to: Director of IT

Location: Berkhamsted (multisite), onsite/hybrid considered

Contract: Full-time, all year round

Job Purpose:

To lead and continuously improve the school’s business systems ecosystem (MIS and adjacent platforms), ensuring stable operations, trusted data, secure integrations and meaningful reporting.

The postholder will own the Business Systems function and work in close partnership with Data, Finance, HR, Academic and Pastoral teams to drive system improvements, streamline and automate processes, and maximise value from core platforms such as iSAMS, iTrent and Sage

The role includes end-to-end ownership of system lifecycle management, including all iTrent upgrades and patches, coordination with Sage partners, and proactive alignment with payroll-related legislative changes

Key Relationships

Internal:

Director of IT; Data (iSams Team/Exams; HR; Finance; Academic leadership; Service Desk/Infrastructure

External:

Software vendors (iSAMS, MHR/iTrent, Sage, Dray Spindle, Microsoft), integration partners/consultancies, auditors.

Job Description

Areas of Responsibilities:

Platform Ownership & Operations

Serve as the primary product owner for core business systems: iSAMS (MIS), iTrent (HR/Payroll), Sage (Finance), and related services such as SOCS, Admissions/Exams and Parent/Staff portals.

Plan and execute upgrades, patches and change windows (e.g., SQL Server DBA, iTrent EoY, Sage version/migration, with third party partners); ensure rollback and contingency plans; ensure rollback and contingency plans.

Maintain availability, performance and lifecycle (roadmaps, licensing, vendor SLAs) in collaboration with Infrastructure and Service Desk

Data Quality, Governance & Compliance

Define and enforce data standards, ownership, and stewardship across MIS domains (students, staff, parents, timetable, assessment, attendance).

Oversee statutory returns and cyclical events (e g , census, exam cycles) with auditable controls; coordinate with Data/Exams teams.

Partner with InfoSec/Compliance on access reviews, leavers process, privileged access and third party controls; support internal/external audits

Integrations & Identity

Own integrations between MIS and downstream systems (e g , Entra ID/Azure AD, finance/HR, safeguarding, timetabling, portals, reporting), moving toward standardised APIs and reduced bespoke code

Ensure secure authentication patterns (SSO/MFA choices) and cost aware configuration (e.g., ACS/Twilio considerations for MFA in iTrent).

Job Description

Reporting, Analytics & Insights

Lead the analytics roadmap using Power BI; deliver governed datasets, dashboards and executive reporting for SLT, Finance, HR and academic stakeholders; support external demos/consultancy showcases as needed. Be familiar with SSRS (SQL Server Reporting Services).

SAP Business Objects reports for iTrent HR

Champion self-service BI with training, documentation and data literacy initiatives.

Team Leadership & Vendor Management

Line manage Business Systems staff (e.g., MIS/iSAMS Analysts), define objectives, run standups, and embed service discipline (helpdesk first, SLAs).

Manage suppliers/partners for projects and BAU; negotiate scopes, track deliverables and quality

Continuous Improvement & Project Delivery

Run discovery, backlog and delivery of automation/digitalisation opportunities across admissions to alumni processes using the Power Platform and low code standards.

Plan and deliver projects (e g , platform migrations, process redesign) with clear benefits, risks and change management.

Typical Annual Cycle (Illustrative)

Autumn: new academic year rollovers; timetable and reporting checks; finance/HR upgrades planning

Spring: Payroll updates, census/returns; BI refresh for SLT planning; roadmap reviews.

Summer: Preparation for iSAMS EOY Roll Over, major upgrades, testing, documentation; training and handovers ahead of September start

Job Description

Skills & Experience (Essential)

Proven ownership of a complex school MIS (preferably iSAMS) and adjacent HR/Finance systems; strong understanding of data models and statutory reporting.

PowerShell, T-SQL, VBA, Access, API's, IIS understanding and management, SharePoint

Hands on experience with Power BI (data modelling, governance, DAX fundamentals) and SQL/reporting services.

Track record delivering upgrades and migrations with third party vendors (e.g., Sage, payroll/HR).

Integration design and troubleshooting (APIs, flat file/ETL patterns, identity lifecycle with Entra ID/SSO/MFA).

Stakeholder management across Academic, Data, HR and Finance; clear written/oral communication.

Analytical and systematic; able to translate process into data/integrations.

Confident communicator with diplomacy; able to challenge constructively

Continuous learner; keeps abreast of MIS/HR/Finance platform roadmaps and EdTech trends.

Desirable Experience

Power Platform (Power Automate/Apps) solution leadership and governance, Dataverse, Fabric and Azure data services exposure

Education sector experience within a multisite independent school.

Formal project methods (e.g., Agile delivery, Kanban) and service management (ITIL).

Experience and working knowledge of MHR iTrent HR/Payroll systems would be advantageous

Personal Attributes

Service mindset: prioritises reliability, clear communication, helpdesk etiquette and process ownership

Data driven: advocates for evidence based decisions and continuous improvement via dashboards/insights

Job Description

Security conscious: designs with least privilege, separation of duties and auditability in mind.

Collaborative: builds trust with SLT, academic leads and support functions; develops team capability

Measures of Success (first 12 months)

Stable, well documented release and upgrade cadence (no unplanned outages during term time)

Published data dictionary, access model and annual compliance calendar.

Delivered BI roadmap with 3–5 executive grade dashboards adopted by SLT and key functions.

Reduced single points of failure; handed over documentation and runbooks for peak events (census/exams/rollovers).

BenefitsBenefits

We boast a competitive salary structure, alongside other benefits, which includes access to a comprehensive pension scheme

The wellbeing of our staff is a priority. We have a developed programme for staff with initiatives and support in the areas of Economic, Physical, Emotional and Social wellbeing

Free classes and advisory services memberships and discounted rates in local establishments, together with cycle to work scheme, free on-site parking, free daily lunch, and fee reduction for staff's children are examples of some of the non-contractual benefits on offer in this programme

Watch our video

Watch our video and hear from our colleagues why they enjoy working at the Berkhamsted Schools Group Find out more about what it is really like to be a member of the community

BenefitsSafeguarding and Child Protection

Berkhamsted is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and visitors to adopt a child centred and coordinated approach to child protection and safeguarding

A copy of the School’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy can be found HERE

The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and visitors to adopt a child centred and coordinated approach to child protection and safeguarding. Berkhamsted Schools Group is a registered charity dedicated to education: 310630

Application and Next Steps

The closing date for applications is 15 March 2026

It is an offence to apply for this role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children; applicants must be willing to undertake a number of safeguarding checks including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring (DBS). This post is also subject to receipt of written references which must be satisfactory to Berkhamsted Schools Group, along with documentary evidence of qualifications. A background screening service including a review of candidate’s online presence will be carried out as part of the recruitment process, by an independent third-party screening partner

Successful applicants will need to provide confirmation of permission to work in the UK

Please note that under the Immigration Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, the school has an obligation to ensure applicants have the right to work in the UK prior to commencement of employment (If it is found that those documents do not meet the legal requirement, an offer of employment will be withdrawn).

Where the successful candidate has worked or been a resident overseas in the previous five years, such checks and confirmations as the school may require in accordance with statutory guidance

We aim to be an equal opportunities employer and we are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race.

Candidates with a disability who are invited to interview should inform the School of any necessary reasonable adjustments or arrangements to assist them in attending the interview

If you have any questions relating to this role please contact the HR department at recruitment@berkhamsted com

Early applications are encouraged, and interviews may take place on a rolling basis We reserve the right to extend or close the deadline

Developing people