School Finance Manager Interview

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I'm a governor at my local primary school where I've somehow become Chair of the Finance & Personnel Committee. (I probably landed that role because I know nothing about either!) The head and I will very soon be interviewing candidates for the post of Finance Manager at the school, but our combined lack of experience in that job makes it difficult to know what questions we should be posing. Does anyone with a background in this field have any suggestions please. Also, is it worth giving them a practical exercise to complete?
 
I know a school governor who runs a recruitment consultancy. I'll ask her if she has any tips and report back . . .
 
If you know nothing about it, how would you mark a practical exercise? I know nothing about it either but wouldn't you want an accountant or similar, in which case look for professional qualifications and PI insurance.
 
Experience & proven track record that is backed up with references that you can and will check out in person.

Think of the reasons you need the role and convert those into questions. Be sure you know what the answer you want is before you ask the questions.

Solid references are essential in any position where trust is paramount. usually the best qualified have worked out the best dodges so can either spot them or use them in your ignorance. Watch for what references do not state!! that can more telling than what they do state. Basic responses like:

He worked here for xx years
Was a good time keeper

No mention of he was sacked after fifteen years for fiddling his time sheets.

Outside of that I cannot add much. I have hired many people and been let down by very few.
 
Would have thought being a non finance person could be an advantage to you in this situation. A key skill for someone in that position would be the ability to communicate clearly and persuasively on finance / accounting matters to teachers, governors, etc. I know someone who does this job at a small independent school and their main problem is overcoming the financial illiteracy of the rest of the school's management.
 
Ask them if they've ever nicked any of the firms / schools money & judge their reaction.
 
knighterrant said:
I'm a governor at my local primary school where I've somehow become Chair of the Finance & Personnel Committee. (I probably landed that role because I know nothing about either!) The head and I will very soon be interviewing candidates for the post of Finance Manager at the school, but our combined lack of experience in that job makes it difficult to know what questions we should be posing. Does anyone with a background in this field have any suggestions please. Also, is it worth giving them a practical exercise to complete?
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You are still at primary school ?
 
Give them a sheet of paper and a pen and tell them that they have 30 minutes to give a detailed solution to the banking crisis and that they should show all their working-out in the margin.
 
Presumable this isn't the first time the school has recruited for such a post?
What of the last person? Their CV for instance?
What of the job description for the role? Who wrote it?
Find another school finance manager quickly, someone who has been in post and comes with recommendation of the head. Co-opt them or at least spend some time with them in order to familiarise yourself with what the role entails.
 
The school is only a few years old. We have had a Business Manager since the start, but she was recruited without really considering the financial management aspects of the role that have turned out to be difficult for her. She's now off suffering from stress! Before she went off sick we were already planning on getting a true Finance Manager in addition to her role, but it's now suddenly become more urgent.

We only had one response to our ad (!) and it was from the Head's PA who herself has only been working for the school a few months. As well as knowing how well she has already fitted in, there's the added bonus that she originally trained as an accountant! She's virtually shoehorned into post already, but the Head and I don't want to make the same mistakes as our predecessors and recruit someone who's not really suited. That's why we want some challenging questions to ask her. Earlier responses have already helped, so thanks for those.
 
Hi Mate

If you PM me your email address, I will send over some model questions, that we used in our last recruitment process. Does your school use a speciallised accounts software, if so let me know which one, and I will try and sort some specific questions.

Tony
 
Thanks for the additional information.
Training as an accountant and actually passing one's exams are two different things.
One response to an advertisement is no way to recruit to a post for there is no choice in the matter. How do you know the PA didn't bin all the responses anyway (he says cynically). Some accountancy qualification is definately required - as well as at least 2 - 3 years in a similar or slightly less advanced role. But I think that you are either offering too little salary or are advertising in the wrong place to get nil response. I would NEVER recruit from a pool of 1 person, even if they seem okay. What salary and what school annual budget?
 
Knighterrant


Please remember that we live in a politically correct era. It is important to remember that you present yourself to the candidate in a fashion that allows them the opportunity to interview you.

For example. If the candidate is young, female, gorgeous with pert breasts. Do not be swayed in your professional approach. Simply pass her CV over to me and I will do the rest.
 
brucemillar said:
For example. If the candidate is young, female, gorgeous with pert breasts. Do not be swayed in your professional approach. Simply pass her CV over to me and I will do the rest.
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I've already interviewed plenty teachers who fall into that category. We governors have to have some perks! :)
 
Experience is the key - ask your applicants to tell you what experience they've had and to give some examples of what they have had to manage. A standard question at interviews is 'why do you want the job'. A less standard 'multi-question' is 'What worries you about this job? What do you think will be the three biggest challenges? And how would you cope with them?

If your candidate replies that it will all be easy, get worried. If they can identify something that is a potential problem, you have a person who knows something. And if they can give a few solutions as well, you may well have found the person you want.

I've used this technique on quite a few occasions, and it works quite well - the last 2 people I interviewed made good responses, and have turned out to be very competent people.

Orwic
 
Orwic said:
Experience is the key - ask your applicants to tell you what experience they've had and to give some examples of what they have had to manage. A standard question at interviews is 'why do you want the job'. A less standard 'multi-question' is 'What worries you about this job? What do you think will be the three biggest challenges? And how would you cope with them?

If your candidate replies that it will all be easy, get worried. If they can identify something that is a potential problem, you have a person who knows something. And if they can give a few solutions as well, you may well have found the person you want.

I've used this technique on quite a few occasions, and it works quite well - the last 2 people I interviewed made good responses, and have turned out to be very competent people.

Orwic
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Great advice. Thanks
 
If the bursar at my old school is anything to go by, he seemed to get by for decades on little more than a steady intake of whisky and a generous helping of bonhomie. The school's still going strong...
 
MOCAŠ said:
If the bursar at my old school is anything to go by, he seemed to get by for decades on little more than a steady intake of whisky and a generous helping of bonhomie. The school's still going strong...
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But Eton gets loads of money from its students' families, we have to rely on the government's pennies.
 
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