13 influential school business leadership voices to follow in 2026

Why is networking important for school business managers?

The role of a School Business Manager (SBM) or School Business Leader (SBL) can cover everything from school finance and procurement to HR, estates, compliance, governance and strategic planning. Having a network of people who understand those pressures can be invaluable.

The Department for Education (DfE) actively encourages school business professionals to join professional networks. Its guidance, updated in August 2026, highlights benefits including sharing experience and best practice, accessing peer support, solving problems more quickly, comparing approaches and connecting with wider regional and national networks.

Social media can extend that network even further. What was once largely known as the #SBLTwitter community is now spread across X, LinkedIn, Bluesky and other professional spaces. The platform may have changed, but the principle has not: school business professionals can learn a great deal by connecting with others who understand school operations.

Here are 13 school business leadership voices and organisations worth having on your radar.

Which school business leadership voices are worth following?

1. Hayley Dunn – @ShropshireSBM

Hayley Dunn featured at the top of our original list, and remains an important voice in education leadership.

Author of The School Business Manager’s Handbook, Hayley has extensive experience in school business and financial leadership. She is now Director of Finance and Governance at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), giving her a valuable perspective on finance, governance and the wider challenges facing schools and trusts.

For school business professionals interested in strategic leadership and the changing role of business functions within education, Hayley remains well worth following.

2. Micon Metcalfe – @miconm

Micon Metcalfe continues to bring substantial experience across school finance, operations and multi-academy trust leadership.

She is currently Chief Financial Officer of the Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust and has previously held senior operational roles across other academy trusts. She is also a DfE-accredited School Resource Management Adviser and has contributed to national education initiatives.

Her social media presence combines professional insight with straight-talking commentary on the realities of school business leadership.

3. Matthew Clements-Wheeler – @MidlandsSBM

Matthew Clements-Wheeler has been part of the school business leadership conversation for many years.

A former Chair of the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL), he now works across education, governance and organisational leadership through Mastery Clarity Wisdom Ltd. His experience includes working directly as an SBM and deputy head, alongside wider consultancy and governance roles.

Follow Matthew for thoughtful discussion around governance, strategy, leadership and making effective use of school resources.

4. Emma Gray – WorkingSBM

Emma Gray’s WorkingSBM platform has long focused on sharing skills and supporting School Business Managers.

Today, Emma continues that work through 1st Pillar, writing and speaking about operational excellence, risk, leadership, professional development and the realities of life as an SBL. Her recent writing continues to encourage school business professionals to share expertise rather than work in isolation.

If you value practical reflections from someone who understands the role first-hand, Emma’s LinkedIn content is a useful addition to your professional network.

5. Nickii Messer

Nickii Messer has spent many years championing school business management and leadership.

A former School Business Manager across different school phases, she now works as a school business management and leadership trainer. She continues to contribute to sector events and professional development, with a particular focus on helping school business professionals manage the wide range of challenges their roles can bring.

Her LinkedIn presence is particularly useful for leadership, professional development and practical school business advice.

6. Helen Burge

Helen Burge brings more than 25 years of experience in educational operations and strategic management.

She is a Consultant School Business Leader, Fellow and Trustee of ISBL and founder of Buoyant Impact. Her work has a strong focus on sustainability, operational leadership, resource management and helping schools turn strategic ambitions into practical action.

Helen is particularly worth following if sustainability, estates, resource management or operational improvement sit within your responsibilities.

7. Stephen Mitchell – @ImSteveMitchell

Stephen Mitchell is Founder and CEO of Keystone Knowledge and has held senior CEO, CFO and COO roles within education.

His work covers finance, governance, HR, internal scrutiny and operational improvement across schools and multi-academy trusts. He also has extensive experience supporting leaders to strengthen the systems sitting behind teaching and learning.

Stephen regularly shares commentary on current operational issues affecting schools and trusts, making his content useful for anyone working at strategic or trust level.

8. Val Andrew – @valerieandrew

Val Andrew has spent more than 25 years working within school business management and leadership.

She has played a significant role in professional development for school business professionals and continues to support the sector through training and assessment. Val is an ISBL Fellow and a previous recipient of the ISBL CEO Award for her contribution to school business leadership.

Her experience makes her particularly useful to follow if you are developing your career or exploring school business management qualifications.

9. Louise Hatswell – @LouiseHatswell

Louise Hatswell originally appeared on our list as a former SBM working with ASCL. She remains a key voice within the organisation today.

As ASCL’s Conditions of Employment Specialist: Pay, Louise covers issues including pay, employment conditions, workforce policy and organisational culture. Her previous school business leadership experience gives her a useful understanding of how wider workforce decisions affect operational leaders.

For school leaders keeping up with employment and pay developments, she is a particularly useful follow.

10. Emma Harrison – @EmmaJHarrisonx

Emma Harrison is ASCL’s Business Leadership Specialist and a strong addition to the school business leadership community.

Having previously worked as a Chief Operating Officer within a multi-academy trust, she brings first-hand operational leadership experience to discussions around the profession. ASCL’s current business leadership support specifically identifies Emma as its specialist for this area.

Follow her for updates on school business leadership, operational strategy and the issues affecting business leaders across schools and trusts.

11. The Institute of School Business Leadership

The Institute of School Business Leadership may not be an individual School Business Manager, but no list of useful professional voices would be complete without it.

ISBL is the professional body supporting people working across school and academy business, finance and operations. Its channels share professional development opportunities, operational guidance, events and discussion around issues affecting school business professionals.

Its LinkedIn presence is particularly active, making it a useful way to keep up with developments across the profession.

12. Hilary Goldsmith – @sbl365

Hilary Goldsmith remains closely associated with the online school business leadership community through SBL365.

Her work has consistently focused on sharing practical school business knowledge and creating stronger connections between professionals. SBL365 covers areas including finance, HR, premises, leadership, GDPR, budgeting and school support services.

If you want practical discussion from someone who has long championed peer-to-peer support, Hilary remains a familiar voice within the SBL community.

13. School Business Manager – @schoolbusmgr

Sometimes one of the most useful perspectives is simply hearing from someone dealing with the same everyday pressures as you.

The @schoolbusmgr account featured in our original article and continues to represent the day-to-day perspective of a primary school business professional. Topics have ranged from staffing and catering to professional development and the practical realities of keeping a school running.

It is a useful reminder that professional networking does not always need to come from senior sector figures; sharing real experiences between practitioners can be just as valuable.

How can School Business Managers get more from social media?

Following people is only the first step. The real value comes from taking part.

Try using social media and professional networks to:

• Ask other school business professionals how they have approached a particular operational challenge.
• Follow discussions around school finance, procurement, HR, estates and governance.
• Share resources or systems that have worked well within your own school.
• Find professional development opportunities and sector events.
• Connect with School Business Managers working in similar settings.
• Follow organisations such as the DfE, ASCL and ISBL for authoritative updates.
• Build relationships that can develop into longer-term peer support.

The DfE currently lists more than 100 school business professional networks and provides a directory to help professionals find local and national groups.

What should School Business Managers be careful about online?

Social media is useful, but it should complement rather than replace authoritative guidance.

Avoid treating an individual post as definitive advice on areas such as employment law, safeguarding, finance or compliance. What works in one school or trust may not be appropriate in another.

It is also important to protect confidentiality. Avoid sharing information that could identify pupils, colleagues or sensitive school matters, and always follow your school’s social media and data protection policies.

Think of your online network as somewhere to gather ideas, hear different perspectives and identify questions to investigate further.

How does GLS support School Business Managers?

At GLS, we understand that school business professionals are balancing budgets, procurement, staffing, administration, compliance and the everyday demands of keeping a school running.

Our SBM & Procurement content brings together practical guidance written specifically for people working behind the scenes in schools. That includes advice on school procurement, practical tools for busy School Business Managers and places SBMs can go for additional support.

Whether you are looking for ways to simplify processes, manage school supplies, plan purchasing or simply learn how other professionals tackle similar challenges, our aim is to make the working day a little easier.

Schools. We get you.

Conclusion

School business leadership can involve making difficult decisions across a remarkably wide range of responsibilities. Having people to learn from, ask questions of and exchange ideas with can make that work feel far less isolated.

The original SBL Twitter community demonstrated just how valuable professional connection can be. Today, that same principle extends across X, LinkedIn, Bluesky, local networks and professional bodies.

Follow widely, contribute where you can and use the knowledge of the wider school business community alongside reliable professional guidance. You may find the answer to your next challenge is only a conversation away.