Associate Director – Crisis Management, Business Continuity, Health, Safety & Governance

Role Overview

Associate Director – Crisis Management, Business Continuity, Health, Safety & Governance at Aldar Education, Abu Dhabi.

Company Overview

Aldar Education is the leading education group in Abu Dhabi, providing inclusive and innovative learning across 28 schools serving over 38,000 students. The organization operates a network of almost 5,000 educators representing over 100 nationalities and offers curricula from nursery through adult education, including a Teacher Training Academy. Aldar Education directly supports Abu Dhabi's government educational goals and is guided by the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 plan to build a sustainable knowledge-based economy through premium education.

Role Purpose

The Associate Director ensures Aldar Education operates safely, maintains continuity, and responds effectively to crises through a unified enterprise-wide framework. The role leads the design, implementation, and governance of crisis management, business continuity, health & safety, and operational risk frameworks across all schools and corporate functions, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and safeguarding students, staff, and assets while enabling uninterrupted operations.

Key Responsibilities

Crisis Management & Business Continuity

• Own and continuously evolve the enterprise crisis management framework, including activation, escalation, and stand-down procedures.
• Lead crisis response efforts and coordinate cross-functional teams during incidents.
• Develop and maintain the Business Continuity framework, including 24/48/72-hour response readiness.
• Ensure rapid recovery and minimal disruption to operations across schools and headquarters.

Health, Safety & Operational Risk

• Oversee health, safety, and occupational health frameworks across all Aldar Education entities.
• Establish and govern operational risk management frameworks, including risk identification, mitigation, and monitoring.
• Ensure consistent implementation of safety standards, procedures, and controls.

Governance, Compliance & Regulatory Alignment

• Establish and maintain governance frameworks across crisis, safety, and risk domains.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulatory authorities, including ADEK, KHDA, and Civil Defence.
• Lead audit readiness activities, governance reviews, and compliance reporting.

Capability Building & Readiness

• Lead crisis simulations, scenario planning, and readiness exercises across the organization.
• Design and deliver training programs to build crisis and safety capability across leadership and school teams.
• Drive a culture of safety, preparedness, and risk awareness across the organization.

Policy & Framework Development

• Develop enterprise-wide policies, procedures, and frameworks for crisis management, business continuity, and health, safety & environment.
• Maintain decision logs, escalation protocols, and audit trails to ensure governance integrity.

Incident Management & Reporting

• Lead incident investigations and ensure timely closure of findings and actions.
• Monitor and report key risk indicators, incidents, and compliance metrics to Executive Management.

Stakeholder Engagement & Strategy

• Partner with Operations, Education, HR, and IT teams to embed risk, safety, and continuity practices into day-to-day operations.
• Provide expert advice to Executive Leadership on crisis response, risk exposure, and resilience strategies.
• Ensure alignment of all frameworks with Aldar Group standards and international best practice.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Risk Management, Engineering, Health & Safety, Business, or related discipline.
• 10–15+ years of experience in crisis management, business continuity, risk, or health & safety.
• Proven experience in developing enterprise governance and compliance frameworks.
• Experience operating in complex, multi-site environments, preferably in education or similar sectors.
• Professional certification preferred, such as NEBOSH Diploma, IOSH, ISO, or Risk and Business Continuity Management certifications.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong understanding of regulatory and compliance frameworks in the UAE.
• Ability to operate effectively under pressure and lead during crisis situations.
• Strong stakeholder management and executive communication skills.
• Experience in risk governance, audit, and compliance reporting.
• High level of analytical, decision-making, and problem-solving capability.
• Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

Additional Information

• Medical cover provided.
• Flights provided.
• Housing provided.
• Free child school places provided.
• Access to a wide network of professionals and opportunities to lead and contribute to training others, as well as developing yourself.
• Aldar Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment.
• Offers of appointment are subject to satisfactory references and police clearance.
• Aldar Education is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment.
• The organization encourages UAE Nationals to apply.