Cluster Facilities & Services Officer

Role Overview

Cluster Facilities & Services Officer at Aldar Education, commencing November 2026. The role is based at an assigned school within the cluster, with relief support responsibilities across the wider portfolio.

Company Overview

Aldar Education operates multiple schools across a cluster and wider portfolio. The role is embedded within school operations teams and reports into a centralized Associate Director Operations.

Role Purpose

To manage all facilities and general services activities at an assigned base school, provide relief support to other schools across the cluster as required, and ensure consistent compliance with Aldar Education directives and standards. The role embodies Aldar Education Core Values, delivers service excellence, and ensures high-quality outcomes through effective resource deployment and process implementation.

Key Responsibilities

General Operations

• Oversee all repairs and maintenance at the base school and relieved schools during cover periods, including inspection of required repairs and appointment of external service providers in line with Aldar Education HQ guidance and Procurement framework.
• Ensure agreed works by staff or contractors are completed satisfactorily and follow up on any deficiencies to the initial scope of works.
• Ensure security and efficient operation of the school site, buildings and grounds at all times in accordance with current Health & Safety guidance.
• Conduct daily checks of the site for vandalism and monitor cleaning standards through the site services team.
• Implement issued policies, systems, processes and student safeguarding measures in conjunction with Aldar Education HQ.
• Ensure school events and activities are effectively planned and resourced in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Ensure essential central services such as catering, security, maintenance, cleaning, transport, waste disposal and recycling are effectively planned, resourced throughout the year and act as the point of contact for external services management.
• Support the Associate Director Operations and school Heads of Operations in the utilisation of space and resources for buildings or re-organisation of current premises.
• Monitor the Building Management System (BMS) and BMS alert systems daily among the site services team where installed.
• Support the Associate Director Operations, school Heads of Operations and Group Housing Manager in procuring and maintaining Aldar Education standards of staff accommodation where required.

Leadership & Management

• Manage the facilities and general services teams to ensure high standards of service are maintained throughout the school and that they deliver an effective service culture.
• Ensure external support service teams perform in line with school expectations, are fully resourced and deliver on their contractual obligations.
• Deliver best value for each school and high standards of service for each school community.
• Ensure each member of the Facilities & General Services team participates in professional development, appraisal and training with an individual development plan to build a high-performance team.

Finance, Commercial & Procurement

• Oversee relevant budgets and expenditure and effectively manage costs.
• Ensure the school receives best value and service at all times in relation to facilities and building standards.
• Support opportunities for shared resources, costs and services across the cluster and wider portfolio to improve access to service teams and physical resources such as support staff and transport.
• Ensure purchasing policy and Delegation of Authority (DOA) processes and procedures are followed at all times.

Relief Support

• Act as a reliever Facilities & Services Officer for other schools across the cluster and wider portfolio as agreed with the Associate Director Operations, typically covering planned leave, sickness absence, vacancies or peak operational periods.
• Provide short-term cover that includes handover from the relieved school, with base school duties delegated to the on-site team during that time.
• Deliver facilities and general services at any relieved school during the cover period.

Relationship & Stakeholder Management

• Ensure schools are fully compliant with local government authority regulations to safeguard against fines resulting from non-renewal of contracts at school level.
• Ensure all internal and external audit actions are completed in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Act as the main facilities contact for the Head of Operations and Principal of the base school and of relieved schools during cover periods.
• Provide regular updates to the Associate Director Operations.
• Deliver a service culture and ensure efficient, effective staff and resource deployment in a timely manner.
• Work closely with the Associate Director Operations and the school Head of Operations to align priorities, share resources and maintain consistent standards across the cluster.

Health, Safety & Environment

• Promote a positive and proactive health and safety culture throughout the team.
• Ensure the base school and any relieved school complies with current Health & Safety legislation and guidelines as issued by Aldar Education HQ.
• Review and monitor the health and safety performance of contractors and suppliers within their respective schools.
• Support the Associate Director Operations and school Heads of Operations with environmental related aims and objectives and ensure they are delivered within required timelines.
• Ensure all internal and external health, safety and environmental related audits are effectively completed in a timely and appropriate manner.

Critical Incident Response

• Act as the designated Incident Commander for the base school and support the relieved school's incident response during cover periods.
• Be contactable outside of normal school hours and available to attend site when required in line with Aldar Education Critical Incident Response Protocols.

Qualifications & Experience

• At least 3 years' experience in a mid-level position within an education or facilities service oriented industry.
• Experience across multiple sites is preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Fluent English communication skills, written and oral.
• Attention to detail with diligent follow up and ability to execute in a timely manner.
• Skilled in multi-tasking and handling pressure.
• Able to manage competing priorities across multiple school sites and travel between school sites, sometimes at short notice.
• Valid UAE driving licence is preferred.
• Organizational ability of self and others.
• Forethought and forward planning, particularly as this relates to local Government compliance matters.
• Capable of influencing people and talented in networking with cultural sensitivity.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Strong and consistent supervisory skills.
• Commercial acumen.
• Confident using digital and AI-enabled tools such as CAFM/helpdesk systems, BMS analytics and AI assistants to streamline facilities processes, reporting and planned maintenance in line with Aldar Education data and IT policies.
• Willing to work flexibly, including occasional early starts, late finishes or weekends to support events, works or incidents.

Additional Information

• The role reports to the Associate Director Operations with a dotted line to the Head of Operations at the base school.
• The incumbent continuously strives to exceed internal and external customer expectations, delivers value for money and makes effective use of resources.