Manager - People & Culture - Aldar Education (UAE National)

Role Overview

Manager – People & Culture at Aldar Education, Abu Dhabi, UAE. This is a strategic business partner role supporting the HR function across a school within the Aldar Education group.

Company Overview

Aldar Education is the leading education group in Abu Dhabi, providing inclusive and innovative learning across a network of 31 schools serving over 38,000 students with almost 5,000 educators representing over 100 nationalities. The organization offers a broad range of curricula from nursery through to adult education, along with ancillary services including a Teacher Training Academy. Established in 2007 with one school and 250 students, Aldar Education now operates the largest number of school locations in Abu Dhabi and is guided by the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 plan to build a sustainable knowledge-based economy through premium education.

Role Purpose

The Manager – People & Culture will oversee and lead the HR function for an assigned school, balancing daily operational HR needs with long-term workforce planning and culture-building initiatives. This role partners with School Principals and senior leadership teams to support all aspects of the employee lifecycle while ensuring alignment with Aldar Education's group-wide People & Culture strategies and compliance standards.

Key Responsibilities

Talent Acquisition & Onboarding

• Utilize the company's careers website and subscribed job boards to advertise and manage vacancies and candidate lifecycles.
• Support Senior Leadership Team in the effective attraction and recruitment of school-based staff.
• Drive pro-active recruitment at school level for the following Academic Year.
• Conduct pre-employment safer recruitment checks for all staff, including references and suitability or police clearances with appropriate follow-up based on each case.
• Ensure the school's recruitment activity is aligned with staffing headcount in coordination with the School's Operations Manager and HQ People & Culture.
• Check employment contracts against budget and headcount before they reach the line manager for signature.
• Create and issue contracts, contract renewals and associated documentation in line with group-wide terms and conditions and policies.
• Coordinate new starter inductions in school and ensure pre-employment communication takes place.
• Manage onboarding of school-based staff, liaising with IT for relevant systems, email set-up and processing staff ID cards.
• Ensure ADEK pass applications and processing for new staff, providing clarity on timelines and guidance and support as required.
• Ensure visa and work permit applications and processing for new staff, ensuring they are aware of their requirements in line with group-wide guidance and in collaboration with HQ People & Culture and Public Relations teams.
• Liaise with government relations to ensure new staff are ADEK compliant before the start of the Academic Year.
• Organize onboarding flights and hotels where required and raise relevant purchase requisitions.
• Drive, track and advise the Senior Leadership Team, Operations Manager and Operations Managers on the school's Emiratization target to ensure KPI achievement.
• Assist the Principal, HQ People & Culture and Finance in setting up the Manning budget suggestion and related expenses.
• Manage the onboarding process for all incoming staff, including pre-employment communication to ensure new starters are aware of the requirements for their role and for working and living in the UAE.

Performance Enablement

• Coordinate performance review and appraisal cycles in accordance with group-wide policies and processes to support the Senior Leadership Team in achieving a high-performance culture.
• Track and provide reports to HQ People & Culture on all key performance cases.
• Create and update Job Descriptions in line with the performance enablement process and competency frameworks based on school roles.
• Monitor, book and track professional development for school staff and provide reports as requested by the Senior Leadership Team, School Operations Manager and HQ People & Culture Operations.

People & Culture Operations

• Manage health insurance applications, renewals, cancellations and associated administration for all school staff in coordination with the HQ Rewards Team.
• Manage and report on staff time and attendance, including managing the time and attendance systems.
• Keep the school organization chart up to date.
• Issue No Objection Certificates and other relevant staff letters such as Bank, Government, Immigration and experience letters.
• Collate People & Culture KPIs based on Aldar Education requirements and provide reports on a monthly and ad-hoc basis, including absence, turnover, professional development, recruitment activity, disciplinary and performance management cases and compliance rates for visas and ADEK passes.
• Ensure all personnel files are up to date, manage absence, process contract updates and manage offers.
• Maintain up-to-date confidential employment records and staff files on site at school.
• Maintain HR systems and ensure they accurately reflect staffing within the school.
• Monitor and maintain cost-to-company, ensuring agreed headcount is correct.
• Coordinate the school's probationary processes in accordance with group-wide policies and processes.
• Conduct annual People & Culture audit for the assigned school to ensure files are updated and compliant.
• Ensure adherence to updated Employment Law at all times.
• Participate in group-wide People & Culture meetings to share knowledge, best practice and ensure consistency within group standards.

Health & Safety

• Work closely with the Operations Team to ensure risks are mitigated and communications are distributed.

Training & Development

• Ensure all employees in the school are trained on new processes, policies and their implementation in the school.

Employee Relations & Exit Management

• Support the Senior Leadership Team with investigations and disciplinary management of staff, ensuring accurate records of cases are kept within confidential employment files.
• Provide advice, counsel and guidance to employees on relevant issues and escalate to Senior Leadership Team or HQ Head of People & Culture where required.
• Provide support to the Senior Leadership Team in managing informal employee relations cases in accordance with group-wide policies and standards.
• Track all employee relations cases and keep higher management informed of any legal cases.
• Be the first point of contact for legal cases.
• Maintain and manage all employee relations files.
• Coordinate and manage employee exit processes, liaising with the Operations teams.
• Process exiting staff as leavers and ensure all associated exit procedures are completed, including liaison with HQ Payroll for calculations of full and final settlements and associated housing close-out procedures.
• Ensure all resigned staff have correct acknowledgement letters and all relevant documents collated with exit clearances completed.
• Responsible for organizing potential onboarding flights or hotels and raising relevant purchase requisitions.

Leadership & Support

• Lead retention and employee engagement for assigned school employees.
• Assist in guiding junior Human Resources Officers or People & Culture Assistants on daily operational matters.
• Conduct any other duties as reasonably expected.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum diploma or degree in higher education in Human Resources or related field.
• Related industry qualification of graduate level for the assigned functional area.
• Minimum 7 years in HR or Recruitment in any industry, or minimum 5 years in Generalist HR within a service-related industry.
• Sound working knowledge of UAE Labour Law.
• Strong Safer Recruitment Practice knowledge.
• Education industry experience is preferable.
• ADEK recruitment knowledge is a strong advantage.
• Recognized HR qualification or professional subscription such as CIPD is desirable.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong organizational and prioritization skills.
• Competent using IT systems, including Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.
• Experience liaising with government bodies in the UAE and working knowledge of HAAD and Immigration requirements and processes.
• Fluent English communication skills, written and oral; Arabic proficiency is highly advantageous.
• Attention to detail with diligent follow-up and ability to execute in a timely manner.
• Skilled in multi-tasking and handling pressure.
• Ability to organize self and others.
• Works with team members to ensure targets are met, focusing on priorities for Aldar Education.
• Forethought and forward planning, particularly as it relates to local Government compliance matters.
• Capable of influencing people and talented in networking with cultural sensitivity.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Enables a working environment that promotes trust, equality and fairness.

Additional Information

• This role is designated for UAE Nationals.
• 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 and encourages UAE Nationals in their application.