Senior Manager - Group Finance

Role Overview

Senior Manager – Group Finance at Aldar Education, based in Abu Dhabi. This role supports the Associate Director – Group Financial Control in leading financial governance, reporting, treasury, and tax activities across a major education group.

Company Overview

Aldar Education is a family of world-class, child-centered, and innovative schools based in the UAE. Since its inception in 2007, the group has grown from 250 students to serve over 38,000 students across more than 25 owned and managed premium and super-premium schools and academies. The group partners with prestigious institutions including Rugby School, King's College Wimbledon, and Cranleigh, and employs 5,000 educators from more than 100 nationalities across a broad range of curricula and learning pathways from nursery through K12.

Role Purpose

Support the Associate Director – Group Financial Control in strengthening financial governance, delivering key finance initiatives, managing statutory and compliance reporting, overseeing treasury and tax activities, and providing high-quality financial insights to enable operational and strategic decision-making across the education group.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Governance

• Lead Group statutory reporting, management reporting, financial consolidation, and performance analysis across Aldar Education.
• Strengthen financial governance, internal controls, and ICFR frameworks to enhance financial integrity, regulatory compliance, and risk management.
• Drive consistent application of IFRS, Group accounting policies, Delegation of Authority, and financial governance standards across the organisation.
• Promote standardisation, automation, and continuous improvement through the Finance Centre of Excellence.
• Provide finance leadership and management support for strategic projects, transformation programmes, acquisitions, and key business initiatives.

Treasury and Banking Operations

• Oversee treasury operations, banking activities, liquidity management, and related controls across schools and business units.
• Oversee treasury activities and banking operations, ensuring appropriate authorisation, segregation of duties, liquidity oversight, and compliance with Group policies.
• Act as a backup to the Tax and Treasury functions to support business continuity.

Tax Governance and Compliance

• Oversee tax governance and compliance, ensuring adherence to applicable regulations and timely completion of statutory obligations.
• Oversee tax reporting and compliance, including timely and accurate submission of returns, payments, refunds, and statutory filings.

Financial Reporting and Consolidation

• Partner with the Associate Director – Group Financial Control and Finance Leadership Team to deliver accurate, timely, and insightful Group financial reporting.
• Lead the preparation and review of monthly and quarterly Investment Committee Packs, Board and Executive Management Team reports, CFO MIS, Group Reporting Packs, and other management reports.
• Oversee the consolidation and review of Group financial results, including monthly MIS, balance sheet schedules, and performance analysis, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and consistency.
• Lead the annual statutory reporting and external audit process, coordinating with Finance teams and auditors to improve audit efficiency and support timely issuance of financial statements.

Finance Systems and Process Improvement

• Lead finance ERP business-as-usual requirements and enhancement initiatives, partnering with Finance, IT, ERP, and Digital stakeholders to improve processes, controls, dashboards, and reporting capabilities.
• Periodically review and enhance finance policies, SOPs, and Delegation of Authority frameworks to strengthen governance, efficiency, and alignment with business growth.

Technical Accounting and Standards

• Lead technical accounting assessments and the implementation of new IFRS standards, ensuring appropriate accounting treatment, disclosures, and training for Finance teams.
• Provide technical accounting guidance on complex transactions, regulatory matters, and strategic business initiatives.
• Lead finance ERP business-as-usual requirements and enhancement initiatives.
• Review completion accounts, purchase price allocation, and accounting assessments for newly acquired schools, where applicable.

Business Partnering and Analysis

• Support FP&A activities through validation of actual results, budgets, forecasts, key assumptions, and performance trends.
• Review annual insurance declarations to ensure complete and accurate financial and operational reporting and appropriate risk mitigation.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Commerce, or a related discipline.

Professional Qualification

• Professional accounting qualification such as CA, ACA, ACCA, CPA, CMA, or equivalent is preferred.

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of progressive finance experience, including at least 2–3 years of core reporting and managerial roles.
• Experience in Group reporting, statutory reporting, audit, consolidation, or multi-entity finance is required.
• Education sector experience is preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong technical knowledge and practical application of IFRS, Group reporting, statutory reporting, consolidation, ICFR, and financial controls.
• Process-oriented with proven ability to execute finance projects, improve processes, and deliver high-quality outputs within tight deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills, with the ability to present financial insights clearly to senior stakeholders.
• Strong attention to detail, disciplined follow-up, ownership, and accountability for timely delivery.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, perform effectively under pressure, and maintain output quality.
• Strong stakeholder management and business partnering skills across finance and non-finance functions.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, organise, coach, and develop teams.
• Strong interpersonal, influencing, and networking skills, with cultural sensitivity in a diverse working environment.

Additional Information

Remuneration and Benefits

• Attractive remuneration package including medical cover, flights, housing, and free child school places.
• Access to a wide network of professionals and opportunities to lead and contribute to training others.
• Special emphasis on professional development, coaching, and training.

Commitment and Equal Opportunities

• 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.
• Aldar Education is mindful of its national development strategy and encourages UAE Nationals to apply.
• This job description is not all inclusive. Aldar Education reserves the right to amend this job description at any time.