Senior Manager - Projects - Aldar Education

Role Overview

Senior Manager - Projects at Aldar Education, based in Abu Dhabi. This role leads the delivery of the organization's most complex strategic programmes, priority initiatives and high-impact projects, ensuring successful delivery against agreed scope, schedule, budget, quality and governance requirements.

Company Overview

Aldar Education is the leading education group in Abu Dhabi, providing inclusive and innovative learning that inspires and empowers communities. The organization started with one school and 250 students in 2007 and has grown to support over 31,000 students and a growing network of almost 5,000 educators, with over 100 nationalities. Aldar Education offers a range of brands for all learners from nursery through to adult education, with the broadest choice of curricula across the largest number of locations in Abu Dhabi, and provides ancillary services such as the Teacher Training Academy. The education network's purpose is to empower the next generation to shape the future, directly supporting the educational goals of Abu Dhabi's government and guided by the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 plan.

Role Purpose

Lead the delivery of Aldar Education's most complex strategic programmes and high-impact projects involving capital investment, school developments, operational readiness and business transformation, while driving executive decision-making, managing key risks and mentoring Project Managers to strengthen project delivery, governance and PMO standards across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Programme & Complex Project Delivery

• Lead delivery of the organization's most complex strategic programmes, priority initiatives and high-impact projects from initiation through to closure.
• Manage projects involving capital investment, school developments, operational readiness, business transformation, organizational change and other strategic initiatives.
• Develop and maintain integrated project plans, governance frameworks, delivery strategies and programme roadmaps.
• Manage project scope, schedule, budget, quality, risks, issues, dependencies and change throughout the project lifecycle.
• Resolve complex delivery challenges and drive timely executive decision-making.
• Ensure projects achieve agreed business objectives and intended outcomes.

CAPEX & Development Project Support

• Lead complex cross-functional projects involving multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate activities across Development, consultants, contractors, Education, Operations, Finance, Procurement, DTS, Marketing, P&C, Licensing and other business functions where applicable.
• Oversee design reviews, project approvals, operational requirements, procurement interfaces, readiness activities and project handover for assigned projects.
• Monitor project performance against programme, budget, quality and governance requirements.
• Identify delivery risks, recommend mitigation strategies and drive recovery actions where required.

PMO Governance, Controls & Reporting

• Ensure assigned projects comply with PMO governance standards, methodologies and reporting requirements.
• Prepare executive-level project updates, highlighting progress, risks, issues, dependencies, key decisions and recommendations.
• Lead governance meetings and support timely decision-making through clear reporting and structured escalation.
• Maintain accurate project documentation, governance records and audit-ready project files.
• Support continuous improvement of PMO governance, reporting standards, methodologies and delivery practices.
• Prepare weekly, fortnightly and executive project reports, highlighting progress, risks, overdue actions, decisions required and recommended actions.
• Monitor project risks, issues, dependencies and change requests, ensuring timely mitigation, escalation and resolution.
• Coordinate governance approvals and ensure project decisions are documented and implemented.

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to ensure alignment, accountability and timely delivery.
• Facilitate project meetings, workshops and governance forums, ensuring actions, decisions and risks are clearly documented and followed through.
• Influence stakeholders to resolve issues, remove delivery barriers and maintain project momentum.
• Plan and coordinate governance meetings, steering committees and management reviews, including agendas, executive presentations, meeting minutes and action tracking.

Project Documentation & Administration

• Lead the development and maintenance of project charters, integrated project plans, schedules, RAID logs, stakeholder registers, communication plans and decision logs for assigned projects.
• Monitor project milestones, dependencies, critical paths and deliverables across multiple workstreams.
• Lead project activities across Education, Operations, Enrolments, Finance, Procurement, DTS, Marketing, P&C, Licensing, schools, Development/AIP, consultants, contractors and other stakeholders as applicable.
• Prepare executive briefing papers, Board and EMT presentations and strategic programme updates.
• Lead project handover activities, operational readiness coordination, lessons learned and project closure documentation.
• Ensure project documentation is current, accessible and maintained in accordance with PMO governance requirements.
• Provide early warning to the Head of PMO on delivery risks, resource constraints, stakeholder issues and governance concerns.

Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Mentor and provide guidance to Project Managers on project delivery, governance and stakeholder management.
• Review key project documentation and reporting to ensure consistency with PMO standards.
• Support the Head of PMO with resource planning, project prioritisation and portfolio oversight.
• Identify opportunities to improve project delivery, governance, reporting and PMO processes, and support implementation of best practices.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree from a recognized university in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, Project Management, Business or a related discipline.
• 9+ years' experience leading complex strategic programmes and cross-functional projects from initiation through to completion.
• Demonstrated experience managing high-impact projects involving multiple stakeholders, complex governance and significant organizational change.
• Project Management Professional (PMP), PRINCE2 Practitioner or equivalent project management certification is preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong knowledge of project management principles, governance frameworks and delivery methodologies.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex project scope, schedules, budgets, risks, issues, dependencies, stakeholders and change control.
• Strong understanding of project delivery across design, procurement, construction, operational readiness and project handover where applicable.
• Excellent executive stakeholder management and influencing skills across multiple business functions.
• Experience leading governance forums, steering committees and executive project reporting.
• Strong ability to coordinate consultants, contractors and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Experience mentoring Project Managers and supporting project delivery capability across a PMO environment.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Teams and Microsoft Project/Planner skills; Power BI is an advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to leverage AI-enabled tools such as Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude or equivalent to improve project planning, reporting, documentation, analysis and delivery while maintaining appropriate governance, confidentiality and professional judgement.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present complex information clearly to senior leadership.
• Highly organized, proactive and able to manage multiple strategic projects and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Additional Information

Aldar Education offers an attractive remuneration package including a range of benefits. The future-focused learning model includes both students and staff, with special emphasis on professional development, coaching and training. Successful candidates will have access to a wide network of professionals and opportunities to both lead and contribute to training others, as well as developing themselves.

Aldar Education is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. The organization is dedicated to the national development strategy and strongly encourages UAE Nationals to apply.

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.

This job description is not all-inclusive. Aldar Education reserves the right to amend this job description at any time.