Assistant Facilities Manager - School Operations

Aldar Education; Abu Dhabi Emirate; On-site; AED 156,000 - 223,000; Full time

Job summary

Aldar Education is recruiting an experienced facilities professional to support Cranleigh Abu Dhabi in Abu Dhabi Emirate. The role coordinates maintenance, HSE, contractors and budgets to ensure a safe and well-run campus.

The ideal candidate holds an engineering degree with 5+ years in facilities management, and is adept at contractor coordination, maintenance planning and service delivery within a school environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical or Civil Engineering.
• Minimum 5 years in facilities management, operations or HSE.
• Experience in schools, hospitality or multi-site operations is advantageous.
• Abu Dhabi exposure beneficial for local authority requirements.
• NEBOSH certification preferred; additional FM/Energy certs a plus.
• Strong organization, follow-up and budgeting abilities.

Responsibilities

• Support delivery of facilities management and general services across the campus.
• Coordinate daily activities with security, cleaning, maintenance and providers.
• Supervise facilities and support teams to meet service standards.
• Monitor campus cleanliness, safety and operational readiness.
• Act as primary contact for routine facilities issues and escalate as needed.
• Assist with planning for events and special operational requirements.
• Coordinate repairs and maintenance from issue to completion.
• Arrange inspections and follow-up actions with contractors.
• Verify repairs meet specifications and quality expectations.
• Log, prioritize, track and close maintenance issues timely.
• Monitor Building Management System alerts where applicable.
• Support health, safety and environmental audits and compliance.
• Assist with budgeting, procurement and adherence to procedures.

Skills

Facilities management

Contractor management

Health and safety

Building Management Systems

Maintenance planning

Budgeting & cost control

Procurement

Stakeholder coordination

Security services coordination

Event facilities support

Education

Engineering degree (Mechanical/Electrical/Civil)

NEBOSH certification preferred

Job description

Assistant Facilities Manager - School Operations

Location: Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates

Industry: Facilities Services

Function: Facilities Management-Maintenance

Experience: Minimum 5 years

Job Type: Full-time

Role Overview: Assistant Facilities Manager - School Operations in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates is a Facilities Services opportunity supporting the safe, efficient and compliant operation of Cranleigh Abu Dhabi. Aldar Education is hiring an experienced facilities professional with an engineering background to coordinate maintenance, health and safety, contractors, support services, budgets and operational readiness across the school campus.

Job Details

Country: United Arab Emirates

City: Abu Dhabi Emirate

Industry: Facilities Services

Function: Facilities Management-Maintenance

Salary: 14000-20000

Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.

Gender: Any

Candidate Nationality: Any

Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

The Assistant Facilities Manager supports the Senior Operations Manager in maintaining a safe, functional and well-presented learning environment for students, staff and visitors. The position combines day-to-day facilities coordination with contractor supervision, maintenance follow-up, HSE compliance and general services oversight. The role also contributes to operational continuity by ensuring that buildings, grounds, systems and contracted services remain ready for normal school activity, events and changing operational requirements. Effective cost control, strong follow-up and close coordination with internal teams and suppliers are central to maintaining service quality across the campus.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the delivery of facilities management and general services across the school campus.
• Coordinate daily activities involving security, cleaning, maintenance and contracted service providers.
• Supervise facilities and support teams to ensure agreed service standards are maintained.
• Monitor campus cleanliness, presentation, safety and operational readiness.
• Act as a primary point of contact for routine facilities-related issues and elevate significant concerns when necessary.
• Support facilities planning for school events, activities and special operational requirements.
• Coordinate repair and maintenance activities from issue identification through completion.
• Arrange inspections, contractor attendance and follow-up actions for maintenance works.
• Verify that completed repairs and services meet required specifications and quality expectations.
• Conduct or support regular site checks covering buildings, grounds, equipment and operational areas.
• Ensure maintenance issues are logged, prioritized, tracked and closed within appropriate timeframes.
• Monitor Building Management System alerts and related building systems where applicable.
• Help maintain a proactive health and safety culture among facilities teams and contractors.
• Support compliance with Aldar Education policies, relevant legislation and Abu Dhabi authority requirements.
• Participate in internal and external health, safety and environmental audits.
• Monitor contractor HSE performance and address non-compliance through appropriate follow-up.
• Support facilities-related budget monitoring and expenditure control.
• Assist with purchasing and procurement activities in accordance with approved procedures.
• Follow Delegation of Authority requirements for facilities-related procurement and expenditure.
• Support contract administration and monitor service providers against agreed performance standards.
• Assess supplier and contractor performance with attention to service quality and value for money.
• Coordinate with school leadership, People and Culture teams and Aldar Education headquarters on operational requirements.
• Support performance management, training and development of facilities personnel.
• Maintain constructive relationships with suppliers, contractors, regulators and internal stakeholders.
• Assist with records, reports and documentation related to maintenance, compliance, HSE and facilities operations.
• Contribute practical ideas for improving efficiency, service delivery and cost effectiveness.

Ideal Profile

Candidates must hold a bachelor 's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or Civil Engineering. This engineering qualification is mandatory for the position. A minimum of 5 years of experience in facilities management, operations or health and safety is required. Exposure to schools, hospitality environments or large multi-site operations will strengthen suitability. Previous experience supporting school operations is advantageous, particularly where the role involved contractor coordination, maintenance planning, HSE monitoring and service delivery. Abu Dhabi experience will also be beneficial because of local authority and operational requirements. NEBOSH certification is preferred. Additional certification in Facilities Management or Energy Management will be an advantage. The successful candidate should be highly organized, comfortable handling several priorities and capable of maintaining strong follow-up until issues are resolved. Commercial awareness and a cost-control mindset are also important when working with budgets, procurement and service contracts. Strong interpersonal skills are required to coordinate effectively with school leadership, internal support teams, contractors and external service providers while maintaining professional standards and integrity.

Skills Set

• Facilities management
• School facilities operations
• Building maintenance
• General services
• Mechanical systems
• Electrical systems
• Civil maintenance
• Contractor management
• Service provider management
• Preventive maintenance
• Corrective maintenance
• Building Management Systems
• BMS monitoring
• Site inspections
• Maintenance tracking
• HSE compliance
• Health and safety
• NEBOSH
• Environmental audits
• Contractor HSE monitoring
• Facilities budgeting
• Cost control
• Procurement
• Delegation of Authority
• Contract management
• Service level monitoring
• Supplier management
• Security services coordination
• Cleaning services management
• Event facilities support
• Operational readiness
• Facilities reporting
• Regulatory compliance
• Energy management
• Staff supervision
• Stakeholder coordination

Why Join Us

Facilities management within a major school environment combines engineering knowledge with direct responsibility for safety, service continuity and the quality of the everyday campus experience. This Abu Dhabi role provides practical exposure to maintenance systems, contractor management, HSE, procurement and operational planning within a high-performing British international school. Cranleigh Abu Dhabi and Aldar Education also provide a structured environment for professional development, with opportunities to strengthen technical and leadership capability while progressing toward Facilities Manager, Operations Manager and broader school operations leadership roles.

About the Company

Aldar Education operates a growing network of schools and academies across the UAE. Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, located on Saadiyat Island, is a leading British international school developed in partnership with Cranleigh School in the UK. The school combines high educational standards with a professionally managed campus environment designed to support safe, efficient and high-quality learning and community life.