Associate Director - Financial Planning and Analysis

Aldar Education LLC; Abu Dhabi; Presencial; AED 450.000 - 750.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

Employee benefits

Professional development opportunities

Descripción de la vacante

Aldar Education is seeking an experienced Associate Director - Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) to lead the group’s financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and management reporting from Abu Dhabi. The role reports to the CFO and drives strategic financial analysis across schools and HQ functions.

The successful candidate will oversee long-range planning, investment appraisal, and capital allocation with a strict focus on governance, data integrity, and decision-support for senior

Formación

• 12+ years in finance with at least 5 years in FP&A leadership.
• Experience directing group-wide budgeting, forecasting and reporting.
• Strong governance, data accuracy, and decision-support capabilities.

Responsabilidades

• Lead FP&A across Aldar Education's portfolio.
• Direct annual budgets, rolling forecasts, and five-year plans.
• Prepare management reporting and financial performance analysis.
• Provide independent financial analysis and strategic recommendations.
• Oversee corporate finance activities including investment appraisal and funding analysis.
• Strengthen financial governance and reporting efficiency.
• Partner with executives to drive cost discipline and growth.

Conocimientos

Financial leadership

Strategic planning

Advanced financial analysis

Stakeholder management

Educación

Bachelor's degree in Finance/Accounting

Professional accounting qualification (ACA/ACCA/CIMA/CPA)

Master's degree desirable

Herramientas

ERP systems

Financial planning platforms

BI / reporting tools

Descripción del empleo

Associate Director - Financial Planning and Analysis Job Snapshot - Role: Associate Director - Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) - Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Industry: Education Management - Function: Financial Analysis-Research-Reporting - Experience: Minimum 12 years of progressive finance experience, including at least 5 years in FP&A leadership - Job Type: Full Time - Work Arrangement: On-site

Aldar Education is seeking an experienced Associate Director - Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) to join its headquarters in Abu Dhabi. This senior finance leadership position is responsible for directing group-wide financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, management reporting, and strategic financial analysis across Aldar Education 's schools and headquarters functions. Reporting to and supporting the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the successful candidate will provide the Executive Leadership Team with accurate financial information, performance insights, and recommendations to support effective business and investment decisions. The role combines leadership of the FP&A function with Corporate Finance responsibilities, including strategic financial modelling, investment appraisal, funding analysis, capital allocation, and the financial evaluation of growth and expansion opportunities. The Associate Director will oversee annual budgets, rolling forecasts, five-year financial plans, and management reporting processes while strengthening financial governance, cost control, data accuracy, and reporting efficiency. This opportunity requires a commercially focused finance professional with extensive experience in complex financial planning environments, strong analytical capabilities, and the confidence to influence senior management through clear financial insights and informed recommendations.

Job Details

• Country: United Arab Emirates
• City: Abu Dhabi
• Industry: Education Management
• Function: Financial Analysis-Research-Reporting
• Salary: Not disclosed
• Gender: No Preference
• Candidate Nationality: Not specified
• Job Type: Full Time
• Work Arrangement: On-site

Key Responsibilities

Group Financial Planning and Strategy

• Lead the Financial Planning and Analysis function across Aldar Education 's portfolio of schools and headquarters departments.
• Direct the preparation and management of annual budgets, rolling forecasts, long-range financial plans, and in-year reforecasting activities.
• Maintain the organisation 's five-year financial plan, ensuring alignment with approved strategic objectives and operational priorities.
• Establish consistent financial planning assumptions, reporting timelines, budget templates, and approval requirements across business units.
• Oversee financial planning activities covering student enrolment, tuition revenue, staffing costs, operating expenditure, capital expenditure, and cash flow.
• Develop financial scenarios and sensitivity analyses to evaluate changing business conditions and operational assumptions.
• Consolidate financial projections across relevant entities to provide an accurate view of group financial performance.
• Ensure financial plans remain realistic, appropriately controlled, and supported by reliable information.
• Provide independent financial analysis and constructive challenge to support management decisions.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen financial accountability, cost discipline, and long-term financial sustainability.

Budgeting and Forecasting

• Lead the end-to-end annual budgeting process for all schools and headquarters functions.
• Coordinate budget planning schedules, financial assumptions, departmental submissions, management reviews, and final budget consolidation.
• Conduct structured budget challenge sessions with school leaders and departmental management teams.
• Oversee the preparation and consolidation of the Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement across the group.
• Ensure financial statement projections are consistent and reconciled across entities.
• Manage rolling forecasts and update financial projections in response to business performance and changing operational requirements.
• Establish appropriate sensitivity ranges and version controls for budget and forecast submissions.
• Monitor budget performance and identify significant financial variances requiring management attention.
• Support corrective-action planning and follow up on agreed financial improvement measures.
• Ensure all planning and forecasting activities meet established quality standards and reporting deadlines.

Management Reporting and Financial Performance Analysis

• Oversee monthly management reporting for individual schools, headquarters functions, and the consolidated group.
• Prepare detailed actual-versus-budget and actual-versus-forecast financial analyses.
• Provide clear executive commentary explaining significant financial variances, underlying performance drivers, emerging risks, and potential opportunities.
• Develop financial dashboards and performance scorecards that combine financial and operational indicators.
• Monitor key education-sector performance measures, including student enrolment, capacity utilisation, staffing ratios, revenue per student, and cost per student.
• Establish consistent reporting standards that improve the reliability and comparability of financial information across schools.
• Identify portfolio-wide financial trends, performance benchmarks, and opportunities for operational improvement.
• Present financial performance findings and recommended management actions to the CFO and Executive Leadership Team.
• Respond to additional financial analysis and group reporting requirements with accurate information, documented assumptions, and appropriate audit trails.
• Ensure management reports are delivered within agreed deadlines and provide meaningful support for business decisions.

Financial Business Partnering and Operational Performance

• Lead regular financial performance reviews with school leadership teams and headquarters department heads.
• Work collaboratively with business leaders to evaluate financial results, identify performance challenges, and agree on improvement actions.
• Provide financial guidance on workforce planning, resource allocation, pricing decisions, cost optimisation, and operating-model improvements.
• Evaluate operational investments and business initiatives through financial modelling and scenario analysis.
• Support the development of business cases that assess financial viability, strategic relevance, and expected outcomes.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency and financial sustainability across the education portfolio.
• Monitor agreed financial improvement measures and evaluate their impact on business performance.
• Track management actions, expected financial benefits, and actual outcomes against approved objectives.
• Escalate significant financial risks, performance concerns, and delivery gaps to the CFO.
• Maintain strong working relationships with business stakeholders while providing objective financial advice and appropriate challenge.

Corporate Finance and Strategic Investment

• Lead financial evaluations of strategic growth opportunities, including new schools, acquisitions, partnerships, capacity expansion, and major investment initiatives.
• Develop and review financial models, investment business cases, valuation analyses, and scenario assessments.
• Evaluate proposed investments using appropriate financial appraisal techniques and commercial assumptions.
• Conduct discounted cash flow analysis, net present value calculations, internal rate of return assessments, payback analysis, and sensitivity modelling.
• Assess the financial viability, expected returns, affordability, and associated risks of proposed business investments.
• Identify medium-term and long-term funding requirements arising from business plans, capital expenditure programmes, and growth initiatives.
• Support the CFO in evaluating external and intercompany funding arrangements.
• Analyse the financial implications of funding alternatives, including their impact on cash flow, affordability, and investment returns.
• Provide recommendations on capital allocation priorities based on strategic alignment, financial returns, affordability, and risk considerations.
• Prepare investment analysis, financial presentations, and supporting decision materials for Executive Leadership, Board meetings, and relevant investment approval forums.
• Monitor the long-term financial performance and expected return profiles of school assets and major investment projects.
• Conduct post-investment reviews to compare actual financial outcomes with approved business cases.
• Track the delivery of expected investment benefits, financial assumptions, and projected returns.
• Coordinate with Aldar Group Finance, external advisers, lenders, and other relevant stakeholders on Corporate Finance matters when required.
• Maintain appropriate financial models, documentation, internal controls, and approval records for investment and funding activities.

FP&A Governance, Systems and Data Management

• Establish and maintain financial planning policies, reporting calendars, templates, internal controls, and approval procedures.
• Ensure consistent financial planning and reporting practices across schools and headquarters departments.
• Maintain a controlled and reliable source of financial planning and management reporting information.
• Define clear data ownership responsibilities, reconciliation procedures, and reporting standards.
• Work closely with Financial Control to ensure management reporting information reconciles with the general ledger and approved financial records.
• Review financial models to ensure calculations, assumptions, methodologies, and outputs are accurate and appropriately documented.
• Maintain effective version control and supporting documentation for financial plans, forecasts, and investment models.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen financial data governance and reporting accuracy.
• Drive process improvements and automation across financial planning, forecasting, reporting, and analysis activities.
• Improve the effectiveness of ERP, financial planning, and business intelligence systems used within the FP&A function.
• Support the development of reporting tools that improve data accessibility, analytical efficiency, and management decision-making.
• Ensure financial information is handled with appropriate confidentiality and in accordance with organisational governance requirements.

Leadership and Team Development

• Lead, manage, coach, and develop the Financial Planning and Analysis team.
• Establish clear performance objectives, service standards, responsibilities, and professional development plans.
• Allocate work effectively across the team to support timely completion of financial planning and reporting activities.
• Review financial models, reports, forecasts, and other key deliverables to maintain accuracy and quality.
• Support team members in developing financial analysis, commercial understanding, and business partnering capabilities.
• Promote accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the finance function.
• Ensure the team maintains operational continuity during critical budgeting, forecasting, and reporting periods.
• Build constructive professional relationships across Finance, schools, and headquarters departments.
• Encourage consistent application of financial governance requirements and analytical standards.
• Maintain the ability to challenge assumptions independently while supporting collaborative business decision-making.

Qualifications and Experience

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor 's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business, or a related discipline.
• A recognised professional accounting qualification, such as ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA, or CA, is strongly preferred.
• A relevant master 's degree is desirable.

Minimum Experience

• Minimum 12 years of progressive professional experience in finance.
• At least 5 years of experience leading Financial Planning and Analysis, budgeting, forecasting, or management reporting teams.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex budgeting, forecasting, and reporting cycles across multiple entities or operating locations.
• Proven ability to present financial performance information, risks, and recommendations to CFO-level and executive stakeholders.
• Advanced experience in financial modelling, scenario analysis, and business-case evaluation.
• Practical experience with ERP systems, financial planning platforms, and business intelligence tools.
• Experience in the education sector, professional services, or other multi-site operating environments is preferred.
• Experience supporting business growth, organisational transformation, or financial performance improvement programmes is desirable.
• Previous experience in investment appraisal, funding analysis, capital allocation, valuation, or Corporate Finance projects.

Job-Specific Knowledge and Skills

Financial Planning and Analytical Expertise

• Expert knowledge of Financial Planning and Analysis principles, including driver-based planning, rolling forecasts, variance analysis, scenario modelling, and long-range financial planning.
• Strong understanding of the Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement and how operational activities influence financial results.
• Advanced financial modelling capabilities, including the ability to evaluate model structures, assumptions, calculations, controls, and outputs.
• Strong understanding of financial performance management, budgetary control, and management reporting.
• Ability to evaluate complex financial information and translate analysis into practical business recommendations.
• Experience developing financial dashboards, scorecards, and management information for executive decision-making.
• Strong commercial judgement and the ability to assess financial risks, opportunities, and strategic alternatives.

Corporate Finance and Investment Skills

• Strong knowledge of investment appraisal and financial valuation methods.
• Ability to perform discounted cash flow, net present value, internal rate of return, payback, and sensitivity analyses.
• Understanding of capital allocation, funding requirements, and the financial implications of business expansion.
• Ability to assess investment proposals and develop financial recommendations supported by reliable assumptions.
• Knowledge of financial modelling techniques used to evaluate acquisitions, partnerships, and major capital investments.
• Ability to analyse funding alternatives and their implications for cash flow, affordability, and financial returns.

Technical and Systems Capabilities

• Advanced Microsoft Excel proficiency and strong financial modelling skills.
• Experience working with enterprise resource planning systems, financial planning tools, and business intelligence platforms.
• Strong data analysis skills and the ability to improve reporting accuracy and efficiency.
• Understanding of financial data governance, internal controls, reconciliation, and documentation requirements.
• Ability to identify and implement improvements in financial planning and reporting processes through systems and automation.

Leadership and Professional Skills

• Strong people management, coaching, and team development capabilities.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, particularly when explaining complex financial information to senior management.
• Ability to influence executive stakeholders and challenge business assumptions constructively.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise competing responsibilities.
• High standards of accuracy, confidentiality, accountability, and professional integrity.
• Ability to manage demanding financial reporting cycles and meet critical deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal skills and confidence in working with diverse, multicultural teams.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Commercial awareness, sound judgement, and a proactive approach to identifying business improvements.
• Ability to maintain productive working relationships while providing independent financial analysis and recommendations.

What Aldar Education Offers

• Aldar Education offers an attractive remuneration package, including a range of employee benefits, together with opportunities for professional development, coaching, and training.
• The Associate Director - Financial Planning and Analysis will have the opportunity to contribute to group-wide financial strategy, investment evaluation, business planning, and the financial performance of an established education network.
• The organisation encourages continuous professional learning and provides access to a broad network of education and business professionals.
• Successful candidates will have opportunities to lead and develop finance professionals, collaborate with senior leadership teams, contribute to training initiatives, and support strategic financial decisions across the group.

About Aldar Education

Established in 2007 with an initial community of 250 students, Aldar Education has grown into an established education provider in Abu Dhabi. The group operates and manages more than 25 premium and super-premium schools and academies, with educational partnerships involving institutions including Rugby School, King 's College Wimbledon, and Cranleigh. Aldar Education serves more than 38,000 students through a network of approximately 5,000 educators representing over 100 nationalities. Its educational provision includes a broad range of curricula and learning pathways from nursery through to K12. The organisation is committed to providing innovative, child-centred education while supporting the UAE 's vision of developing a sustainable, knowledge-based economy. Through its schools, educational partnerships, and professional teams, Aldar Education aims to empower students, support learning communities, and contribute to the development of future generations.

Equal Opportunities and Safeguarding

Aldar Education is an equal opportunity employer committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive working environment. In support of its national development strategy, the organisation encourages applications from UAE Nationals. Aldar Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All employees are expected to share this commitment and comply with established safeguarding requirements. Offers of appointment are subject to satisfactory references and police clearance. This job description is not exhaustive. Aldar Education reserves the right to amend the duties and responsibilities of the position in accordance with organisational requirements.