Facilities Manager - School Operations

Aldar Education LLC; Dubai; On-site; AED 250,000 - 360,000; Full time

Job summary

Aldar Education is seeking a Facilities Manager to oversee school facilities and general services in Dubai, UAE. The role focuses on maintaining high standards across buildings, grounds, maintenance, safety, and support services while ensuring resources and service teams are deployed efficiently.

The post requires coordinating contractors, managing expenditure, supporting regulatory compliance, and fostering a proactive health, safety and environmental culture, with incident-response

Qualifications

• Minimum diploma or degree of higher education is required.
• Facilities Management certification is preferable.
• NEBOSH or IOSH certification is preferable.

Responsibilities

• Oversee repairs and maintenance across the school.
• Coordinate external service providers and contractors.
• Ensure compliance with Aldar Education procurement procedures.
• Maintain safety, security and environmental standards.
• Monitor Building Management System (BMS) where installed.

Skills

Facilities management

Contractor management

Health and safety

Budget control

Operations leadership

Education

Higher education degree

Facilities management certification

NEBOSH or IOSH certification

Job description

Facilities Manager - School Operations Job Snapshot

Role: Facilities Manager

Location: Dubai, UAE

Industry: Facilities Services

Function: Facilities Management-Maintenance

Experience: Minimum 3 years in a mid-level education or facilities service position

Job Type: Full Time

Position Overview

Aldar Education is seeking a Facilities Manager to oversee school facilities and general services in Dubai, UAE. The role is responsible for maintaining high standards across buildings, grounds, maintenance, cleaning, safety, accommodation and essential support services while ensuring resources and service teams are deployed efficiently. The Facilities Manager will coordinate contractors and external providers, oversee operational expenditure and procurement, support regulatory compliance and maintain a proactive health, safety and environmental culture. The position also carries incident response responsibilities and requires availability outside normal school hours when necessary under established critical incident protocols.

Job Details

Country: UAE

City: Dubai

Industry: Facilities Services

Function: Facilities Management-Maintenance

Salary: Not disclosed

Gender: No Preference

Candidate Nationality: Not specified

Job Type: Full Time

Work Arrangement: On-site Facilities and General Operations

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee repairs and maintenance across the school.
• Inspect maintenance requirements and coordinate appropriate corrective work.
• Appoint external service providers where required in accordance with Aldar Education guidance and procurement procedures.
• Verify that work completed by employees and contractors meets the agreed scope and quality requirements.
• Follow up promptly where completed work does not meet required standards.
• Maintain the security and efficient operation of school buildings, grounds and facilities.
• Ensure daily site inspections are undertaken for damage, vandalism, cleanliness and other operational concerns.
• Implement relevant policies, systems, processes and student safeguarding measures in coordination with Aldar Education HQ.
• Ensure school events and activities receive appropriate facilities planning and resources.
• Support effective utilisation of buildings, space and physical resources.
• Ensure appropriate monitoring of the Building Management System and BMS alerts where installed.

Essential School Services

The role will oversee the effective planning and coordination of essential services throughout the academic year. These include catering, security, maintenance, cleaning, transport, waste disposal and recycling. The Facilities Manager will act as a key school contact for external service providers and ensure contracted services remain appropriately resourced and aligned with operational requirements.

Staff Accommodation

The Facilities Manager will support school accommodation requirements and help ensure eligible staff housing is managed in accordance with school expectations, Aldar Education housing policies and applicable allowances. Where required, the role will support the Operations and Support Manager and Group Housing Manager with the procurement and maintenance of staff accommodation in line with established Aldar Education standards.

Leadership and Service Management

• Manage facilities and general services teams to maintain consistent service standards.
• Develop a strong service culture across facilities operations.
• Monitor external support teams against contractual obligations and school expectations.
• Ensure contracted teams have appropriate resources to deliver required services.
• Monitor service quality and value delivered to the school community.
• Support professional development, appraisal and training across the Facilities and General Services team.
• Contribute to individual development planning and the creation of a high-performing operational team.
• Maintain strong and consistent supervisory practices.

Finance, Commercial and Procurement

The Facilities Manager will oversee relevant expenditure and support disciplined management of operational resources.

• Monitor facilities-related budgets and expenditure.
• Manage costs while maintaining required building and service standards.
• Seek appropriate value from facilities contracts and service providers.
• Support opportunities to share resources, costs and services with partner schools where practical.
• Help optimise access to support staff, transport and other physical resources.
• Follow purchasing policies and Delegation of Authority procedures.
• Ensure procurement and contracting activities comply with established Aldar Education requirements.

Compliance and Stakeholder Management

• Maintain compliance with applicable local government authority requirements.
• Monitor contract and regulatory requirements to reduce the risk of non-compliance and associated fines.
• Ensure actions arising from internal and external audits are addressed within appropriate timescales.
• Maintain productive relationships with contractors, suppliers and relevant stakeholders.
• Use forward planning to anticipate operational and government compliance requirements.

Health, Safety and Environment

Maintaining a proactive health and safety culture is a core responsibility of the position.

• Promote positive health and safety practices across facilities and service teams.
• Ensure compliance with current health and safety legislation and Aldar Education guidance.
• Monitor contractor and supplier health and safety performance.
• Support environmental objectives and ensure assigned actions are delivered within required timelines.
• Ensure internal and external health, safety and environmental audits are completed appropriately.
• Follow up on identified deficiencies and required corrective actions.
• Maintain a safe environment for students, staff, contractors and visitors.

Critical Incident Support

The Facilities Manager will act as the designated school Incident Commander and follow Aldar Education Critical Incident Response Protocols. The position requires the ability to remain contactable outside normal school hours and attend the school site when necessary to respond to significant operational incidents.

Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum diploma or degree of higher education, or a relevant graduate-level industry qualification for the assigned functional area.
• Facilities Management certification is preferable.
• NEBOSH or IOSH certification is preferable.
• Minimum 3 years experience in a mid-level position within education or a facilities service-oriented industry.

Professional Skills

• Fluent written and spoken English.
• Strong facilities operations and service management capability.
• Knowledge of maintenance, contractor and supplier management.
• Strong attention to detail and diligent follow-up.
• Ability to execute operational requirements within required timelines.
• Effective multitasking and ability to work under pressure.
• Strong organisational and supervisory skills.
• Forward planning capability, particularly regarding local government compliance.
• Ability to influence and build professional networks with cultural sensitivity.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Commercial awareness and cost-management capability.
• Ability to manage procurement and contracted services within established procedures.
• Willingness to provide additional commitment outside standard working hours when operational requirements demand it.

Role Context

This position is central to maintaining a safe, compliant and efficiently operated school environment. By coordinating facilities, contractors, essential services, procurement and health and safety requirements, the Facilities Manager supports the reliable day-to-day operation of the school and enables teaching and learning activities to take place in appropriately maintained facilities.