Finance Director

International Community Schools; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 420,000 - 640,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary commensurate with experience

Job summary

International Community Schools Abu Dhabi is seeking a highly experienced Director of Finance to lead the group’s financial operations, strengthen governance, and shape long-term financial strategy across six branches. The role requires strategic leadership, oversight of budgeting, forecasting, audits, and regulatory compliance in the UAE, driving cost optimization while preserving educational quality.

This senior position offers an opportunity to partner with the CEO and executive team to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related field.
• Professional certification such as CA, ACCA, CPA or CMA is strongly preferred.
• Minimum 12–15 years of progressive financial management experience, including senior leadership.
• Prior UAE education sector experience, preferably managing multiple campuses.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the Group's financial strategy across six branches.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting and financial performance management.
• Oversee audits, statutory reporting and UAE regulatory compliance.
• Drive cost optimization and profitability while maintaining educational quality.
• Establish financial KPIs and performance benchmarks for the Group.
• Present financial performance and risk assessments to executive management.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Financial planning

Financial reporting

ERP systems

Regulatory compliance

Budgeting

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's in Finance

CA/ACCA/CPA/CMA

MBA in Finance

Tools

ERP software

BI tools

Job description

International Community Schools | Non Academics

Finance Director

Welcome to International Community Schools Abu Dhabi! At ICA...

Job Description

International Community Schools (ICS)

Position: Director of Finance

About International Community Schools

International Community Schools (ICS) is a well-established and growing educational group in Abu Dhabi, delivering high-quality British and American curricula across six school branches.

We are seeking a highly experienced, commercially astute, and strategically driven Director of Finance to lead the Group's financial operations, strengthen financial governance, and play a pivotal role in shaping its long‑term financial strategy and sustainable growth.

This is a senior leadership position requiring a professional who can go beyond traditional financial management to provide strategic direction, drive operational efficiency, and support executive‑level decision‑making.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Financial Leadership

Develop and execute the Group's financial strategy in alignment with organizational goals and long‑term growth objectives.

Serve as a strategic financial advisor to the CEO and senior leadership team.

Lead financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and financial performance management across all six branches.

Provide data‑driven insights to support strategic investments, business expansion and major financial decisions.

Oversee and consolidate financial operations, reporting and controls across all ISS branches.

Ensure financial transparency, accountability, regulatory compliance and strong internal controls.

Manage cash flow, working capital, financial risks and capital expenditure.

Oversee annual audits, statutory financial reporting and compliance with UAE financial and tax regulations.

Operational Excellence & Cost Optimization

Identify opportunities for cost optimization, revenue enhancement and improved profitability without compromising educational quality.

Establish financial KPIs and performance benchmarks for individual schools and the Group.

Monitor student fee collections, revenue forecasts, operational expenditures and overall financial sustainability.

Strengthen financial processes, ERP utilization, automation and management reporting.

Leadership & Stakeholder Management

Lead, mentor and develop finance and accounting teams across all branches.

Collaborate closely with school principals, operations, HR, procurement and other departments.

Present financial performance, strategic recommendations and risk assessments to executive management.

Drive a culture of financial discipline, accountability and continuous improvement.

Requirements

Qualifications & Experience

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related discipline.

Professional certification such as CA, ACCA, CPA or CMA is strongly preferred. MBA in Finance is an advantage.

Minimum 12–15 years of progressive financial management experience , including substantial experience in a senior finance leadership role.

Prior experience in the UAE education sector, preferably managing multiple schools or campuses, is highly desirable.

Proven track record of strategic financial planning, financial restructuring, cost optimization and organisational growth.

Strong understanding of UAE taxation, regulatory compliance, financial reporting standards and corporate governance.

Demonstrated experience managing complex budgets, multiple cost centres and consolidated financial reporting.

Strong ERP, financial analytics and business intelligence capabilities.

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a strategic leader, not simply a financial controller — someone who demonstrates:

Strong business acumen and independent decision‑making capabilities.

The ability to balance financial sustainability with educational excellence.

A proactive, results‑oriented approach to organisational challenges.

Exceptional leadership, communication, negotiation and stakeholder‑management skills.

The confidence to challenge existing processes, introduce improvements and drive meaningful organisational change.

This is an opportunity to join an established and growing school group, influence executive decisions, lead financial transformation across multiple campuses and make a lasting contribution to the future of education. Salary and benefits as per exposure and job title.