Head - Strategic Planning and Execution

Aldar Education; Abu Dhabi Emirate; On-site; AED 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Aldar Education seeks a Head of Strategic Planning and Execution to translate corporate strategy into integrated annual plans, KPIs and disciplined execution in Abu Dhabi. The role coordinates enterprise planning, aligns financial assumptions, strengthens executive reporting and provides market intelligence for EXCOM and Board decisions.

The candidate will lead cross-functional planning, monitor performance, and drive governance of annual planning data and strategic documentation across the

Qualifications

• 8+ years in strategic planning, corporate strategy, or PMO environments.
• Experience in leading large multi-business organizations or major consulting firms.
• Ability to translate strategy into annual plans, KPIs and performance management.
• Advanced analytics, KPI design, dashboard development and executive reporting.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the annual strategic planning cycle across Aldar Education.
• Consolidate departmental objectives and KPIs into an integrated annual framework.
• Own development of CXO and N-1 scorecards across headquarters.
• Prepare executive presentations and board briefing materials.
• Monitor initiatives, identify risks, and ensure alignment with strategic priorities.
• Support transformation programs and cross-functional initiatives.

Skills

Corporate strategy

Strategic planning

Executive reporting

KPI development

Financial modelling

Dashboard development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Economics, Finance, Education Management or related discipline

MBA or Master’s degree

Tools

PowerPoint

Microsoft Excel

BI tools

Dashboard software

Job description

Head - Strategic Planning and Execution Job Snapshot

Role: Head - Strategic Planning and Execution
Location: Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates
Industry: Education Management
Function: Strategic Planning-Intelligence
Experience: 8 years
Job Type: Full-time

Position Overview
Head - Strategic Planning and Execution in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates is an Education Management leadership opportunity focused on translating corporate strategy into integrated annual plans, measurable KPIs and disciplined execution. Aldar Education is hiring an experienced strategy leader to coordinate enterprise planning, align business priorities with financial assumptions, strengthen executive performance reporting and provide market intelligence that supports EXCOM and Board decision-making.

Job Details
Country: United Arab Emirates
City: Abu Dhabi Emirate
Industry: Education Management

Function: Strategic Planning-Intelligence
Salary: 35000-50000
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 Head of Strategic Planning and Execution serves as a critical link between Aldar Education 's long-term ambitions and the annual operating decisions required to deliver them. The role brings together strategy, departmental planning, financial alignment, performance management and executive reporting within one integrated framework. A major part of the position involves ensuring that objectives, KPIs, initiatives, manpower requirements and investment assumptions remain connected to wider Group priorities. The role will challenge inconsistencies, identify performance gaps and help leadership translate complex information into clear decisions. The position also works closely with Finance, the EPMO, Investment and Growth teams and senior functional leaders. External market trends, competitor activity and internal performance information will be converted into actionable insights that influence strategic business planning, transformation priorities and future growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate the annual strategic planning cycle across Aldar Education.
• Facilitate executive planning sessions and strategic offsites.
• Establish planning timelines and ensure cross-functional participation at each stage.
• Consolidate departmental objectives, KPIs, initiatives and manpower plans into an integrated annual framework.
• Evaluate departmental submissions for consistency with corporate and Group strategy.
• Own the development and maintenance of CXO and N-1 performance scorecards across headquarters.
• Ensure executive KPIs remain aligned with agreed Group themes and strategic priorities.
• Define performance measures that clearly connect strategic objectives with execution outcomes.
• Collaborate with Finance to incorporate strategic assumptions into annual budgets and business plans.
• Support alignment between financial projections, operating priorities and strategic initiatives.
• Prepare strategic content for annual business plan presentations to EXCOM and the Board.
• Produce monthly, quarterly and year-end executive performance reports.
• Highlight key variances, risks, dependencies and areas requiring leadership intervention.
• Develop clear commentary that explains the drivers behind performance results.
• Work closely with the EPMO to structure and govern strategic and transformation programs.
• Monitor major initiatives to ensure delivery remains connected to approved strategic objectives.
• Identify execution risks and escalat material issues requiring executive attention.
• Support change management activities associated with strategic and digital transformation initiatives.
• Help functions translate strategic decisions into practical implementation actions.
• Conduct external trend analysis and evaluate developments affecting the education sector.
• Review competitor activity and relevant market intelligence.
• Convert market findings into actionable recommendations for senior management.
• Partner with the Investment and Growth Team on strategic insight generation.
• Prepare executive presentations, briefing materials and decision papers.
• Support submissions requiring CEO, EXCOM or Board review.
• Maintain alignment between Aldar Education strategy and wider Group objectives.
• Coordinate strategic reporting requirements between Aldar Education and Group stakeholders.
• Maintain and continuously improve scorecards, dashboards and performance-tracking tools.
• Strengthen planning processes to improve consistency, transparency and accountability.
• Establish reliable governance for annual planning data and strategic documentation.
• Lead or support special projects assigned by the Director of Strategy and CEO.
• Facilitate cross-functional initiatives involving multiple senior stakeholders.
• Influence decision-making across functions without relying on direct reporting authority.
• Maintain a clear strategic planning calendar and ensure all key deadlines are met.

Ideal Profile

Candidates should hold a bachelor 's degree in Business, Economics, Finance, Education Management or a related discipline. A master 's degree or MBA will be advantageous. A minimum of 8 years of experience in strategic planning, corporate strategy, management consulting or a large-scale strategy and PMO environment is required. Experience gained within a leading consulting firm, major corporate strategy function or complex multi-business organization will be particularly relevant. Candidates should demonstrate a strong record of developing strategy frameworks, business plans, executive KPIs and performance-management structures. The successful applicant should be comfortable moving between high-level strategic thinking and detailed execution analysis. This includes understanding financial assumptions, interpreting operational performance and identifying whether initiatives are genuinely delivering the intended strategic outcome. Advanced analytical ability is essential, particularly in KPI design, dashboard development, performance reporting, market intelligence and integrated planning. The role requires an influential communicator who can engage confidently with senior executives, functional leaders and cross-functional teams. Strong written communication and executive presentation skills are critical because recommendations will frequently inform EXCOM and Board discussions. Candidates should also demonstrate sound project management capability, commercial judgment and the ability to drive alignment across teams where formal authority may be limited.

Skills Set

Corporate strategy Strategic planning Strategy execution Integrated business planning Strategic Business Planning Strategic Planning-Intelligence Annual planning cycles Executive scorecards KPI development Performance management Performance dashboards Business planning Financial modelling Budget alignment Management reporting Executive reporting Board reporting EXCOM reporting Market intelligence Competitor analysis Industry analysis Strategic analysis Business performance analysis Data interpretation Transformation programs EPMO collaboration Program governance Project management Change management Digital transformation Cross-functional planning Stakeholder engagement Executive presentations Decision support PowerPoint Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office Suite BI tools Dashboard development Manpower planning Strategic initiatives Performance tracking Risk identification Business case analysis Corporate governance Strategy frameworks Investment insights Growth strategy Executive communication Influencing skills

Why Join Us

Strategic planning within a large education group offers the opportunity to influence decisions that affect thousands of students, educators and school communities across the UAE. This position sits close to executive leadership and combines corporate strategy, investment insight, financial planning and transformation execution in a role with direct visibility at EXCOM and Board level. Aldar Education 's continued expansion creates a strong platform for strategy professionals who want exposure to growth planning, portfolio development, performance management and enterprise transformation. The role can also provide a pathway toward senior positions in corporate strategy, business planning, transformation, investment and executive management.

About the Company

Aldar Education is one of the UAE 's largest education groups, operating a network of premium and super-premium schools and academies. Since its establishment in 2007, the organization has expanded to serve more than 38000 students through approximately 5000 educators representing over 100 nationalities. Its portfolio includes partnerships with internationally recognized institutions such as Rugby School, King 's College Wimbledon and Cranleigh, supporting a broad range of learning pathways from nursery through K12 while contributing to the UAE 's knowledge-based economy.