Manager - Facilities and General Services

Aldar Education LLC; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 167,000 - 279,000; Full time

Job summary

Aldar Education is seeking a Manager - Facilities and General Services for ABO Charter School in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates. The role oversees facilities management, general services, and safety across the school, including budget control, procurement, regulatory compliance, and leading service teams.

ABO is a US Curriculum Charter School serving over 1500 students. The role supports staff accommodation, events, procurement, and incident response while maintaining high standards of

Qualifications

• Minimum diploma or degree of higher education; or graduate-level qualification relevant to the role.
• Certificate in Facilities Management, NEBOSH, or IOSH is preferable.
• Fluent English (written and spoken).

Responsibilities

• Take responsibility for the delivery of facilities and general services across the school.
• Promote a service culture and ensure effective deployment of staff and resources.
• Maintain school facilities to high standards of cleanliness, maintenance, and safety.
• Oversee cost-effective purchasing and contracting in line with budgets and policies.
• Lead Facilities and General Services teams and ensure service quality.

Skills

Fluent English

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Stakeholder management

Supervisory skills

Education

Diploma or higher education

Graduate-level qualification in relevant area

Facilities Management certification (preferred NEBOSH/IOSH)

Job description

Job Snapshot

Role: Manager - Facilities and General Services

Location: Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates

Industry: Education Management

Function: Facilities Management-Maintenance

Experience: At least 3 years ’ experience in a mid-level position within an education or facilities service-oriented industry

Job Type: Not specified

Salary: Not disclosed

Gender: No Preference

Candidate Nationality: Not specified

Job Type: Not specified

Job Overview

Aldar Education is seeking a Manager - Facilities and General Services for ABO Charter School in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates. The role is responsible for facilities management and general services across the school, ensuring buildings, grounds, accommodation, essential services, contractors, and support teams operate safely and efficiently. The position combines day-to-day facilities oversight with budget management, procurement, regulatory compliance, HSE responsibilities, contractor performance, and leadership of service teams.

About the Role

ABO is a US Curriculum Charter School serving more than 1500 students from KG2 to Grade 5. The school aims to maintain a collaborative and student-centered environment while continuously developing staff, strengthening stakeholder voice, and evolving its practices. The Manager - Facilities and General Services will ensure that school facilities and essential support services meet required standards for cleanliness, maintenance, safety, reliability, and value. The role also supports staff accommodation, school events, procurement, resource planning, and critical incident response.

Main Duties

• Take responsibility for the delivery of facilities and general services across the school.
• Promote a service culture and ensure effective deployment of staff and resources.
• Maintain school facilities to high standards of cleanliness, maintenance, and safety.
• Monitor support service teams to ensure efficient and effective performance.
• Oversee school accommodation requirements and support compliance with Aldar Education housing policies and allowances.
• Oversee cost-effective purchasing and contracting in accordance with the school budget, Aldar Education policies, and school development plans.

General Operations

• Oversee school repairs and maintenance, including inspection of required works and appointment of external service providers where necessary.
• Ensure contractors and internal teams complete agreed works satisfactorily and follow up on deficiencies against the approved scope of work.
• Maintain the security and efficient operation of school buildings, grounds, and facilities in accordance with applicable health and safety guidance.
• Ensure daily site checks are completed for issues including vandalism, cleanliness, maintenance, and general site condition.
• Implement relevant policies, systems, processes, and student safeguarding measures in conjunction with Aldar Education HQ.
• Ensure school events and activities are appropriately planned and resourced.
• Coordinate essential services including catering, security, maintenance, cleaning, transport, waste disposal, and recycling.
• Act as the school point of contact for external service management.
• Support the OSM with the effective utilization of buildings, space, and resources.
• Ensure daily monitoring of the Building Management System and BMS alerts where systems are installed.
• Support the OSM and Group Housing Manager with the procurement and maintenance of staff accommodation where required.
• Act as the designated school Incident Commander.
• Remain contactable outside normal school hours and attend the site when required under Aldar Education Critical Incident Response Protocols.

Leadership and Management

• Monitor external support service teams to ensure they meet school expectations and contractual obligations.
• Ensure service providers are appropriately resourced and deliver suitable value and service standards.
• Manage Facilities and General Services teams and maintain an effective service culture across the school.
• Support professional development, appraisal, and training for team members.
• Ensure individual development planning contributes to building a high-performing facilities and general services team.

Finance, Commercial and Procurement

• Oversee relevant budgets and expenditure associated with facilities and building standards.
• Manage costs effectively while maintaining required service levels.
• Seek appropriate value from facilities contracts, services, and expenditure.
• Support opportunities to share resources, costs, and services across partner schools.
• Help schools improve access to service teams and physical resources, including support staff and transport.
• Ensure compliance with purchasing policies and Delegation of Authority processes and procedures.

Relationship and Stakeholder Management

• Support full compliance with applicable local government authority regulations.
• Monitor school-level contractual requirements to help prevent compliance failures and associated fines.
• Ensure actions resulting from internal and external audits are completed appropriately and within required timelines.
• Maintain effective working relationships with school leadership, Aldar Education teams, contractors, suppliers, and service providers.

Health, Safety and Environment

• Promote a positive and proactive health and safety culture across facilities and general services teams.
• Ensure the school complies with current health and safety legislation and guidelines issued by Aldar Education HQ.
• Review and monitor the health and safety performance of contractors and suppliers working within the school.
• Support the OSM in establishing and delivering environmental aims and objectives within required timelines.
• Ensure internal and external health, safety, and environmental audits are completed effectively and on time.
• Follow up on identified HSE actions and support continuous improvement in school facilities and services.

Qualifications

• Minimum diploma or degree of higher education; or
• Graduate-level industry qualification relevant to the assigned functional area.
• Certificate in Facilities Management, NEBOSH, or IOSH is preferable.

Experience

• At least 3 years ’ experience in a mid-level position within an education or facilities service-oriented industry.

Knowledge and Skills

• Fluent written and spoken English.
• Strong attention to detail with diligent follow-up and timely execution.
• Ability to multitask and perform effectively under pressure.
• Strong organizational skills for managing personal and team priorities.
• Forward planning capability, particularly in relation to local government compliance.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and build professional networks with cultural sensitivity.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Strong and consistent supervisory skills.
• Commercial acumen.
• Ability to provide additional effort and time when operational requirements extend beyond the typical working day.

About Aldar Education

Aldar Education is a UAE-based education provider operating a group of owned and managed schools. Its schools deliver a range of curricula and learning pathways, with a focus on student-centered learning, educational excellence, professional development, and preparing students for future success.