Senior Manager - IT Service Operations
Aldar Education LLC
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Job summary
Aldar Education is seeking a UAE National Senior Manager - IT to lead and optimize IT service operations across its charter schools in Abu Dhabi. The role focuses on governance, resilience, and transformation to ensure secure, reliable technology services.
The position requires 10+ years in progressive IT roles, a strong background in ITIL and IT governance, and proven leadership across multi-site environments. On-site work in Abu Dhabi with a strategic, impact-driven remit.
Qualifications
- Minimum 10 years of progressive IT experience.
- Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Computer Engineering, Electronics or Communications Engineering.
- ITIL V3 or V4 certification, or an ISO equivalent, is required.
- Experience managing technology services across multiple sites and leading IT teams.
- Strong procurement, contract and supplier management capability.
- Knowledge of disaster recovery, business continuity and operational resilience.
Responsibilities
- Lead IT service operations across Charter Schools with governance, standards, controls and performance expectations.
- Translate strategy into operational plans, service targets, technology lifecycle priorities and measurable outcomes.
- Own the Charter Schools IT service management framework covering incidents, requests, problems, changes, knowledge, service catalogue, configuration, assets and service levels.
- Act as the senior escalation and decision point for major incidents, significant service failures, operational risks and stakeholder concerns.
- Establish dashboards, reporting mechanisms and governance routines for service performance, risk, investment planning and continuous improvement.
- Lead technology operations across multiple schools and ensure readiness for terms, examinations and major events.
- Coordinate with Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Applications, Data, Digital and central service teams on maintenance, upgrades, remediation and changes.
- Lead clear and timely stakeholder communications during outages, major incidents, planned changes and significant service disruptions.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Role: Senior Manager - IT
Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Industry: Education Management
Function: IT Project Management
Experience: Minimum 10 years of progressive IT experience
Job Type: Full Time
Position Overview Aldar Education is seeking a UAE National Senior Manager - IT for a Full Time, on-site role supporting its Charter Schools in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with an immediate start. This senior technology leadership position is accountable for secure, reliable and consistent IT service operations across a multi-site school environment. The role leads service management, technology governance, operational resilience, compliance, educational technology delivery, supplier performance, asset lifecycle management, financial control and continuous service improvement.
Country: United Arab Emirates
City: Abu Dhabi
Industry: Education Management
Function: IT Project Management
Salary: Not disclosed
Gender: No Preference
Candidate Nationality: UAE National
Job Type: Full Time
Work Arrangement: On-site
- Lead IT service operations across Charter Schools and establish service direction, governance, standards, controls and performance expectations.
- Translate Group Digital and Enterprise Services strategy into operational plans, service targets, technology lifecycle priorities and measurable outcomes.
- Own the Charter Schools IT service management framework covering incidents, requests, problems, changes, knowledge, service catalogue, configuration, assets and service levels.
- Act as the senior escalation and decision point for major incidents, significant service failures, operational risks and stakeholder concerns.
- Establish dashboards, reporting mechanisms and governance routines for service performance, risk, investment planning and continuous improvement.
- Drive consistent, customer-focused technology services across the Charter Schools network.
- Provide accountable oversight of day-to-day technology operations across multiple schools.
- Maintain operational oversight of end-user devices, classroom technology, audiovisual systems, networks, connectivity, telephony, printing, cloud services and core school systems.
- Ensure technology readiness for academic terms, examinations, inspections, admissions activities, major events, new school openings and other critical operating periods.
- Coordinate with Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Applications, Data, Digital and central service teams on maintenance, upgrades, remediation and technology changes.
- Ensure operational changes are appropriately planned, tested and communicated to minimize disruption.
- Lead clear and timely stakeholder communications during outages, major incidents, planned changes and significant service disruptions.
- Maintain readiness against applicable ADEK ICT standards, organizational policies, audit obligations, inspection requirements and approved corrective actions.
- Ensure technology operations support relevant safeguarding expectations.
- Maintain appropriate controls for data handling, confidentiality, privacy and access management.
- Ensure cybersecurity and operational resilience requirements are followed.
- Support compliance with business continuity, backup and disaster recovery requirements.
- Monitor operational technology risks and ensure appropriate escalation and remediation.
- Lead the operational adoption and governance of educational technology across Charter Schools.
- Support classroom platforms, digital learning solutions and AI-enabled education initiatives.
- Oversee technology projects, refresh programmes, service transitions and transformation initiatives.
- Ensure technology initiatives are delivered against approved scope, budget, schedule, quality, compliance and operational readiness requirements.
- Represent Charter Schools during project planning, design, procurement, implementation, testing, acceptance and post-implementation reviews.
- Ensure new and changed services have defined ownership, documentation and support arrangements.
- Establish appropriate supplier escalation routes, training plans, performance measures and adoption support for new services.
- Govern technology assets throughout acquisition, configuration, deployment, utilization, maintenance, repair, refresh, redeployment, return and disposal.
- Maintain accurate records covering hardware and software assets, licences, warranties, contracts and ownership.
- Ensure records appropriately identify asset assignment, location, condition, support status and lifecycle stage.
- Support audit compliance through accurate asset information maintained on approved platforms.
- Plan technology refresh and lifecycle priorities across the school network.
- Lead technology procurement planning and requirements definition.
- Support technical evaluations, supplier assessments and business-case development.
- Provide value-for-money recommendations within delegated authority.
- Manage governance for IT and audiovisual service suppliers.
- Monitor supplier KPIs, service level agreements and annual maintenance contracts.
- Conduct supplier performance reviews and manage operational escalations.
- Identify supplier risks and establish appropriate service-improvement actions.
- Oversee the Charter Schools IT budget position.
- Monitor expenditure, financial commitments, forecasts and renewals.
- Plan for future technology investments and identify financial risks.
- Support capital expenditure and operating expenditure planning.
- Align technology investment priorities with operational requirements and approved budgets.
- Lead, coach and performance-manage school-based IT and audiovisual teams.
- Establish clear objectives, responsibilities and service expectations.
- Build team capability and encourage consistent service behaviours.
- Plan resource coverage and workload allocation across Charter Schools.
- Establish effective escalation arrangements and knowledge-sharing practices.
- Support succession planning and continuity of technology services.
- Maintain effective relationships with Principals and school leadership teams.
- Collaborate with Education, Finance, Procurement, People and Culture and other HQ functions.
- Work professionally with ADEK, technology vendors and external service partners.
- Translate technical matters into clear explanations of business impact, risk and available options.
- Provide recommendations and decision support to senior stakeholders and governance forums.
- Lead confidently during high-pressure operational periods and significant service incidents.
- Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Computer Engineering, Electronics or Communications Engineering.
- ITIL V3 or V4 certification, or an ISO equivalent, is required.
- Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in IT service management, technology operations or infrastructure leadership.
- Significant experience managing technology services across multiple sites.
- Experience leading IT teams and service operations.
- Experience with budget control and technology financial planning.
- Experience managing suppliers and service providers.
- Major incident management experience.
- Experience delivering service improvement initiatives.
- Strong capability in IT service operations, governance, service transformation and continuous improvement.
- Excellent knowledge of ITIL practices covering incident, request, problem, change, knowledge, CMDB, asset and service level management.
- Strong understanding of Microsoft 365.
- Knowledge of endpoint management and identity and access management.
- Strong understanding of networking and Wi‑Fi environments.
- Knowledge of audiovisual technology, printing and school technology operations.
- Understanding of backup, cloud services and operational infrastructure.
- Awareness of cybersecurity and data protection requirements.
- Understanding of safeguarding requirements within technology operations.
- Knowledge of business continuity, disaster recovery and operational resilience.
- Strong procurement, contract and supplier management capability.
- Strong budget management and reporting skills.
- Experience managing technology asset lifecycles.
- Ability to influence senior stakeholders and communicate technical matters in business terms.
- Strong leadership capability during complex and high‑pressure operational situations.
Aldar Education offers a remuneration package that includes a range of benefits. The organization places emphasis on professional development, coaching and training. Successful candidates have access to a wider professional network and opportunities to lead and contribute to training while continuing their own professional development.
Aldar Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment. Offers of appointment are subject to satisfactory references and police clearance. Aldar Education states that it is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. This vacancy specifically requires a UAE National candidate.
Aldar Education is an Abu Dhabi-based education group operating owned and managed schools and academies in the United Arab Emirates. Its network provides a range of curricula and learning pathways from nursery through K12, supported by educators and professional teams from diverse nationalities.
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