Speech Therapist

NMC Healthcare; Abu Dhabi Emirate; On-site; AED 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in the UAE is seeking a Speech-Language Pathologist to deliver evidence-based care for patients with communication and swallowing disorders. The ideal candidate will conduct assessments, develop individualized treatment plans, and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team, demonstrating strong interpersonal skills and cultural competence, particularly with Arabic-speaking patients.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in a medical setting, or 3 years for strong candidates.
• Membership in home country’s professional body (e.g., ASHA).
• DOH license.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive assessments for communication and swallowing disorders.
• Develop and implement individualized treatment plans.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure holistic patient care.
• Communicate sensitively across cultural and linguistic barriers.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Cultural competence

Proficiency in Arabic

Education

BSc in Speech and Language Therapy

MSc in Speech and Language Pathology

Job description

NMC Healthcare is one of the largest private healthcare networks in the United Arab Emirates. Since 1975, it has provided high quality, personalised, and compassionate care to its patients and is proud to have earned the trust of millions of people in the UAE and around the world.

NMC’s network is made up of 85 medical facilities, including JCI-accredited multi-specialty hospitals, medical centres, community clinics, day surgery centres, fertility clinics, home health services, and long-term care facilities. It employs over 12,000 people and serves over 5.5 million patients every year.

Job Summary:

The Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) delivers high-quality, evidence-based care for patients of all ages with communication and swallowing disorders, including complex cases. The role includes conducting specialist assessments, developing individualized treatment plans, and ensuring compliance with professional and institutional standards.

The SLP collaborates within a multidisciplinary team, provides training to colleagues, patients, and caregivers, and—if dual-qualified in Audiology—may also conduct hearing screenings and evaluations. Cultural and linguistic competence, particularly in working with Arabic first-language speakers, is essential. Flexibility to work across Americare business units is required.

Key Responsibilities:

• Ensure professional, legal, and ethical accountability for all clinical work, maintaining a high standard of care.
• Conduct comprehensive specialist assessments for communication and swallowing disorders across the age continuum, including complex cases.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate evidence-based, individualized treatment plans in alignment with institutional policies.
• Apply advanced clinical reasoning and a broad range of therapeutic approaches to optimize patient outcomes.
• Maintain and update professional knowledge and skills to support accurate diagnosis, treatment, and patient education.
• Where applicable, conduct hearing screenings and evaluations for patients with suspected hearing loss.
• Design culturally and linguistically appropriate interventions, particularly for Arabic-speaking patients, including:
• Analyzing and addressing phonetics, linguistics, and social language use specific to Emirati dialects.
• Engaging trained translators as needed.
• Collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams to ensure holistic patient care.
• Educate and guide team members, patients, and caregivers on optimal communication, swallowing, and feeding strategies.
• Communicate sensitively across cultural, religious, and linguistic barriers, using persuasive and motivational techniques to gain understanding and consent.
• Remain flexible with scheduling and deployment across Americare facilities based on clinical and staffing requirements.

Qualifications, Education & Experience:

• Education:
• BSc in Speech and Language Therapy or MSc in Speech and Language Pathology.
• Experience:
• Minimum of 5 years in a medical setting (3 years considered for strong candidates).
• Certification & Licensure:
• Membership in home country’s professional body (e.g., ASHA).
• DOH license.
• Additional discipline-specific certifications preferred.
• Skills:
• Strong interpersonal and communication abilities for diverse populations.
• Proficiency in Arabic preferred.