The Facilities Manager - School Operations will oversee the delivery of facilities, site services, and general operational support across the school. The position is responsible for maintaining safe, clean, secure, and well-functioning buildings while ensuring that contractors and internal support teams meet agreed standards.
The role will also support staff accommodation, procurement, budget control, school events, critical incident response, regulatory compliance, environmental objectives, and audit actions. Effective performance will protect learning continuity, improve service quality, control operating costs, and ensure that the school remains fully prepared for daily operations and emergencies.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the delivery of facilities management and general services across the school.
- Promote a professional service culture focused on timely, effective, and responsive support.
- Ensure facilities teams and external service providers are deployed efficiently.
- Maintain high standards of cleanliness, maintenance, safety, security, and presentation.
- Oversee staff accommodation requirements in line with Aldar Education housing policies and approved allowances.
- Support cost-effective purchasing and contracting within the school budget and development plan.
- Inspect required repairs and coordinate corrective maintenance.
- Appoint external service providers in accordance with Aldar Education procurement requirements.
- Verify that maintenance work has been completed satisfactorily.
- Follow up on incomplete work, poor-quality repairs, and deficiencies against the approved scope.
- Ensure the secure and efficient operation of school buildings, grounds, and site access.
- Coordinate daily checks for damage, vandalism, safety concerns, and unacceptable cleaning conditions.
- Implement Aldar Education policies, systems, procedures, and safeguarding controls.
- Plan facilities support for school events, activities, parent meetings, and special programmes.
- Coordinate catering, security, cleaning, maintenance, transport, waste disposal, and recycling services.
- Act as the principal school contact for external facilities and support service providers.
- Support the Operations and Support Manager with space utilization and premises reorganization.
- Monitor Building Management System operations and ensure BMS alerts are reviewed promptly.
- Support the procurement and maintenance of staff accommodation where required.
- Ensure accommodation arrangements meet Aldar Education standards.
- Act as the designated school Incident Commander.
- Remain contactable outside normal school hours for critical incidents.
- Attend the school site when required under Aldar Education emergency response protocols.
- Lead facilities and general services teams to maintain consistent service standards.
- Monitor external support teams against contractual obligations and staffing commitments.
- Ensure suppliers deliver appropriate value, quality, responsiveness, and compliance.
- Set clear performance expectations for facilities personnel and service providers.
- Coordinate professional development, appraisal, and training for facilities team members.
- Support individual development plans and high-performance team objectives.
- Manage facilities-related budgets and monitor expenditure.
- Control operating costs while preserving safety, quality, and service continuity.
- Identify opportunities to share resources, services, or support teams across partner schools.
- Follow purchasing policies and Delegation of Authority procedures.
- Maintain complete records for procurement, contracts, approvals, invoices, and vendor performance.
- Ensure contracts, permits, licenses, and regulatory documents are renewed on time.
- Maintain compliance with relevant local government authority requirements.
- Protect the school against penalties arising from expired or incomplete contracts.
- Coordinate responses to internal and external audit findings.
- Ensure agreed corrective actions are completed within required deadlines.
- Promote a proactive health and safety culture throughout facilities and support teams.
- Ensure school operations comply with applicable health and safety legislation and guidance.
- Monitor contractor and supplier health and safety performance.
- Identify unsafe practices and require corrective action.
- Support the Operations and Support Manager with environmental targets and improvement plans.
- Ensure environmental initiatives are completed within agreed timelines.
- Coordinate internal and external health, safety, and environmental audits.
- Maintain accurate records of inspections, incidents, contractor reviews, and compliance actions.
- Work collaboratively with school leadership, teaching teams, finance, procurement, housing, and Aldar Education headquarters.
- Support safeguarding and student wellbeing through safe site management and responsible contractor control.
- Contribute positively to the wider school ethos and continuous improvement agenda.
- Relevant qualification in Facilities Management, Business Administration, Engineering, Operations, or a related discipline.
- Previous experience managing facilities, general services, or school operations.
- Experience within a school, education group, large institution, or multi-service environment is highly advantageous.
- Strong understanding of preventive and corrective maintenance.
- Experience managing cleaning, security, transport, catering, waste, and other outsourced services.
- Knowledge of contractor appointment, service-level monitoring, and performance management.
- Familiarity with procurement processes, purchasing controls, budgets, and Delegation of Authority requirements.
- Experience managing facilities expenditure and identifying cost-saving opportunities.
- Understanding of health, safety, environmental, and safeguarding requirements.
- Ability to manage regulatory compliance, permits, contracts, and audit actions.
- Working knowledge of Building Management Systems is advantageous.
- Experience supporting accommodation, property, or housing requirements is beneficial.
- Strong leadership and team-development capability.
- Ability to create a responsive and customer-focused service culture.
- Excellent organization, planning, and prioritization skills.
- Ability to manage urgent operational issues and several competing responsibilities.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making ability.
- Clear written and verbal communication skills.
- Professional approach when dealing with school leaders, employees, parents, students, contractors, and government authorities.
- Ability to remain calm and decisive during emergencies.
- Willingness to be contactable outside normal working hours when serving as Incident Commander.
- Strong commitment to the school's values, UAE culture, safeguarding, and student wellbeing.
