Senior Manager - Group Finance

Aldar Education is seeking an outstanding Senior Manager – Group Finance to support our schools. This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled professional to join the highly successful Aldar family of schools and to help shape the future of Abu Dhabi’s leading school group.

Since its inception in 2007 with just 250 students, Aldar Education has grown into a highly sought-after education provider, with more than 25 owned and managed premium and super-premium schools and academies- in partnership with some of the world’s most prestigious institutions including Rugby School, King’s College Wimbledon, and Cranleigh. The Group now serves over 38,000 students through 5,000 educators from more than 100 nationalities to deliver world-class education across a broad range of curricula and learning pathways from nursery through to K12.

At Aldar Education, our impact goes far beyond the classroom: we are proud to contribute to the UAE’s vision for a sustainable, knowledge-based economy through premium education. With this in mind, we hire educators and industry professionals who not only embody our values and cultural ethos but also bring a genuine passion for education—qualities central to our mission of shaping the leaders of tomorrow.

If you are passionate about excellence and ready to make a meaningful impact, we invite you to apply and be part of our journey.

Main Duties

• Support the Associate Director - Group Financial Control in leading management, statutory and compliance reporting, treasury and tax activities, strengthening financial governance, delivering key finance initiatives, and providing high-quality insights to support operational and strategic decision-making.

Strategic Responsibilities

• Lead Group statutory reporting, management reporting, financial consolidation, and performance analysis across Aldar Education.
• Strengthen financial governance, internal controls, and ICFR frameworks to enhance financial integrity, regulatory compliance, and risk management.
• Oversee treasury operations, banking activities, liquidity management, and related controls across schools and business units.
• Oversee tax governance and compliance, ensuring adherence to applicable regulations and timely completion of statutory obligations.
• Provide finance leadership and management support for strategic projects, transformation programmes, acquisitions, and key business initiatives.
• Drive consistent application of IFRS, Group accounting policies, Delegation of Authority, and financial governance standards across the organisation.
• Promote standardisation, automation, and continuous improvement through the Finance Centre of Excellence.

Functional Responsibilities

• Partner with the Associate Director - Group Financial Control and Finance Leadership Team to deliver accurate, timely, and insightful Group financial reporting.
• Lead the preparation and review of monthly and quarterly Investment Committee Packs, Board and Executive Management Team reports, CFO MIS, Group Reporting Packs, and other management reports.
• Oversee the consolidation and review of Group financial results, including monthly MIS, balance sheet schedules, and performance analysis, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and consistency.
• Lead the annual statutory reporting and external audit process, coordinating with Finance teams and auditors to improve audit efficiency and support timely issuance of financial statements.
• Lead finance ERP business-as-usual requirements and enhancement initiatives, partnering with Finance, IT, ERP, and Digital stakeholders to improve processes, controls, dashboards, and reporting capabilities.
• Oversee treasury activities and banking operations, ensuring appropriate authorisation, segregation of duties, liquidity oversight, and compliance with Group policies.
• Oversee tax reporting and compliance, including timely and accurate submission of returns, payments, refunds, and statutory filings.
• Lead technical accounting assessments and the implementation of new IFRS standards, ensuring appropriate accounting treatment, disclosures, and training for Finance teams.
• Periodically review and enhance finance policies, SOPs, and Delegation of Authority frameworks to strengthen governance, efficiency, and alignment with business growth.
• Support FP&A activities through validation of actual results, budgets, forecasts, key assumptions, and performance trends.
• Review annual insurance declarations to ensure complete and accurate financial and operational reporting and appropriate risk mitigation.
• Review completion accounts, purchase price allocation, and accounting assessments for newly acquired schools, where applicable.
• Provide technical accounting guidance on complex transactions, regulatory matters, and strategic business initiatives.
• Act as a backup to the Tax and Treasury functions to support business continuity.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Commerce, or a related discipline.
• Professional accounting qualification such as CA, ACA, ACCA, CPA, CMA, or equivalent is preferred.

Minimum Experience

• Minimum 10 years of progressive finance experience, including at least 2-3 years of core reporting & managerial roles.
• Experience in Group reporting, statutory reporting, audit, consolidation, or multi-entity finance is required.
• Education sector experience is preferred.

Job Specific Knowledge & Skills

• Strong technical knowledge and practical application of IFRS, Group reporting, statutory reporting, consolidation, ICFR, and financial controls.
• Process-oriented with proven ability to execute finance projects, improve processes, and deliver high-quality outputs within tight deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills, with the ability to present financial insights clearly to senior stakeholders.
• Strong attention to detail, disciplined follow-up, ownership, and accountability for timely delivery.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, perform effectively under pressure, and maintain output quality.
• Strong stakeholder management and business partnering skills across finance and non-finance functions.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, organise, coach, and develop teams.
• Strong interpersonal, influencing, and networking skills, with cultural sensitivity in a diverse working environment.

What We Offer

Aldar Education is a family of world-class, child centered, and innovative schools based in the UAE. We educate over 25,000 students across our group of owned and managed schools and as we grow so does our need for highly skilled, inspirational, and dedicated school leaders. We offer an attractive remuneration package including medical cover, flights, housing, and free child school places. Our future-focused learning model includes both students and staff and so we place a special emphasis on professional development, coaching and training.

Successful candidates will have access to a wide network of professionals and opportunities to both lead and contribute to training others as well as developing themselves.

Aldar Education is keen to hear from like-minded, forward thinking school leaders who would welcome the challenge and opportunities that we have to offer.

This job description is not all inclusive. Aldar Education reserves the right to amend this job description at any time. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. We are also mindful of our national development strategy and encourage UAE Nationals in their application at our company.

Aldar Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. Offers of appointment are subject to satisfactory references and police clearance.