Head – Operations & Support Services (Bahrain Based)

As a senior lead, the incumbent will be responsible for leading, implementing and supporting initiatives within their Premium + school, as required by HQ Operations, to ensure an effective approach for a consistent, systematic, safe school operation. In addition, the role will ensure the school is  compliant with related internal & external directives and regulations.

As the Operations lead, directly supporting the principal, the role will be fully responsible to oversee the effectiveness of all operations, administration & support service-related activities and ensure compliance with Aldar Education policy, procedures, risk, safety, sustainability, audit, and regulatory directives.

The incumbent will continuously strive to exceed internal & external customer expectations, capitalising the economic profit and return on capital investment, while embracing the Aldar Education core values. To embody the values, vision and ethos of Aldar Education and assist the department in ensuring high quality and successful outcomes.

Responsibilities:

Main Duties:

• To drive all aspects of operational efficiencies at school level through strong leadership and integrity, clear communication, defined strategy, creative thinking, and robust processes.
• To be the senior operational lead and a part of the school’s senior leadership team and ensure a consistent and streamlined approach in line with identified strategic directives, whilst maximising cost efficiencies, return on investment and quality standards.
• To collaborate with school principal and HQ senior leadership teams to drive efficiencies and maximise return on capital investment through the effective development and management of operational and capital budgets.
• To be responsible for the organisation and delivery of operations, administration, and support service teams across the school (People & Culture, IT, Enrolments, Marketing, Facilities, Finance, Administration and External Service Providers)
• Implementing a ‘service culture’ and ensuring efficient, effective staff deployment and recruitment of high calibre candidates to join the operations, administration, and support service teams.
• To support and advise key functions within the school and HQ teams on operational, financial, risk, safety, sustainability and audit & regulatory compliance matters and be accountable for their effectiveness using robust performance management systems.
• To lead on capital deployment in relation to growth and expansion of key projects within their school.
• To implement processes and provide strategic guidance to the principals and senior leadership teams on audit and regulatory compliance matters, ensuring that schools maintain compliance throughout the year in all authority and internal audit visits.
• To ensure that all operations, administration, and support service staff are supported with high quality continuous professional development and training which contributes to the overall development and achievements of the school.
• To oversee the key strategic objectives for the school through formulating and leading on specific aspects of the business and/or improvement plan as they relate to operations and support services.
• To drive a positive and proactive safe, healthy and environmental culture throughout their cluster teams and act as a champion for safety, health and sustainability.

Specific Duties:

General Operations

• To support the principal and school-based function leads in implementing the agreed business strategy for the school.
• Development and implementation of policies, systems, processes, and student safeguarding measures relevant to their school and in conjunction with HQ teams to ensure business continuity and service deliverables.
• Initiate and identify good practices within their school and ensure these are implemented throughout the wider group in order to streamline operations, processes and policies and secure efficiencies.
• Lead in the effective delivery of key projects such as major expansions and facility improvements, supporting project stakeholders, sharing knowledge and implementing good practice during pre-ops and project execution.
• Be contactable outside of normal school hours, available to attend site to support the operations teams when required in line with the Aldar Education Critical Incident Response Protocols.

Leadership & Management

• Oversee the performance of the operations, administration, and support service staff to ensure high standards of service are maintained throughout the school and provide a collegial efficient and effective service culture.
• Continuously review school support services operating models and staffing levels to ensure the school is suitably resourced to deliver key objectives whilst ensuring school financial and operational performance is maintained.
• Oversee the recruitment, professional development, appraisal, and training programs of all operations, administration, and support service staff, ensuring that members of the team undergo an individual development plan to help the school in building a high-performance team.
• Take a mentoring and coaching leadership approach to facilitate a cohesive and efficient team
• Support the wider cluster to promote consistency, efficiency and contribute to integration projects when required.

Finance, Commercial & Procurement

• To support the principal and direct reports in developing & monitoring all relevant budgets and expenditure, particularly operational costs, ensuring the department receives best value and service at all times.
• Continually reviewing opportunities for shared resource, cost and/or services to ensure the school benefits from improved access to service teams and physical resources (i.e., support staff, transport etc).
• Support function leads in reviewing & preparing all relevant information (e.g., scope of work, purchase requisition/specifications) to initiate tenders, develop weighted pre-determined evaluation criteria and provide technical evaluation of the tender documents submitted.
• Ensure Delegation of Authority processes and procedures are followed at all times.

Relationship & Stakeholder Management 

• Embrace and encourage the ethos and standards of excellence as defined in the Aldar Education core values.
• Ensure full compliance with local government authority regulations to safeguard against fines of any nature as a result of non-renewal of contracts at school level.
• Ensure all internal and external audits are effectively managed and that actions arising from such audits are completed in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Conduct operational investigations as required following an incident for the purpose of improvement to key processes or policies to ensure school operations remain efficient.
• Understand the effects and implications of government policies, legislation and directives, developing effective strategies for current initiatives and long-term educational trends and developments.

Health, Safety & Environment

• To lead and support a culture of ‘no hurt, no harm’ through pro-active and pragmatic risk-based decision making.
• To promote and demonstrate a supportive and business focused approach to the management of risk, with a solution-based mentality.
• To act as the responsible person for HSE effectiveness and ensure full compliance with current health & safety legislation and/or guidelines as issued by Aldar Education HQ.
• Professionally offering challenge and fact led opinion on decision making in relation to risk mitigation, for the benefit of the wider Aldar group.
• To drive a positive and proactive safe, healthy and environmental culture and act as a champion for safety, health and sustainability.
• To support the school in establishing specific health, safety and environmental related aims and objectives and ensuring that they are delivered within the required timelines.
• To ensure adherence to all relevant service guidelines and policies, developing and challenging where necessary.
• To drive and support the use of centrally deployed safety related systems to ensure compliance in regard to incident and visitor management.
• Ensure all health, safety and environmental related inspections and audits are completed in line with the Aldar Education safety management system, using a supportive and coaching nature, helping to remove barriers, and promoting improvements in standards through teamwork.

Enrolments and Customer Satisfaction

• To oversee school enrolments and ensure impactful strategies are developed and implemented to support the drive for both new students and retention.
• To oversee the admissions process and ensure compliance, and in the absence of, identify a gap analysis and relevant action plan to address the shortfall.
• Ensure enrolment target drive is supported by a consistent customer service experience through NPS process, FOH efficiency and competitor landscape knowledge.
• Demonstrate sufficient cluster knowledge to promote cross-selling practices within the cluster to support and drive enrolment targets and the customer experience

REQUIREMENTS:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors (BSc) in business related subject; or
• Related industry qualification, of graduate level, for the assigned functional area(s); or
• Certificate of School Business Management / Facilities Management / NEBOSH or IOSH preferable.

Minimum Experience:

•  At least 5 years’ experience in a senior level position within an education or service-oriented industry.

Job Specific Knowledge & Skills:

• Fluent English communication skills, written and oral.
• Attention to detail with diligent follow up, and able to execute in a timely manner.
• Skilled in multi-tasking and handling pressure.
• Organizational ability, of self and others.
• Forethought and forward planning (particularly as this relates to local Government compliance matters).
• Capable of influencing people and talented in networking with cultural sensitivity.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Strong and consistent supervisory skills.
• Commercial acumen.
• Initiate effort and energy beyond the typical workday, where the tasks require additional commitment.