Facilities & Services Officer – Cranleigh Abu Dhabi

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi are looking to appoint a passionate and dynamic Facilities & Services Officer to join our thriving team.

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi is located at the heart of Saadiyat Island’s emerging Cultural District, aligning with our motto: ‘Ex Cultu Robur’ – ‘From Culture Comes Strength.’ Spanning seven hectares, our state-of-the-art campus is just minutes away from Saadiyat Beach, New York University Abu Dhabi, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and the renowned Berklee College of Music.

Our holistic approach to education combines a broad academic curriculum with an extensive range of co-curricular opportunities. From fine arts, performing arts, and music to sports and activities such as gymnastics, golf, horse riding, and debating, we empower students to explore and develop their talents. For a glimpse of life at Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, visit our social media pages.

We are seeking exceptional teachers to join our professional and dedicated team as we pursue educational excellence. In return, we offer competitive packages that reflect the high value we place on our staff.

Main Duties

• To be responsible for the delivery of facilities and general services across the School. Delivering a ‘service culture’ and ensuring efficient, effective staff and resource deployment in timely manner.
• To ensure the school facilities and company housing are maintained to the highest standards (cleanliness, maintenance and safety) and that the support service teams are performing effectively and efficiently.
• To oversee the school accommodation requirements, ensuring staff are housed in accordance with school expectations, Aldar Education housing policy and allowances.
• To oversee efficient and cost-effective purchasing and contracting in accordance with the school budget, Aldar Education policy and school development plans.

General Operations

• To ensure all repairs and maintenance at the School, including the inspection of required repairs and, where necessary, the appointment of external service providers in line with Aldar Education HQ guidance and Aldar Education Procurement framework, and ensuring agreed works by staff or contractors have been completed satisfactorily and following up on any deficiencies to the initial scope of works.
• To ensure the security and efficient operation of the school site, buildings and grounds at all times, in accordance with current Health & Safety guidance, ensuring daily checks of the site are carried out by the site services team for vandalism and ensuring cleaning standards are acceptable.
• Implementation of issued policies, systems, processes and student safeguarding measures in conjunction with the Aldar Education HQ.
• To ensure school-based events and activities are effectively planned and resourced in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Ensure essential central services such as catering, security, maintenance, cleaning, transport, waste disposal and recycling are effectively planned and resourced throughout the year and be the point of contact for external services management.
• Support the OSM in utilisation of space and resources for buildings, or re-organisation of current premises.
• To ensure daily monitoring of the BMS and BMS alert systems (where installed) are carried out amongst the site services team.
• To support the OSM (and Group Housing Manager) in procuring and maintaining the Aldar Education standards of staff accommodation (where required).

Leadership & Management

• To ensure the external support service teams are performing in line with school expectations, fully resourced and delivering on their contractual obligations delivering best value for the school and high standards of service for the school community.
• Manage the facilities and general service teams to ensure high standards of service are maintained throughout the School and that they provide an effective service culture.
• Ensure each member of the Facilities & General Services team partakes in professional development, appraisal and training and undergoes an individual development plan to help the school in building a high-performance team.

Finance, Commercial & Procurement

• To oversee relevant budgets and expenditure, effectively manage costs, and ensure the School receives best value and service at all times in relation to facilities and building standards.
• To support opportunities for shared resource, cost and/or services across partner schools to ensure that the schools benefit from improved access to service teams and physical resources (ie support staff, transport etc).
• Ensure purchasing policy and the Delegation of Authority (DOA) processes and procedures are followed at all times.

Relationship & Stakeholder Management 

• Ensure that schools are fully compliant 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 audit actions are completed in a timely and appropriate manner.

Health, Safety & Environment

• To promote a positive and proactive health and safety culture throughout their teams for health and safety.
• To ensure the school complies with current Health & Safety legislation and/or guidelines as issued by Aldar Education HQ.
• To review and monitor the health and safety performance of contractors and suppliers within their respective schools.
• To support the OSM with environmental related aims and objectives and ensuring that they are delivered within the required timelines.
• Ensure all internal and external health, safety and environmental related audits are effectively completed in a timely and appropriate manner.

Accommodation Management

• Arrange staff accommodations in compliance with school policies and oversee allocation approvals.
• Manage move request forms and coordinate with the housing committee.
• Negotiate apartment terms and conditions with property management companies.
• Oversee furniture procurement, refurbishment, and timely delivery.
• Conduct check-in/check-out inspections and regular accommodation walk-throughs.
• Act as the main point of contact for tenants to report issues.
• Coordinate with management agents for repairs, maintenance, and contract renewals.
• Oversee cleaning, landscaping, security, and utilities management for leased accommodations.
• Monitor tenant complaints and liaise with relevant service providers to address concerns.
• Facilitate apartment orientation, key handovers, and inventory management for new staff.
• Manage offboarding processes, including bill cancellations and apartment inspections.
• Ensure vacated apartments are cleaned, maintained, and ready for reallocation.
• Maintain an updated housing log and timeline for all accommodation-related requirements.
• Supervise service providers and organize meetings to address ongoing issues.
• Respond to Cranleigh Accommodation email requests and establish emergency protocols

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum diploma / degree of higher education; or
• Related industry qualification, of graduate level, for the assigned functional area(s).
• Certificate of Facilities Management / NEBOSH or IOSH preferable.

Minimum Experience

• At least 3 years’ experience in a mid-level position within an education or facilities 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 work day, where the tasks require additional commitment.

What We Offer

Aldar Education are a family of world-class, child-centred, and innovative schools based in the UAE.  We educate over 38,000 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. Our future-focused learning model includes both students and staff and so we place a special emphasis on professional development, coaching and training.

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 dedicated to 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.