School Operations Manager

Taaleem is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. At Taaleem, we hold ourselves to a high standard of effective practices in relation to child protection and we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We expect all staff to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be subject to various background checks including, receipt of high quality references, proof of relevant qualifications, identification and police checks, including overseas checks. Are you an experienced operations professional looking to make an impact in the education sector? Dubai Schools Al Barsha is seeking a School Operations Manager to lead and oversee all operational services at campus level, ensuring smooth, compliant, and cost-effective delivery. About the Role Reporting to the Head of Business Operations and working closely with the School Principal, you will manage key functions including: Staff Management • Develop and maintain effective partnerships and engage in positive communication with all staff, senior leaders, HOBO and the Principal. • Provide leadership for the Facilities Manager, Procurement assistant, IT assistant and Head nurse. This includes ensuring they adhere to their accountabilities and KPIs, supporting their professional development, conducting appraisals, and addressing performance issues. • Adhere to the school’s policies and procedures and ensure all supervised staff do as well. Purchasing and Contract Management • Oversee operational budgets (R&M, FFE, licensing, utilities, IT), POs, and DoA compliance. • Review procurement documentation and vendor payments; monitor advance payments and credit card use. • Ensure deliveries are asset tagged per policy. • QA/QC the vendor performance and escalate quality issues where required. Health and Safety • Lead implementation of Taaleem and regulatory H&S protocols, and site safety infrastructure. • Maintain H&S documentation (risk assessments, inspections, drill records, protocols etc.). • Chair HSE meeting. • Complete and escalate incident reports per internal systems and regulatory portals and coordinate with Facilities and Principal for post-incident investigations. • Lead government inspections and coordinate post-crisis H&S site checks. Events and excursions • Oversee school event and field trip approvals to ensure they follow Taaleem’s Events & Excursions Policy. • Liaise with transport and third-party vendors; support with escalated trip-related issues. Facilities Management • Monitor R&M budgets and maintenance delivery in collaboration with Facilities Manager. • Escalate site-level risks that threaten continuity of operations. • Oversee CCTV usage for regulatory and internal policy compliance. Compliance • Ensure timely renewal of all key licenses (e.g., Civil Defence, Clinic, Trade). • Maintain compliance records for inspections; report non-conformance to CO. • Oversee onboarding documentation for ECAs, ASAs, and third-party vendors. • Monitor adherence to Taaleem and UAE authority policies. ESG and energy conservation • Act as site ESG champion; lead sustainability, waste reduction, and recycling initiatives. • Liaise with CO teams to upcycle outdated equipment and reduce utility usage in line with group targets. Campus Development • Contribute to the school’s strategic campus planning and monitor ongoing infrastructure needs. • Oversee delivery of approved CIP projects; ensure all building modifications have proper authority approvals. Shared Services • Coordinate transport, catering, ASA, and uniform providers with support from CO teams. • Approve space allocation for ECAs and shared services. • Manage provider performance, changes, and communication to relevant stakeholders. • Lead commission tracking for all other income with the support of the Shared Services Manager. IT end user support • Oversee IT and software procurement against approved budgets. • Support IT onboarding for new staff and resolve escalated operational IT issues. • Monitor printing systems and coordinate asset usage with CO IT. What We’re Looking For Education: Bachelor’s degree or relevant operational qualification; NEBOSH and IOSH preferred. Experience: 3–5 years in operational roles, ideally in education, facilities, or service-driven environments. Competencies: • Multi-service operations coordination • Vendor and contract oversight • Health, safety, and compliance leadership • Budget awareness and procurement control • Cross-functional problem-solving and crisis response Attributes: • Calm, organized, and highly accountable • Clear communicator and team enabler • Practical, audit-ready, and solutions-focused • Comfortable in a fast-paced, stakeholder-heavy school environment Apply now via our careers page. Taaleem reserves the right to close job advertisements early if an outstanding candidate is identified. Early applications are strongly encouraged. Show more Show less

Bachelor’s degree or relevant operational qualification; 3–5 years in operational roles, ideally in education, facilities, or service-driven environments. NEBOSH and IOSH are preferred.

Staff Management: lead facilities team and ensure adherence to KPIs; Purchasing and Contract Management: oversee budgets, POs, vendor payments, and compliance; Health and Safety: lead H&S protocols, maintain documentation, chair meetings, coordinate investigations, and manage inspections; Events and excursions: approve events and liaise with transport/vendors; Facilities Management: monitor maintenance budgets and risk escalation; Compliance: renew licenses, manage inspections, onboarding for ECAs/ASAs/ vendors, policy adherence; ESG and energy conservation: lead sustainability initiatives and reduce utility usage; Campus Development: contribute to strategic campus planning and CIP project delivery; Shared Services: coordinate transport, catering, and provider performance; IT end user support: oversee IT procurement and onboarding, resolve escalated issues.