HR Officer - Aldar Education

Aldar Education is currently seeking a Human Resources Officer (Arabic Speaker) to support our growing family of owned and operated schools in the UAE. This is an exciting opportunity to join the highly successful Aldar family of schools and to help shape the future of Abu Dhabi’s leading school group. 

As the leading education group in Abu Dhabi, we provide inclusive and innovative learning that inspires and empowers communities. We offer a range of brands for all learners in our community, from nursery through to adult education.  We offer the broadest choice of curricula. In the largest number of locations in Abu Dhabi.

Starting with one school and 250 students in 2007, Aldar Education has grown into a highly sought-after education provider, now supporting over 38,000 students in 31 schools and a growing network of almost 5,000 educators, with over 100 nationalities, offering a wide range of curricula and ancillary services such as a Teacher Training Academy. 

Working collaboratively, our education network’s purpose is to empower the next generation to shape our future, directly supporting the educational goals of Abu Dhabi’s government. Today, Aldar Education’s efforts are guided by the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 plan, which aims to build a sustainable knowledge-based economy through premium education.  

The successful candidates will be closely aligned with our core values and ethos and possess a genuine understanding and appreciation of the values of the region. 

The HR Officer must provide an effective people-related support function to the school, and to be the key point of contact for new, current, and exiting staff in relation to all employment matters. They will be required to continuously strive to exceed internal & external customer expectations while embracing the Aldar Education Core Values. They need to embody the values, vision and ethos of Aldar Education and assist the Principal in implementing processes and policies which will ensure high-quality and successful outcomes.

Main Duties:

• Be the primary point of contact for all school staff on HR queries, including contracts, terms and conditions, payroll, housing, HR policies and entitlements.
• Support SLT in the effective attraction and recruitment of school-based staff.
• Manage the onboarding process for all incoming staff, including pre-employment communication to ensure new starters are aware of the requirements for their role and for working and living in the UAE.
• Coordinate and manage employee exit processes, liaising with the Operations teams.

Specific Duties:

Talent Acquisition & Onboarding

• Utilise Oracle (or other ATS) to advertise and manage vacancies and candidate lifecycles.
• Advertising, screening, shortlisting, interview management and candidate tracking for all school staff in support of the Heads of School.
• Conduct pre-employment safer recruitment checks for all staff, including references and suitability/police clearances and ensure appropriate follow-up based on each case.
• Coordinate new starter induction in school, and ensure communication takes place pre-employment.
• Manage the onboarding of school-based staff, liaise with IT for relevant systems/email set-up and processing staff ID cards.
• Coordinate ADEK pass applications and processing for new staff, ensuring clarity of timelines and providing guidance and support where required.
• Coordinate the visa and work permit applications and processing for new staff, ensuring they are aware of their requirements, in line with group-wide guidance and in collaboration with the HQ HR & Public Relations teams.
• Ensure the school’s recruitment activity is in line with the staffing headcount.
• Create and issue offer letters, contracts, contract renewals and associated documentation in line with the group-wide terms and conditions and policies.
• Responsible for booking any flights/hotel and raising relevant PRs.
• Responsible for updating and maintaining accurate data for On-boarding new staff.

Performance Enablement:

• Coordinate the school’s probationary processes in accordance with group-wide policies and processes.
• Coordinate performance review and appraisal cycles in accordance with group-wide policies and processes to support the SLT in achieving a high-performance culture.
• Track and provide reports to HQ HR on all key performance cases.
• Professional development – monitor, book and track PD for school staff and provide reports as requested by the SLT, School Ops Manager and HQ HR HR Operations.

HR Operations:

• Health Insurance applications, renewals, cancellations and associated management for all school staff in coordination with HQ Public Relations team.
• Management and reporting of staff time and attendance, including managing the time and attendance systems.
• Responsible for issuing NOCs and other relevant staff letters (e.g. Bank, Government, Immigration, experience letters etc).
• Keep the School’s organization chart up to date and ensure that HQ are aware of any changes.
• HR KPIs  - collate people metrics based on the Aldar Education HR KPI requirements and provide reports on a monthly and ad-hoc basis, including but not limited to absence, turnover, PD, recruitment activity, disciplinary and performance management cases, compliance rates (visas and ADEK pass etc).
• Process exiting staff as leavers and ensure all associated exit procedures are completed, including liaison with HQ payroll for the calculations of full and final settlements, and associated housing closeout procedures.
• Responsible for ensuring all resigned staff have correct acknowledgement letter and all relevant documents collated.
• Maintain up to date confidential employment records and staff files on site at school.
• Maintaining HR systems and ensuring they accurately reflect the staffing within the school.
• Monitor and maintain CTC, ensuring agreed headcount is correct.
• Participate in group-wide HR meetings in order to share knowledge, best practice and to ensure consistency within group standards.

Employee Relations:

• Support the SLT with investigations and disciplinary management of staff, ensuring accurate records of cases are kept within confidential employment files.
• Provide advice, counsel and guidance to employees on relevant issues and escalate to SLT or HQ HR where required.
• Provide support to SLT in managing informal ER cases in accordance with group-wide policies and standards.
• Any other duties as reasonably expected.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum bachelor's degree in Human Resources or similar.
• Related industry qualification, of graduate level, for the assigned functional area(s).
• Recognized HR Qualification and/or professional subscription (eg CIPD) desirable.

Minimum Experience:

• Minimum 4 years in HR or Recruitment in any industry or;
• 2 year in Generalist HR within a service-related industry.
• School HR experience of high advantage.

Job Specific Knowledge & Skills:

• Sound working knowledge of UAE Labour Law.
• Competent using IT systems, including Microsoft Word/Excel/Outlook.
• Strong organizational and prioritisation skills.
• Experience liaising with government bodies in the UAE as well as a working knowledge of HAAD and Immigration requirements and processes.
• Fluent Arabic & English communication skills, written and oral essential.
• 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.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• The incumbent requires to reside in the same Emirate of the school assigned to

What We Offer

Aldar Education is a family of world-class, child-centered, and innovative schools based in the UAE. We educate students across our group of owned and managed schools and as we grow, so does our need for highly skilled, inspirational, and dedicated school and educational leaders. We offer an attractive remuneration package including a range of benefits. Our future-focused learning model includes both students and staff, 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.

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 to 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.