:Aldar Education is seeking an experienced Project Manager with a proven track record in managing large-scale, complex projects, particularly in the education sector, including school openings. The successful candidate will coordinate and lead cross-functional teams to deliver strategic initiatives, ensuring alignment with business objectives and effective stakeholder management.The Project Manager will be responsible for setting up, developing and leading teams to deliver diverse, complex strategic initiatives that span across business units and contribute to the strategic value of the organisation.To coordinate and lead group-wide strategic initiatives, particularly those related to school openings, by leveraging support and resources from multiple cross-functional teams. The role involves developing detailed project plans, driving and tracking project completion from inception to handover, and ensuring alignment with business objectives.Main DutiesStrategic Planning and Delivery

• Lead project planning, prioritization, and resource allocation to achieve business objectives within set timelines and budgets.
• Define project objectives in collaboration with senior management, ensuring alignment across all relevant functions (Business and IT).
• Choose the best delivery approach and ensure stakeholders are prepared and engaged.
• Engage with business users to comprehend their requirements, recognize benefits to the business (such as revenue generation, cost containment, improved efficiency), and develop cost-effective solutions, while also managing alongside Finance team budget and project expenses to stay within budgetary limits.
• Develop detailed project plans, identifying deliverables, assumptions, constraints, and dependencies.
• Manage and implement project plans, track progress, and address issues proactively to ensure successful completion.
• Coordinate and evaluate project timelines, updating plans based on changes in scope, delays, opportunities, and risks.
• Facilitate the preparation of Business Requirements Documents and initiate the design phase.
• Ensure operational readiness and smooth transition to business-as-usual functions.

Collaboration and Stakeholder Management

• Fast-track teams through the forming, storming, norming, performing cycle.
• Facilitate collaborative decision-making, ensuring quality outcomes and alignment with business objectives.
• Lead meetings to keep stakeholders informed about progress, resources, and challenges, ensuring prompt resolution of issues.
• Foster team motivation and encourage innovative solutions
• If required organize workshops, gather feedback, and manage change impacts using appropriate tools.
• Maintain strong relationships with stakeholders at all levels, including (Executive) Directors and Chiefs, ensuring effective communication and engagement.

Risk Management and Problem Solving

• Identify and manage risks, establishing contingency plans and transparent communication processes.
• Ensure technical, time, and financial risks are proactively addressed, aligning with business objectives.
• Manage dependencies across key functions and with external suppliers and regulators.
• Ensure quality deliverables and timely approvals, escalating issues as necessary.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and sustainability in practices, processes, and tools.

Responsibilities:Specific DutiesGovernance and Performance Reporting

• Ensure compliance with governance standards and escalate issues through appropriate forums.
• Establish and track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for project success.
• Coordinate and communicate project status, performance reporting, and stakeholder discussions.
• Manage project budgets, reporting on budget vs. spend, and ensuring timely invoice submissions.
• Adhere to governance standards, manage lessons learned sessions, and conduct post-implementation reviews.
• Provide rigorous control over requirements, scope, time, cost management, and change control.
• Measure and track business benefits to evaluate successful delivery and action audit findings as needed.

Project Planning

• Define the scope of the project in collaboration with senior management.
• Create a detailed work plan which identifies and sequences the activities needed to successfully complete the project.
• Determine the resources (time, cost, equipment, etc.) required to complete the project.
• Develop a schedule for project completion that effectively allocates resources to the activities.
• Review the project schedule with senior management and internal stakeholders, maintain, and revise the schedule as required on an ongoing basis.
• Ensure planning with relevant departments for effective design and delivery.
• Determine the objectives and measures for project evaluation upon completion.

Matrix Management

• Maintain close coordination and supervision between project resources to ensure seamless delivery of projects as per scheduled timelines.

Project Control:

• Manage risks and plan for contingencies to ensure minimal impact on deliverables, establishing a transparent communication process to escalate, manage, and resolve issues.
• Identify and manage internal dependencies across key functions and with external suppliers and regulators where appropriate.

Project Implementation

• Execute the project according to the project plan.
• Develop forms and records to document project activities.
• Ensure that all project information is appropriately managed and documented in accordance with policy.
• Monitor the progress of the project and make adjustments as necessary to ensure successful completion.
• Update stakeholders on the progress of the project.
• Review the quality of work completed with the project team regularly to ensure it meets standards.
• Provide constant support to schools, offering guidance.
• Provide clear, concise information, avoiding ambiguity and backtracking.
• Obtain clear information from senior management and execute in schools.

Project Evaluation

• Ensure that project deliverables are on time, within budget, and at the required level of quality.
• Evaluate project outcomes as established during the planning phase

Qualifications:Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of bachelor\'s degree
• Certification in PM delivery e.g. Prince2, PMP, Agile, Scrum preferred

Minimum Experience

• Minimum of 5 years\' experience in project management and cross functional project management experience, with a focus on school openings or similar large-scale projects.

Job Specific Knowledge & Skills

• Excellent communication in English, both verbal and written.
• Demonstrated competency in project management and the execution of complex projects, critical to the delivery of business strategies and goals.
• Ability to think ahead and anticipate changes and respond accordingly
• Proactive and prepared at all times, ready to provide information to senior management at short notice
• Ability to build and maintain strong professional relationships across the business.
• Ability to work in a fast moving and, at times, intense environment
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to influence, negotiate, and manage conflicts effectively.
• Demonstrated business and commercial acumen to identify opportunities for additional value to the business.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to prioritize effectively and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment.
• Commitment to the organization\'s values and ethics to support a value-focused culture.
• Commercial acumen and experience with third-party vendor management.
• Strong understanding of various project management methodologies (agile, scrum, waterfall).

What We OfferAldar 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.

Aldar Academies