Manager - People & Culture; Cluster

Job Description

Aldar Education is currently seeking an outstanding Manager – People & Culture to support a cluster of schools across Abu Dhabi.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the highly successful Aldar Education 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.

Manager - P&C will oversee and lead the HR function across multiple schools. This strategic business partner role requires balancing daily operational HR needs with long‑term workforce planning and culture‑building initiatives. The P&C Manager will partner with School Principals and senior leadership teams to support all aspects of the employee lifecycle, while also ensuring alignment with Aldar Education’s group‑wide P&C strategies and compliance standards.

• Act as the lead HR business partner for multiple campuses.
• Provide strategic and operational HR support across the employee lifecycle.
• Lead workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, and retention strategies.
• Guide school leaders on employee relations, performance enablement, and policy implementation.
• Ensure full compliance with UAE Labour Law, ADEK regulations, and Aldar Education policies.
• Manage HR systems, data accuracy, reporting, and compliance documentation.
• Champion employee engagement, wellbeing, inclusion, and Emiratization targets.

• Strategic HR Partnership
• Collaborate with school leadership to design and implement people strategies aligned to school priorities.
• Act as a strategic advisor to Principals on workforce challenges, resourcing, and succession planning.
• Represent assigned campuses in cluster-wide and group-wide P&C initiatives and audits.
• Talent Acquisition & Onboarding
• Lead end-to-end recruitment, including safer recruitment practices, interviews, and approvals.
• Ensure alignment with approved staffing and budget plans.
• Manage onboarding journeys: pre‑arrival communication, ADEK pass and visa processes, induction, and system access.
• Liaise with HQ P&C, Public Relations, and Government Relations to ensure full regulatory and immigration compliance.
• Performance Enablement & Development
• Coordinate probation reviews and performance appraisal cycles in line with policy.
• Support Principals in identifying and addressing performance concerns.
• Update and align job descriptions with competency frameworks.
• Track and report on professional development and training activity.
• Employee Relations & Compliance
• Lead investigations and manage employee relations cases with confidentiality and professionalism.
• Advise on disciplinary matters,…