Head of Projects

Job description / Role

Job Purpose
To coordinate all group wide strategic initiatives pulling in support and resources from multiple cross functional teams. Developing detailed project plans in tandem with Project Sponsors and driving and tracking project completion from inception to handover.

Key Accountabilities

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 allocate the resources to the activities
• Review the project schedule with senior management and internal stakeholders directly impacted by the project activities, maintain and revise the schedule as required on an ongoing basis
• Ensure planning takes place with the relevant departments to ensure effective design and delivery scheduled for projects under direct supervision
• Determine the objectives and measures upon which the project will be evaluated at its completion

Matrix Management
• Maintain close co-ordination and supervision between project resources to ensure seamless delivery of the project/s as per scheduled timelines.
• 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 to policy.
• Monitor the progress of the project and make adjustments as necessary to ensure the successful completion of the project
• Update stakeholders in the organization on the progress of the project
• Review the quality of the work completed with the project team on a regular basis to ensure that it meets project standards
• Constant support to schools, providing guidance
• Provide clear, concise information, avoiding ambiguity and backtracking
• Obtain clear information from senior management and execute in schools.

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

Requirements

Expected Qualifications:
• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree from recognized university.

Expected Experience:
• 8+ years of cross functional project management experience

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

About the Company

Aldar Academies, a division of Aldar Properties PJSC, is a leading provider of private education in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. We provide inspiring learning environments, combining the very best academic, arts and sporting facilities with the highest standards of teaching. From a single school with 250 students in 2007, Aldar Academies now operates six schools in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain with over 4700 students. With over 700 employees we have planned projects to grow our current schools and build new ones to increase our student capacity to over 14,000 in the next 4-5 years. All our schools are rated Band A by the Abu Dhabi Education Council.

All Aldar Academies schools offer a British curriculum, which has been adapted to the needs of students in the UAE, ensuring that all our students have access to an international education in a stimulating, multi-cultural setting where academic achievement is nurtured alongside personal development. Operating as integral parts of the communities to which they belong, each of our six primary and secondary schools allows students to find and pursue their passions and prepare them for a future of success.

Aldar Academies schools are, at pre-school and primary level, The Pearl, Al Mushrif and Al Muna; serving both pre-school, primary and secondary age students are Al Ain International School and Al Yasmina, which operates from FS1 to Year 13. Al Bateen Secondary School serves the needs of secondary school students in the heart of Abu Dhabi and offers the IB Diploma Programme in Years 12 and 13.