Senior Manager - Pastoral - Aldar Education Aldar Academies

The purpose of this role is to ensure the effective pro-active work and case management of Pastoral Services across Aldar Education schools through leading on case management, training and development, CPOMS data analysis, external stakeholder management, safeguarding processes, curriculum development, student voice and participation and parental engagement. Aldar Education are fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children and young people.

This role will also prioritise driving measurable improvements in student behaviour, attendance, and safeguarding outcomes across the group. It will ensure consistent implementation of pastoral strategies aligned to Aldar Education s improvement priorities, including Irtiqaa Performance Standards, supporting SIR visits, and delivering excellence in counselling and wellbeing provision.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors Degree in Education. Masters Degree is Desirable
• QTS or extensive experience of safeguarding in an educational or social context.
• Knowledge of supervision and standards framework.

Minimum Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in pastoral care, student support, or welfare services, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Experience of leading school-level or community safeguarding, including case management, either as Designated Safeguarding Lead/Deputy or Pastoral Lead.
• Supervision qualification to support staff in schools (Social and Emotional context)
• Familiarity with the UAE context and a proven track record of effective school leadership.
• Demonstrable proven track record of effectively leading diverse teams and maintaining positive, productive relationships with stakeholders.
• Experience of working in a Primary and/or Secondary school environment, or similar and using data to improve practice.
• A thorough understanding of related educational safeguarding matters: eg safer recruitment, online safety, physical, sexual and emotional abuse, neglect, bullying etc.
• Be able to develop operational practice to achieve strategic goals.
• Ability to influence others through leadership that reflects our core values and ensures compliance with all aspects of safeguarding policy and practice.
• Ability to work effectively within a team and on own initiative
• Develop and sustain good working relationship with partner organisations.
• Shape policy, improve practice and deliver positive outcomes for children

Job Specific Knowledge & Skills:

• Strategic thinking and leadership.
• Empathy and emotional intelligence.
• Team management and development.
• Conflict resolution and mediation.
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Strong organizational and analytical skills.
• Deep understanding of inspection frameworks (Irtiqaa, SIR, NEASC) and ability to translate them into practical pastoral strategies.
• Proven ability to design, monitor and evaluate large-scale pastoral action plans and SDPs.

Key Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to manage difficult conversations with professionalism
• Excellent administrative skills to maintain accurate and detailed records/reports.
• Excellent administrative skills to further develop and maintain the Aldar Education safeguarding platforms
• Excellent time management skills and be able to maintain high levels of speed and accuracy whilst managing competing priorities to challenging deadlines.
• Ability to analyse child safeguarding information and determine an appropriate course of action to improve outcomes for children.
• Demonstrate the professional competency to support and challenge key stakeholders
• Recognise and challenge inappropriate or poor practice (at all levels within the organisation)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, matched with strong child-centric practice.

Personal attributes:

• Ability to manage difficult conversations with professionalism.
• Excellent administrative skills to maintain accurate and detailed records/reports.
• Excellent administrative skills to further develop and maintain the Aldar Education safeguarding platforms.
• Excellent time management skills and ability to maintain high levels of speed and accuracy whilst managing competing priorities to challenging deadlines.
• Ability to analyse child safeguarding information and determine an appropriate course of action to improve outcomes for children.
• Demonstrate the professional competency to support and challenge key stakeholders.
• Recognise and challenge inappropriate or poor practice (at all levels within the organisation).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, matched with strong child-centric practice.