Finance Director

International Community Schools (ICS)
Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Position: Director of Finance
Industry: Education – Multi-Campus School Group

About International Community Schools

International Community Schools (ICS) is a well-established and growing educational group in Abu Dhabi, delivering high-quality British and American curricula across six school branches.

We are seeking a highly experienced, commercially astute, and strategically driven Director of Finance to lead the Group's financial operations, strengthen financial governance, and play a pivotal role in shaping its long-term financial strategy and sustainable growth.

This is a senior leadership position requiring a professional who can go beyond traditional financial management to provide strategic direction, drive operational efficiency, and support executive-level decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Financial Leadership

- Develop and execute the Group's financial strategy in alignment with organizational goals and long-term growth objectives.
- Serve as a strategic financial advisor to the CEO and senior leadership team.
- Lead financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance management across all six branches.
- Provide data-driven insights to support strategic investments, business expansion, and major financial decisions.

Group Financial Management & Governance

- Oversee and consolidate financial operations, reporting, and controls across all ICS branches.
- Ensure financial transparency, accountability, regulatory compliance, and strong internal controls.
- Manage cash flow, working capital, financial risks, and capital expenditure.
- Oversee annual audits, statutory financial reporting, and compliance with UAE financial and tax regulations.

Operational Excellence & Cost Optimization

- Identify opportunities for cost optimization, revenue enhancement, and improved profitability without compromising educational quality.
- Establish financial KPIs and performance benchmarks for individual schools and the Group.
- Monitor student fee collections, revenue forecasts, operational expenditures, and overall financial sustainability.
- Strengthen financial processes, ERP utilization, automation, and management reporting.

Leadership & Stakeholder Management

- Lead, mentor, and develop finance and accounting teams across all branches.
- Collaborate closely with school principals, operations, HR, procurement, and other departments.
- Present financial performance, strategic recommendations, and risk assessments to executive management.
- Drive a culture of financial discipline, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

Qualifications & Experience

- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
- Professional certification such as CA, ACCA, CPA, or CMA is strongly preferred. MBA in Finance is an advantage.
- Minimum 12–15 years of progressive financial management experience , including substantial experience in a senior finance leadership role.
- Prior experience in the UAE education sector, preferably managing multiple schools or campuses, is highly desirable.
- Proven track record of strategic financial planning, financial restructuring, cost optimization, and organizational growth.
- Strong understanding of UAE taxation, regulatory compliance, financial reporting standards, and corporate governance.
- Demonstrated experience managing complex budgets, multiple cost centers, and consolidated financial reporting.
- Strong ERP, financial analytics, and business intelligence capabilities.

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a strategic leader, not simply a financial controller — someone who demonstrates:

- Strong business acumen and independent decision-making capabilities.
- The ability to balance financial sustainability with educational excellence.
- A proactive, results-oriented approach to organizational challenges.
- Exceptional leadership, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder-management skills.
- The confidence to challenge existing processes, introduce improvements, and drive meaningful organizational change.

Benefits

This is an opportunity to join an established and growing school group, influence executive decisions, lead financial transformation across multiple campuses, and make a lasting contribution to the future of education. Salary and benefits as per exposure and job title.