Cluster Manager - Government Relations

Cluster Manager - Government Relations

Aldar Education seeks a Cluster Manager - Government Relations for an immediate start in Abu Dhabi to support our growing family of owned and operated schools across the UAE. The role leads and oversees Government Relations (GR) operations across a selected cluster, ensuring full compliance with UAE regulatory requirements, including MOHRE, ICP, ADEK, KHDA, and other relevant authorities.

The Manager is responsible for the end to end management of visa processes, labour contracts, employee government services, and regulatory reporting. They will drive operational excellence, deliver services on time, and lead a high performing GR function to support business continuity, employee experience, and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee all GR operations across the cluster, ensuring compliance with UAE regulations (MOHRE, ICP, ADEK/KHDA).
• Manage the end to end employee lifecycle from a GR perspective, including visas, labour contracts, renewals, and cancellations.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and compliant processing of all government related transactions, meeting defined SLAs and deadlines.
• Act as the primary escalation point within the cluster for complex GR cases, resolving issues efficiently.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with government authorities to support smooth processing and issue resolution.
• Drive accountability, performance, and delivery within the Cluster GR team, ensuring high standards of execution.
• Partner with HR, school leadership, and HQ teams to align GR services with business needs.
• Ensure continuous compliance with UAE labour laws, immigration regulations, and ADEK requirements.
• Support the development and implementation of GR policies, processes, and governance frameworks.
• Oversee GR related budgeting, cost control, and financial tracking for the cluster.

Specific Duties

• Oversee all MOHRE and ICP processes, including job offers, work permits, labour contracts, residence visas, Emirates ID, renewals, and cancellations.
• Monitor and track visa and labour contract expiry dates, ensuring proactive renewals.
• Review and approve visa applications, documentation, and submissions for accuracy and compliance.
• Coordinate medicals, Emirates ID processing, and onboarding requirements for new employees.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve GR workflows, SOPs, and tracking systems.
• Drive automation and digitisation of visa workflows to improve processing speed and data accuracy.
• Provide guidance, training, and ongoing support to cluster HR teams on GR processes and regulatory updates.
• Stay up to date with changes in UAE laws, regulations, and government systems, and implement necessary updates.
• Prepare and review all GR related reports, including ADEK and visa reporting for the cluster.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance speed, scalability, and user experience.
• Manage GR budgets, including forecasting visa costs and monitoring spend against budget.
• Review and approve invoices, expense claims, and cost allocations related to GR activities.
• Act as liaison between internal stakeholders and government entities, ensuring clear communication.
• Maintain accurate records and documentation across all GR activities for audit readiness.
• Support employees and families with government related services, ensuring a high level of service delivery.
• Lead process tracking, reporting dashboards, and performance monitoring to identify bottlenecks.
• Ensure strict confidentiality of employee data and sensitive information.
• Perform any additional duties required to support business operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, HR, or a related field.
• Minimum of 8 years' experience in Government Relations within the UAE.
• Proven experience managing visa, labour contracts, and regulatory compliance.
• Education sector experience is highly desirable.
• Strong knowledge of UAE labour law, immigration processes, and ADEK/KHDA requirements.
• Proven leadership and team management capability.
• Ability to build and maintain trusted relationships with government officials and regulators.
• Strong operational mindset and ability to drive processes and execution.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• High attention to detail with strong follow up and deadline management.
• Strong problem solving and decision making skills.
• Excellent communication skills in English; Arabic is highly desirable.
• Proficient in MS Office and relevant government systems.

What We Offer

Aldar Education provides an attractive remuneration package that includes a range of benefits. Emphasis is placed on professional development, coaching, and training for both staff and the learning model that supports students and employees alike.

Successful candidates will have access to a wide network of professionals and opportunities to lead, train others, and develop their own skills.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Aldar Education is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. We encourage UAE Nationals to apply. We reserve the right to amend this job description at any time. Offers of appointment are subject to satisfactory references and police clearance.