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Director - Digital Operations & Transformation - Job Opportunity at Aldar Academies

Abu Dhabi, AE
Full-time
Executive
Posted: August 15, 2025
On-site
AED 400,000 - 550,000 annually (USD 109,000 - 150,000). This executive-level role in Abu Dhabi's premium education sector, requiring 10+ years experience with specialized EdTech expertise and AI implementation background, commands top-tier compensation. The salary reflects the strategic importance of digital transformation leadership in the Middle East's evolving education landscape, comparable to similar roles at international education groups and technology companies in the region.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical and life insurance coverage providing financial security and peace of mind for healthcare needs
International flight allowances supporting work-life balance and global mobility for expatriate employees
Educational benefits including tuition support, positioning this as a premium employee value proposition in the education sector
Access to extensive professional networks across the education industry, facilitating career development and knowledge sharing
Leadership development opportunities through training programs and mentoring others, enhancing career progression prospects
Professional development programs designed to advance technical and leadership capabilities in the rapidly evolving EdTech space

Key Responsibilities

Lead comprehensive digital transformation strategy execution aligned with revenue growth objectives, directly impacting organizational performance and market competitiveness
Design and implement end-to-end personalized digital experiences for multi-stakeholder education ecosystem, revolutionizing student, parent, and educator engagement
Architect and evolve modern scalable digital platforms using cutting-edge technologies including AI integration, serverless architecture, and cloud-native solutions
Drive cross-functional collaboration between academic, operational, and commercial teams to ensure digital solutions address real-world K-12 education challenges
Manage enterprise-level digital project portfolios using agile methodologies, ensuring measurable impact and sustainable scalability across 31 schools
Establish governance frameworks for cybersecurity, data privacy, and regulatory compliance, protecting sensitive data of over 38,000 students and families
Define and track key performance indicators measuring digital adoption, learning engagement, and academic outcomes, providing data-driven insights to leadership
Foster organizational digital culture transformation through change management initiatives and digital literacy programs across diverse educator community
Partner strategically with vendor ecosystem and internal technology teams to ensure sustainable integrations and platform optimization
Own budget management and vendor relationships for digital transformation initiatives, ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture and compliance standards

Requirements

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Product Management, or equivalent. MBA or Master's in Digital Innovation, Educational Technology, or equivalent (desirable)

Experience

10+ years of experience in digital transformation, digital product, or technology leadership roles, ideally with at least 3 years in the education, EdTech, or tech-forward service sectors

Required Skills

Proven success building and scaling digital platforms for complex, multi-stakeholder environments Experience working with Salesforce CRM (Education Cloud), Moodle LMS, and/or PowerSchool/iSAMS Hands-on familiarity with React, Node.js, and Azure serverless architecture Prior experience implementing OpenAI or GenAI models in a learning environment Expertise in Agile methodologies, Jira, and digital product lifecycle ownership Deep understanding of EdTech UX/UI, responsive design, and data-driven decision making Strong leadership skills Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills across matrix structures Ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on execution in fast-moving digital programs Experienced in creating and implementing relevant policy and processes Ability to effectively coordinate, allocate and manage resource and projects throughout multiple teams Ability to effectively drive change in business, culture and technology Diplomatic skills and ability to help senior business leaders see value, opportunities and risk Commercial acumen and ability to work beyond typical work day requirements Capability in influencing people and networking with cultural sensitivity
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Sauge AI Market Intelligence

Industry Trends

The education technology sector is experiencing unprecedented growth driven by digital transformation acceleration post-COVID, with global EdTech market projected to reach $377 billion by 2028. Organizations are prioritizing comprehensive digital ecosystems that integrate learning management, customer relationship management, and artificial intelligence to create personalized educational experiences. Artificial Intelligence integration in education is becoming a competitive differentiator, with institutions investing heavily in AI-powered personalized learning, automated administrative processes, and predictive analytics for student success. The implementation of Large Language Models and Natural Language Processing in educational settings is transforming how students interact with content and receive support. Middle East education market is undergoing rapid modernization aligned with national vision initiatives like UAE Vision 2071 and Saudi Vision 2030, creating significant demand for digital transformation leaders who can navigate cultural considerations while implementing cutting-edge educational technologies. Cloud-native architecture adoption in education is accelerating, with institutions moving away from legacy systems toward serverless, scalable solutions that can support growing student populations and diverse learning modalities while ensuring data security and compliance with international privacy regulations.

Role Significance

Likely managing 15-25 professionals across multiple disciplines including digital product managers, software engineers, UX/UI designers, data analysts, and project managers. The role involves matrix management of cross-functional teams spanning academic operations, technology infrastructure, and commercial functions, requiring sophisticated leadership and coordination capabilities.
This is a senior executive position reporting directly to the Chief Revenue Officer, indicating C-suite adjacency and significant organizational influence. The role carries enterprise-wide digital strategy ownership across 31 schools and 38,000+ students, representing substantial P&L impact and transformation leadership responsibility within one of the Middle East's largest education providers.

Key Projects

Enterprise-wide CRM and LMS platform integration connecting Salesforce Education Cloud, PowerSchool/iSAMS, and Moodle systems to create unified student lifecycle management across multiple curricula and school locations AI-powered personalized learning platform development incorporating OpenAI models for intelligent tutoring, automated content generation, and predictive analytics for student success and retention optimization Comprehensive parent and student digital experience redesign creating mobile-first, culturally-sensitive interfaces supporting over 100 nationalities and diverse learning needs across nursery through adult education programs Data governance and privacy compliance framework implementation ensuring GDPR and FERPA compliance while enabling advanced analytics and reporting capabilities for educational outcomes measurement and regulatory reporting

Success Factors

Strategic vision combined with hands-on execution capability is essential, as this role requires both high-level digital transformation roadmap development and direct involvement in technical implementation decisions. The ability to translate complex technology concepts into business value propositions for diverse stakeholders including school principals, curriculum directors, and parent communities will determine success in driving adoption and achieving measurable outcomes. Cultural intelligence and stakeholder management expertise across the diverse Middle Eastern education landscape, where sensitivity to local customs, multiple nationalities (100+), and varying educational philosophies must be balanced with aggressive technology modernization goals. Success requires building trust and buy-in from traditional educators while introducing disruptive digital solutions. Technical depth in modern cloud architecture, AI implementation, and EdTech platform integration, combined with business acumen to optimize ROI and demonstrate clear connections between technology investments and educational outcomes. The ability to make informed architectural decisions while managing vendor relationships and ensuring scalable, secure solutions is critical. Change management leadership in complex organizational environments where academic traditions intersect with rapid technology evolution. Success depends on fostering digital culture transformation among nearly 5,000 educators while maintaining educational excellence and student satisfaction across diverse programs and age groups.

Market Demand

Very High - Digital transformation directors with education sector expertise are in extremely high demand as institutions worldwide accelerate technology adoption. The specific combination of EdTech platform experience, AI implementation background, and multi-stakeholder environment management creates a highly sought-after skill profile in a market with limited qualified candidates.

Important Skills

Critical Skills

AI and Machine Learning implementation expertise is absolutely essential as this role specifically requires OpenAI and GenAI model deployment in educational settings. The ability to navigate the complex landscape of AI ethics, student data privacy, and educational effectiveness while implementing cutting-edge technology solutions directly impacts organizational competitive advantage and student outcomes. Cross-cultural stakeholder management and communication skills are critical for success in an environment serving over 100 nationalities with diverse educational expectations and cultural considerations. The ability to build consensus, drive change, and maintain educational excellence while implementing disruptive technology across such a diverse community requires sophisticated intercultural competence and diplomatic leadership. Enterprise-scale platform integration expertise combining Salesforce Education Cloud, LMS systems, and modern cloud architecture is essential for managing the technical complexity of unified digital experiences across 31 schools. The ability to architect scalable, secure solutions that integrate multiple legacy and modern systems while maintaining high availability for critical educational processes is fundamental to role success. Agile project management and digital product lifecycle ownership capabilities are critical for managing multiple concurrent transformation initiatives across diverse educational contexts while ensuring measurable outcomes and sustainable adoption. The ability to balance strategic vision with tactical execution in fast-moving digital programs determines the ultimate success of transformation efforts.

Beneficial Skills

Advanced data analytics and business intelligence capabilities would enhance the role's impact by enabling sophisticated measurement of educational outcomes, predictive modeling for student success, and data-driven decision making that demonstrates clear ROI of digital transformation investments to educational leadership and government stakeholders. Regulatory compliance expertise in international education standards, data privacy laws (GDPR, FERPA), and Middle Eastern governmental requirements would provide significant value in navigating the complex compliance landscape while maintaining innovation momentum and ensuring sustainable solution implementations. Vendor relationship management and procurement expertise would enhance efficiency in managing complex technology partnerships, negotiating enterprise software agreements, and ensuring optimal cost-effectiveness of digital transformation investments while maintaining high service levels and platform integration quality. Educational curriculum development understanding would provide additional value in ensuring digital solutions enhance rather than disrupt pedagogical effectiveness, enabling closer collaboration with academic leadership and more successful adoption of technology-enhanced learning methodologies across diverse curriculum offerings.

Unique Aspects

This role offers the unique opportunity to lead digital transformation across one of the Middle East's largest and most diverse education networks, providing experience with multiple curricula, age groups from nursery to adult education, and complex multicultural stakeholder management in a rapidly evolving regional market.
Direct alignment with UAE national economic vision initiatives creates exceptional visibility and influence within government education strategy development, offering access to high-level policy discussions and regional education leadership that extends beyond typical corporate roles.
The combination of massive scale (38,000+ students, 31 schools) with cutting-edge technology implementation including AI integration provides a rare opportunity to see immediate, measurable impact of digital transformation initiatives across diverse educational contexts and cultural environments.
Integration of advanced AI and machine learning technologies in a culturally diverse, government-aligned education environment offers unique experience in balancing innovation with regulatory compliance, cultural sensitivity, and traditional educational values in the Middle Eastern context.

Career Growth

3-5 years to executive leadership roles at larger organizations or successful entrepreneurial ventures, given the rapid growth of EdTech sector and the comprehensive experience this role provides across technology, operations, and strategic leadership in complex educational environments.

Potential Next Roles

Chief Digital Officer or Chief Technology Officer positions within large education organizations or EdTech companies, leveraging the comprehensive digital transformation experience gained in this role Vice President of Digital Innovation at international education management companies or global consulting firms specializing in education technology transformation Founder or co-founder of EdTech startups focused on AI-powered learning solutions, building on the practical AI implementation experience and deep understanding of multi-stakeholder education environments Senior executive roles at major EdTech platform providers (Salesforce Education, Microsoft Education, Google for Education) leading product strategy and enterprise client success initiatives

Company Overview

Aldar Academies

Aldar Education represents the Middle East's leading integrated education provider, operating 31 schools serving over 38,000 students with nearly 5,000 educators across Abu Dhabi. Founded in 2007 with a single school and 250 students, the organization has achieved remarkable growth while maintaining focus on inclusive, innovative learning that serves diverse community needs from nursery through adult education with multiple curriculum offerings.

Dominant market leader in Abu Dhabi's education sector with strong government alignment supporting the Emirates' Economic Vision 2030 knowledge-based economy development. The organization's scale, diversity of educational offerings, and strategic importance in national development initiatives positions it as a premier education employer in the Middle East region.
Central to Abu Dhabi's educational ecosystem with direct alignment to government strategic initiatives and Economic Vision 2030. The role offers significant visibility and influence within the UAE's education sector transformation, providing access to high-level government partnerships and regional education leadership networks that extend throughout the GCC region.
Collaborative, multicultural environment reflecting the organization's commitment to serving over 100 nationalities within its community. The culture emphasizes innovation in education delivery, professional development, and inclusive leadership, supported by comprehensive benefits packages and international professional networking opportunities that attract global education talent.
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