TITLE: Director of Finance

REPORTS TO: Superintendent

CONTRACT DAYS:  205

WORKING HOURS: Monday through Thursday: 7:45 am to 4:30 pm; Friday until 12:30 p.m. Normal hours can be altered as needed and may differ at certain times of the year.

WHO WE ARE

The American Community School of Abu Dhabi is a nonprofit American standards-based curriculum school serving approximately 1,200 KG1 through Grade 12 students representing more than 80 countries. Led by our mission, vision, and core values, we deliver excellence in our four pillars: Academics, the Arts, Athletics, and Service Learning. ACS is preparing for a 2024 move to a new, state-of-the-art campus in Abu Dhabi on nearby Saadiyat Island, built to accommodate 1,600 students.

ANNOUNCEMENT

The American Community School (ACS) in Abu Dhabi seeks a Director of Finance starting August 01, 2024. This position is to start in August 2024, but open to possibly starting earlier. As a leading international school with a current enrollment of 1,200 students, this represents a significant opportunity for a seasoned, experienced financial professional to participate in the strategic guidance of an outstanding educational institution in a dynamic and developing environment. ACS will move into its new campus, built using significant financial support from the government, in 2024.

POSITION

The Director of Finance, a vital and valued member of the School Leadership Team, oversees all school financial and accounting operations, including budget preparation and adoption, bank accounts, financial reporting, annual audit, fixed asset inventory, and risk management.  The Director is responsible for managing the school's financial resources to enable the best possible educational services within the available resources.

Application

Interested candidates are invited to submit the following documents as one PDF to HR Director Marise Jayendran: hr@acs.sch.ae by September 1, 2023. If an outstanding candidate is identified early in the search process, ACS reserves the right to make an appointment before the deadline.

• A one-page cover letter documenting the candidate’s suitability for the position.
• A resume that will not exceed two pages.
• Contact information for three references who have directly supervised the candidate in recent positions.

More Information about our School 

Our Mission

Our community empowers all students to define and shape their futures for learning, service, and global citizenship

Vision & Background: We are a compassionate, student-centered community of learners that engages, prepares and inspires.

Established in 1972, ACS is a private, non-profit school licensed by the Abu Dhabi Education Council, accredited by the Middle States Association and the IB, and administered by the Superintendent and governed by an eleven-person Board of Trustees. Community support for excellence in education, a strong leadership team, highly qualified faculty and staff, and outstanding students have enabled ACS to establish an excellent reputation in the Abu Dhabi community and worldwide.

After 50 years on its campus, ACS will relocate to a new, state-of-the-art campus on Saadiyat Island, with plans to open in January 2024. The need for a new campus has been a long-standing strategic priority, driven by the desire to provide students and faculty with an inspiring modern environment for teaching and learning. As a globally leading American international school, our new campus is an integral part of our vision and furthers our mission of excellence in academics, the arts, athletics and service for the next 50 years and beyond. Additionally, the new campus will enable ACS to extend its programs and offerings to further support the UAE’s national agenda for sciences, technology and innovation.

Our Students

Currently, we have 1,200 students at ACS representing 60 different nationalities, with Americans (60%) representing the largest segment of the student body. Enrollment is open to all English-speaking students who are likely to be able to successfully complete our challenging American, college preparatory curriculum. With the move to our new campus in January 2024, we will enter a growth stage during the next 5 years for a final student count of 1,600.

The 550+ students in our KG1 through Grade 5 enjoy learning in small classes that are conducted in their own Elementary School facility on the new campus, which includes 2 gyms. Growth is anticipated throughout the next few years, topping the Elementary School at just more than 700 students. There are 5 teachers on each grade-level team supported by instructional aids. Interdisciplinary units focused on the SDGs, tech integration and the sharing of students between teachers have been the focus.

Our 270 Grade 6-8 Middle School students have their own physical area within the new secondary building and share elective class spaces with our High School students. Elective and science teacher classrooms for Middle and High School are grouped together and used by both divisions. Middle School will grow by approximately another 100 students over time. Grade-level teams work closely together to ensure happy, successful Middle Schoolers.

Nearly 400 High School students in Grades 9-12 round out a challenging academic program by competing in local and regional sports events, performing in school plays and concerts, exhibiting artwork at school and in the community, traveling internationally in the service of others and participating in many other life-skills and character building activities. We anticipate adding another 125 students during the next few years. Increasing the size of the Middle and High School was a strategic decision by our school’s Board of Trustees to ensure a variety of electives and courses for students to choose from along with enabling more families to have all their children at one school.

Our Community

ACS is an engaged community of students, parents, teachers, alumni and partners. We are connected by a shared dedication to ACS, and we collaborate to foster an exceptional environment for learning and growth.

Our school is governed by a parent-led Board of Trustees. The Board is composed of eleven voting members, eight of whom are elected by the members of the American Community School Association, which includes parents, administrators, faculty and staff. Three trustees are appointed by the elected Board. As an Embassy-affiliated school, there is also a U.S. Embassy representative. The standing committees of the Board are Policy, Finance, Building and Institutional Advancement. Committees generally meet monthly, and the Board meets monthly with four open sessions during the school year. We have a stable, well-respected Board that has a collaborative relationship with the community and school leaders.

Our Senior Leadership Team includes the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, three Divisional Principals, the Director of Innovation/Technology and the Director of Learning. Our broader leadership team includes three Divisional Assistant Principals and the following  Directors: Admissions, Arabic, Athletics/Activities, Communication, Facilities, Finance, Government Relations, Human Resources, Institutional Advancement, Student Support and World Language.

ACS faculty members are dedicated professionals who work together in collaborative teams to develop and deliver the curriculum. ACS currently employs 135 faculty members, creating an overall student/teacher ratio of 8:1. More than 75 percent of ACS faculty have Master's degrees or higher, and 80 percent have 10+ years of experience. Our staff includes National Board Certified teachers, IB examiners, IB workshop leaders and AP readers. Faculty and staff are actively involved in sponsoring numerous after-school activities that enhance students’ experiences at school including a variety of academic, musical, dramatic, artistic, recreational, technological and athletic activities.

Our parents are highly supportive of the school and are deeply involved in activities such as classroom enrichment, booster club, seasonal events and sports. A thriving parent volunteer program is a trademark of the school. The school encourages students to be involved in afterschool programs, and our strong community support makes this possible.

Our Curriculum

Our curriculum at ACS is a college preparatory program that is comparable to high-quality schools in the United States. Based on U.S. standards, it is an integrated K-12 curriculum that is reviewed annually and updated on a five-year cycle. The development of a well-aligned and relevant curriculum and the implementation of sound instructional practices contribute to the academic success of ACS students.

In addition to traditional core courses provided in an American school, ACS offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma and Certificate options in the High School for students in Grades 11 and 12, a variety of AP courses starting in Grade 10, an integrated technology curriculum, a wide selection of elective courses in the Middle School and High School, various fine arts options and service opportunities for students. ACS graduates have an impressive record for college acceptances and test scores with typically $5 million dollars of merit-based scholarships being awarded annually.

Our Facilities

After 50 years on its current campus in the city, ACS is building a new, state-of-the-art campus on Saadiyat Island, one of the most desirable locations in Abu Dhabi. The campus will be close to NYU Abu Dhabi and the newly developing cultural district, currently featuring the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the coming Zayed National Museum, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and The Abrahamic Family House. The island also boasts stunning, white-sand beaches, which are also home to the protected and critically endangered hawksbill turtles.

Located on six hectares, our new facility provides the space for greater innovation, creativity and collaboration to prepare our students to thrive as global citizens in an increasingly complex and rapidly-changing world. The campus enables ACS to further integrate technology and sustainability into its curriculum and deliver expanded programs and new initiatives, including engineering, theater production, renewable energy, space entrepreneurship and an Arabic Institute of Excellence, which will pioneer new approaches to teaching and learning the Arabic language.

Key highlights of the innovative learning spaces include:

• Design-technology labs focused on robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning and virtual reality
• State-of-the-art engineering program
• Greenhouse in a fully-equipped science wing that will serve as a hands-on classroom for teaching about food security and energy conservation
• 650-seat professional theater
• Custom band and choir room
• Professional black box production studio
• Expansive indoor-outdoor art studio and gallery
• Innovative outdoor play and recreation areas
• Athletic complex including two swimming pools, three full-sized indoor basketball courts, FIFA-sized football pitct,  six-lane running track and 2 additional ES gyms
• Wellness center dedicated to social and emotional health

Living in the UAE

The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates established in 1972. The population of the UAE is approximately five million inhabitants of which an estimated 85 percent are expatriates. Wise government leadership has enabled the UAE to remain a stable and prosperous country where people of many nationalities live and work together in peace and harmony. While the official state religion is Islam, the practice of all religious beliefs is allowed in a variety of churches here in Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi, the largest of the seven emirates, occupies 87 percent of the UAE's 82,880 square kilometer area. The Abu Dhabi government has been successful in gradually expanding the economy to reduce dependence on oil and attract a diverse professional population through the implementation of the 2030 Plan.

The island city of Abu Dhabi within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi is the country’s capital. Abu Dhabi is a clean, safe and modern city with many recreational opportunities available for residents. It is a cosmopolitan city with excellent roads and infrastructure, numerous parks, modern high-rise buildings, shopping malls and beaches. The multinational expatriate community enjoys a pleasant environment including many Western shops, restaurants, services and cultural events.

A clean modern city, Abu Dhabi is quickly embracing many extraordinary opportunities in both culture and sports. This includes an outstanding annual classical concert series, international film and jazz festivals, concerts by world-famous musical entertainers, a European Tour golf event, world-class tennis and soccer competitions, and Formula One racing. Life in Abu Dhabi offers an extensive range of activities in which to participate. Golf, horseback riding, sailing, scuba diving, picnics at the beach, desert camping and off-roading are just a few of the ways in which you can spend your leisure time. The city’s next stages of growth will bring even more richness, with several planned world-class museums, an exceptional performing arts center, theme parks, entertainment areas and even more world-class golf courses.

For more information about our school, please go to www.acs.sch.ae.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

ACS seeks a proven leader with experience as an administrator, finance professional, analyst, and communicator. The School seeks continuous improvement and aims to hire an individual who will continue to lead the evolution of the School’s finances. This will include identifying and introducing a new financial/accounting system for the growing School. The tasks in the related areas include, but are not limited to:

• Systematization of financial procedures.
• Revision of financial procedures and controls.
• Strong support of learning in all decisions, processes, procedures, and dispositions.
• Deepening professional skill levels of finance office staff.
• Prudent and strategic financial management.
• Participation in the ACS community.

Candidates will be required to demonstrate qualifications and demonstrate leadership aptitude in the following key areas:

• Bachelor’s Degree with a major in finance, economics, or accounting.
• Experience in stateside and international banking and financial transactions.
• Experience with loan-related matters and transactions.
• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal and communication skills and strong analytical, decision-making, and planning skills in an international environment.
• Demonstrated excellent organizational and managerial skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with faculty, parents, and the leadership team to ensure that the goals and plans of American Community School of Abu Dhabi are achieved.

ADDITIONAL DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Senior-level management experience in an educational institution environment
• Overseas international experience and demonstrated success in a multicultural environment.
• Master's Degree/MBA
• Preference for Certified Public Accountant