School Compliance Officer

Job description

GEMS Founders School, Masdar City are looking for a Social Compliance Officer to join the team. The School Compliance Officer (SCO) is the designated lead for all regulatory compliance matters at the school level. This role is accountable for ensuring that the school operates in full alignment with local educational authority requirements and broader regulatory obligations, including but not limited to MOE, ADEK, KHDA, SPEA, RAK, MOHRE, Civil Defense, and Health and Safety authorities. The SCO reports directly to the Cluster Compliance Lead (CCL), who is responsible for providing functional direction, setting objectives and KPIs, overseeing performance, and offering coaching and support on all compliance-related matters. In addition, the SCO maintains a dotted-line relationship with the School Principal to enable effective day-to-day coordination and alignment on school-level activities. The SCO works closely with the CCL, School Leadership Team, and the Manager of School Operations (MSO) to embed a culture of accountability, integrity, and regulatory readiness across all departments. The SCO also supports broader institutional compliance efforts by assisting in training, awareness, investigations, and special projects in collaboration with the Cluster Compliance Lead and VP Compliance.

1. Regulatory compliance

• Ensure full adherence to all educational regulatory authority requirements (MOE, ADEK, KHDA, SPEA, RAKDOK) and other relevant entities (MOHRE, Health and Safety, Civil Defense, MOHAP, DHA, DOH).
• Take full responsibility for managing the student regulatory system, including student registrations, transfers, withdrawals, and mark entries.
• Oversee the teacher approval process in coordination with HR, ensuring alignment with regulatory timelines and requirements.
• Oversee up-to-date records of all permits and licenses required for school operations.
• Oversee and organize school-level compliance documentation related to regulatory and administrative requirements.
• Act as the school’s single point of contact for regulatory matters, coordinating with the CCL, and external regulators.
• Coordinate with the MSO and relevant teams to monitor timelines and ensure accurate, complete, and timely submission and renewal of all required regulatory approvals.
• Track and report school-level regulatory compliance data regularly to the CCL, Principal, and other relevant stakeholders.

2. Compliance program management

• Support delivery of compliance training, awareness sessions, and induction programs for school staff.
• Promote adherence to internal GEMS policies, including the Code of Conduct, Health and Safety standards, and administration inspection frameworks.
• Identify and escalate suspected or actual non-compliance to the CCL or VP Compliance in a timely manner.
• Assist in school-level compliance investigations, including documentation, interviews, and fact-finding activities.
• Coordinate compliance-related communications and campaigns within the school.
• Contribute to group-wide compliance initiatives and support the CCL and VP Compliance on special projects and ad hoc assignments.
• Support broader institutional compliance initiatives and ad hoc projects led by the CCL and/or VP Compliance.

Skills

Expected qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.

Functional competencies and experience:

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in managing regulatory affairs within the education sector, preferably in K-12 institutions.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory structures and frameworks within the UAE.
• Solid understanding of compliance principles with proven experience in managing regulatory compliance in a controlled or regulated environment.
• Bilingual proficiency in Arabic and English, both spoken and written.

GEMS Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all of its students and staff. A UK-enhanced DBS or equivalent police check is a pre-requisite for all appointments.