"Deputy Vice Chancellor – Shared Services"

Role Purpose

The Deputy Vice Chancellor – Shared Services serves as the senior executive responsible for leading, managing, and operating all centralized support functions at Sharjah Education Academy (SEA). The Shared Services structure is designed to operate as a business within a business, providing high-quality, efficient, and unified services that enable the organization to focus on their strategic, academic, and operational priorities.

The DVC ensures that all Shared Services departments, Human Capital, Finance, Procurement, Marketing & Communications, and Facilities & HSE, deliver consistent, scalable, cost-effective, and customer-focused services across the academy and the nurseries.

The role requires hands-on operational leadership, strong service delivery management, cross-functional coordination, and continuous improvement of people, processes, systems, and policies.

Additionally, the DVC is responsible for creating a clear vision for Shared Services, ensuring buy-in from SEA leadership, empowering departmental Directors, and cultivating a high-performance, collaborative culture that operates with enterprise-wide impact.

Reports To: Vice Chancellor

Direct Reports: The Directors of Human Capital, Finance, Procurement, Marketing & Communications, and Facilities & HSE.

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Lead and oversee all Shared Services functions, Human Capital, Finance, Procurement, Marketing & Communications, and Facilities & HSE ensuring efficient, integrated, and high-quality service delivery across the academy and nurseries.
2. Provide strategic direction and operational leadership to align all Shared Services functions with institutional goals, ensuring agility, scalability, and alignment with the academy’s strategic priorities.
3. Develop and sustain a unified Shared Services operating model that enhances institutional efficiency, eliminates duplication, and drives consistency, accountability, and customer focus.
4. Establish and monitor service standards, SLAs, and KPIs to ensure reliable, result-driven operations and continuous performance improvement.
5. Drive evidence - based performance tracking and reporting, ensuring all Shared Services deliver measurable value, operational transparency, and continuous improvement.
6. Embed a culture of innovation and quality assurance through regular audits, service reviews, and feedback mechanisms to strengthen performance outcomes.
7. Champion operational excellence, process optimization, and digital transformation initiatives to modernize systems and strengthen data-driven decision-making.
8. Ensure compliance with UAE laws, Sharjah Government HR regulations, HSE standards, and institutional governance frameworks.
9. Oversee financial management, budgeting, procurement, and cost optimization to support strategic and sustainable operations.
10. Lead institutional communications, marketing, branding, and events to ensure cohesive, impactful, and mission-aligned messaging.
11. Oversee campus and facilities operations to maintain safe, compliant, and fully functional environments across all locations.
12. Build, empower, and mentor a high-performing leadership team, fostering collaboration, accountability, and a service-oriented culture.
13. Strengthen partnerships with government entities, vendors, and key stakeholders, ensuring effective engagement and institutional alignment.
14. Provide strategic advice to the Vice Chancellor on performance, risks, investments, workforce needs, and improvement opportunities.
15. Drive a culture of excellence, transparency, and continuous improvement across all Shared Services functions.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Management, Finance, Operations, or related field.
• Professional certifications: PMI Project Management, C-Suite Leadership Programme. Executive Leadership, Certified Chief Operations Officer (CCOO)
• Bilingual proficiency in Arabic and English required.

Experience Requirements

• Minimum 12-15 years of experience in shared services, corporate services, enterprise operations, or government/education sector leadership.
• Significant experience managing multi-department, multi-site operations at director or executive level.
• Proven success improving service delivery, efficiency, processes, and customer satisfaction.

Competencies

• Strong operational leadership & service delivery
• Strategic planning & organizational alignment
• Change management & transformation
• Budgeting, procurement & financial oversight
• High emotional intelligence & team leadership
• Stakeholder management & influence
• Data-driven decision-making
• Communication & executive presence
• Integrity, accountability & transparency

Application Process:

Interested candidates are kindly requested to submit the following in PDF only:

• Curriculum vitae (CV)

Please submit these documents to careers@sea.ac.ae