Administrative Officer

About the Organisation

HEI UAE is an exclusive collaboration with HEI Schools (Helsinki International Schools), bringing Finland’s internationally recognised and award-winning early childhood education approach to the UAE. The model is rooted in research and centres on a child-focused learning experience that supports a child’s overall development and wellbeing across social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and character growth. The curriculum also encourages curiosity and creativity, supported by comprehensive teacher training delivered by HEI mentors from Finland.

Role Overview

The Administrative Officer is the key point of contact for nursery administration and customer relations. This role keeps records accurate and securely stored, manages invoicing and fee collection, supports financial documentation for audits, and coordinates service requests and resource ordering. The position also assists the Principal with day-to-day responsibilities and takes charge of the centre’s operations whenever the Principal is unavailable.

Centre Operations

• Build and sustain positive relationships with parents, employees, and external service partners.
• Welcome parents, respond to questions, and address concerns or complaints in a professional manner.
• Conduct centre tours when required.
• Keep operational and compliance paperwork current and correctly filed.
• Refresh classroom allocation records on a regular basis.
• Maintain up-to-date child records.
• Prepare schedules whenever needed.
• Ensure maintenance and repair tasks are completed without unnecessary delay.
• Take responsibility for centre operations in the Principal’s absence.

Staff Management

• Handle staff issues, requests, and concerns on a daily basis and take suitable action.
• Assist the Principal with the monthly payroll cycle.
• Support both onboarding and exit processes for staff.
• Keep staff documents updated, securely stored, and shared with the relevant teams when needed.
• Track document expiry dates for staff records and notify the relevant department at least one month in advance.
• Share attendance information with Finance and HR for payroll processing.
• Maintain strict confidentiality at all times.

Financial Management

• Track centre expenditure and apply cost-conscious practices where possible.
• Work with the Finance team to support accurate and timely financial reporting when required.
• Approve deliveries such as groceries and art/craft supplies.
• Prepare parent invoices and issue them promptly.
• Monitor fee collections and remind parents about pending payments.
• Escalate payment issues or delays to the Principal and Finance team.
• Ensure vendor, service, and resource payments are processed on time.

Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure the centre meets licensing rules, health and safety requirements, and educational standards.
• Coordinate inspections, keep compliance records accurate, and respond quickly to any issues.
• Monitor expiry dates for licences, contracts, and approvals, and alert the relevant department one month before expiry.

Parent and Community Engagement

• Strengthen relationships with parents through regular communication and responsive support.
• Represent the centre positively and provide courteous, welcoming customer service.
• Greet all visitors, both internal and external, in a friendly and professional way.
• Preserve confidentiality in all interactions.

Qualifications

A Bachelor’s degree in BA or Accounting is required.

Additional Information

Experience requirement: at least 3 years in an accounting or administration role. Preference will be given to candidates with 5 or more years of experience in accounting or administration within a school or nursery environment.

Skills and Abilities

• Working knowledge of early childhood education practices, curriculum design, and teaching methods.
• Strong team leadership and organisational ability.
• Excellent verbal and written communication plus strong interpersonal skills.
• Solid grasp of financial controls, budgeting, and resource planning.
• Familiarity with licensing rules, regulations, and compliance expectations in early years education.