Dasman Bilingual School is seeking a passionate and knowledgeable Senior Finance Manager to join our growing team in September 2026.
About Dasman Bilingual School: Since 1996, Dasman Bilingual School has provided high-quality bilingual education in a safe and inclusive environment. We celebrate diversity and ensure that every student, regardless of background or ability, feels valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential. With a student body representing various nationalities and abilities, we foster a progressive and welcoming atmosphere that promotes academic excellence and personal growth. Committed to internationalism and global citizenship, Dasman embraces a holistic approach to education—empowering, engaging, inspiring, and motivating the youth of today to build a better future for tomorrow.
At DBS, we believe in “Never leave anyone behind.” Every
student has unique skills, and we are committed to nurturing their potential to
help them become productive, independent citizens. We recognise the
importance of parental involvement and offer training sessions to keep families
informed and engaged in their child’s development.
Our goal is to become the first research-based practice
school in the region, ensuring students thrive through evidence-based
education. With science, innovation, and strong community support, we believe
DBS can compete with top international schools worldwide.
About Cognita: Cognita is a global leader in independent education. Founded in 2004, we are a growing community of 100+ schools in 16 countries - in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East - serving more than 85,000 students. Each of our schools are proudly unique, however our collective purpose is to create an environment where everyone can, ‘Thrive in a rapidly evolving world’.
At Cognita, we know every student is unique. We nurture
their distinct personalities and strengths. We support them academically,
socially, and emotionally, wherever they are in the world, wherever they’re
starting from. We protect what’s special about them, while offering them rich
knowledge, opportunities, and best practices. And they get to be part of
something bigger; ensuring they get an education that’s, quite literally, world
class.
Role Overview
The Senior Finance Manager is a key leadership role, responsible for safeguarding the financial integrity and long-term sustainability of the school. Reporting directly to the CEO / Superintendent, the role acts as a strategic and trusted advisor to the leadership team, with a clear focus on supporting the school’s long-term objectives and enduring success.
Beyond day-to-day financial management, the role emphasizes stewardship of resources in alignment with the school’s mission—balancing immediate operational needs with long-term value creation, investment in educational quality, and development of a long-term commitment to growth.
A primary focus of the role is to ensure full compliance with Kuwait Ministry requirements, external audit standards, and internal governance policies, while embedding robust financial discipline and accountability across the school.
Leadership & Strategic Partnership
- Act
as a trusted advisor to the CEO / Superintendent, providing financial
insight that supports long-term strategic objectives and sustainable
growth
- Contribute
as an active member of the school’s senior leadership team, shaping
decisions that balance educational excellence with financial stewardship
- Promote
an “infinite game” mindset—ensuring decisions prioritize the long-term
health, reputation, and viability of the school over short-term gains
- Build
strong relationships with academic and operational leaders to align
financial planning with the school’s mission and future vision
Financial Management, Budgeting & Control
- Lead
the annual budgeting process, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities
and realistic operational assumptions
- Establish
and enforce robust budgetary controls across all departments, including
clear accountability, approval frameworks, and variance thresholds
- Monitor
budget performance through regular variance analysis, proactively
identifying risks and implementing corrective actions
- Ensure
disciplined cost management while safeguarding investment in key
educational and strategic initiatives
- Develop
rolling forecasts and scenario planning to support proactive
decision-making
- Oversee
accurate and timely preparation of monthly management accounts and annual
financial statements
Compliance & Governance
- Ensure
full compliance with Kuwait Ministry of Education regulations and
reporting requirements
- Act
as the primary liaison with external auditors, ensuring efficient audit
processes and timely resolution of findings
- Maintain
strong internal controls, financial policies, and governance frameworks
- Ensure adherence to tax, statutory, and regulatory obligations
Operational Finance
- Oversee
all core finance operations including accounts payable, receivable,
payroll, and procurement
- Implement
efficient financial processes and systems to enhance transparency and
control
- Support procurement decisions with financial analysis to ensure value
for money and alignment with budget constraints
Risk Management
- Identify financial and operational risks, particularly in
relation to budget overruns, revenue assumptions, and cost pressures
- Implement mitigation strategies and strengthen financial
oversight across the school
Safeguarding and Health &
Safety Responsibilities
- Strategy: Positively contribute to the Health
& Safety and Safeguarding improvement strategies within Cognita schools,
nurseries and other business units
- Policy and Compliance: Familiarise self on Health
& Safety and Safeguarding policies and procedures. Support, as necessary,
with adherence and awareness to the policies
- Incident Reporting: Ensure Health & Safety
and Safeguarding concerns are reported on the appropriate reporting platforms
inline with the Incident Reporting Policy and SIRF guidance document
- Training and Awareness: Ensure timely completion
of Health & Safety and Safeguarding training courses provided for your
role. Seek out training opportunities as relevant to improve safety within
Cognita schools, nurseries and other business units
- Emergency Preparedness: Be aware of the Emergency
Response Procedures for your setting, ensure you partake in mandatory drills
and training exercises
- Risk Assessment: Ensure risk assessments are
completed for areas within your responsibility. Seek training and feedback as
necessary to mitigate the likelihood of harm from occurring
- Culture: Act as a role model for Health &
Safety and Safeguarding practices, promoting a positive and safe culture within
the organisation
Requirements
- Proven leadership experience and professional track record in
managing finance teams
- At least five years’ experience in regional leadership,
preferably in the Kuwait
- Demonstrated efficiency of execution, flexibility and
adaptability
- Collaborative approach, with a strong service mentality
- Excellent leadership and mentoring skills; ability to motivate
and coach teams to peak performance
- Effective communicator with strong written, verbal and
presentation skills (Arabic & English)
- A bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting with a CA/CPA
The school reserves the right to interview and appoint
strong candidates before the official closing date, and therefore we would
encourage candidates to apply early in the process.
Dasman Bilingual School and Cognita are committed to
safeguarding the welfare of children and young people and expects the same from
its employees. All new staff will be subject to detailed and enhanced
pre-employment clearance, including identity checks, criminal background checks
for all countries lived in, qualification checks, employment checks to include
an exploration of any gaps in employment, and satisfactory reference checks for
all employment in the last 10 years.