Job description

Based at Transguard Group’s Headquarters in DAFZA (Dubai Airport Freezone), the Senior Manager – Centre of Excellence leads the blue-collar training functions for an internal workforce of 70,000+ and the external profit centre Centre of Aviation & Security Studies (CASS). The mandate spans end-to-end ownership of high-quality training for new and existing staff while managing P&L and revenue growth, driving business development and customer account management, overseeing daily training operations and trainee administration, ensuring SIRA compliance, and supporting departmental efficiency. The role develops and executes sales strategies and pipeline initiatives; conducts cost-benefit analyses for new internal/external courses; creates and manages budgets for the COE business unit and training centres (CAPEX/OPEX) with investment business cases; and manages external vendor relationships from initial qualification to ongoing performance and value for money. It collaborates with internal business units to identify training needs from organizational objectives, customer feedback and performance gaps; builds a pipeline of new customers and training opportunities; delivers sales presentations; and aligns business development to sales targets. Operationally, it plans, designs and develops programs to maintain and improve job skills and retention; establishes policies and procedures for training centres aligned to organizational standards, laws, regulations and external risk management practices; maximizes course utilization to meet or exceed profitability targets; evaluates trainers and materials and leads refinement and development; manages performance of training teams, administrators, content creation and CASS admins; monitors, evaluates and records training activities and effectiveness for customer reporting; creates digital training records (psychometric, safety, hard and soft skills) for continuous improvement reviews; sets up upskilling and recurrent training strategies; and budgets for classrooms, supplies, transport and facilitators. The role systemizes data flows across three training venues (automatic course scheduling, automated time & attendance, online assessments, learner feedback and data reporting), analyses performance data for systematic improvements, assesses and upgrades processes and infrastructure, conducts global market research to benchmark best practice, and explores AI and technology-based training enhancements to underpin Transguard’s continuous improvement strategy. It includes oversight of overseas vendor quality across the value stream with travel to Africa, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh as needed.