FG7070: European Governess for Two Children (3 & 5) | Live-out, Mon–Fri afternoons/evenings | Start ASAP

European Governess for Two Children (3 & 5) | Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE | Live-out, Mon–Fri afternoons/evenings | Start ASAP
AED 25K–35K/month

Ref: FG7070

EED is delighted to be representing an international family residing in a private villa on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, seeking an experienced European Governess for their two children, currently starting at Cranleigh Abu Dhabi Pre-Prep School on the British curriculum — a son, 5 (FS2), and a daughter, 3 (FS1). A third child is expected in early 2027; a separate nanny is planned for the newborn, and only occasional light help (such as walking with the pram) may be requested of the Governess. This is a long-term role, and the family would like to find a candidate happy to stay with them for many years to come.

The family’s long-term educational vision is ambitious: the children are not yet native-level English speakers and need strong language immersion and academic adaptation support now, with a planned pathway from Cranleigh through to an American curriculum and, ultimately, senior years at leading US universities. The family wants to support the children in maintaining a position consistently among the top of their class, with excellent school reports, moving in time towards standardised test preparation.

This calls for a structured, purposeful pedagogical approach rather than free play. Core responsibilities include daily academic support and homework help, attending parent-teacher meetings and maintaining direct communication with teachers, and providing a short weekly written report on progress and difficulties. Intensive English immersion and school-adaptation support are central to the role, alongside planning and overseeing enrichment, sport and developmental activities in discussion with the parents.

The family prefers the children’s time to be productively filled rather than idle, with clear, firm but fair discipline, and minimal screen time in favour of books, board games and physical activity.

The role is strictly live-out, five days a week (Monday–Friday), typically 14:00/16:00–20:00, starting part-time (around 4–6 hours a day) for the first 6–12 months before moving to full-time. Occasional evening or weekend duties are paid as overtime and kept to exceptional cases only; overnight stays are rare, roughly once a quarter at most. The family is away from Abu Dhabi for around two months each summer (late June/July to end August), during which the Governess is free.

A housekeeper is separately employed, and the Governess works autonomously. No driver is required, as the villa is a four-minute walk from Cranleigh via a private gate.

Discretion is essential: no photos or videos of the children on any social media, no family materials retained on personal devices, no location or travel content posted personally, and full confidentiality on anything seen or heard in the household. An NDA will be signed.

Key Responsibilities

• Delivering intensive English language immersion and school-adaptation support
• Daily academic support and homework help aligned with the British curriculum (FS1 and FS2)
• Attending parent-teacher meetings and maintaining direct communication with teachers
• Providing a short weekly written report to the parents on progress and difficulties
• Planning and overseeing enrichment, sport and developmental activities in discussion with the parents
• Maintaining a structured, purposeful daily rhythm rather than free play
• Applying clear, firm-but-fair discipline and minimising screen time
• Providing occasional light support with the newborn (e.g. walking with the pram) once the third child arrives in early 2027
• Operating with complete discretion within a private household environment (NDA in place)

Candidate Requirements

• Strong European educational and professional background
• Formal pedagogical qualification from a recognised European university or high-quality teacher-training institution
• Proven experience in preschool, preparatory or early years settings — British or US curriculum experience highly valued
• Experience supporting non-native English-speaking children
• Firm, consistent and fair approach — comfortable with structured developmental work rather than free play
• Calm, organised, emotionally mature, honest and discreet
• Excellent English essential; Arabic a plus but not a priority
• Clean criminal record and excellent, thoroughly verifiable references
• Full, clean driving licence, with willingness to drive the children to activities using the family car, strongly preferred
• Experience with the British curriculum at Early Years / Prep level strongly preferred
• Previous long-term placements with high-achieving families strongly preferred
• First Aid / Paediatric First Aid certification strongly preferred

The Offer