Walla Abu Nawa

Results-driven School Registrar & Senior Compliance Officer with 10+ years of experience at a leading UAE school, combining student records management, admissions support, regulatory compliance, institutional reporting, and government liaison. Proven record of maintaining near-100% data accuracy on MOE systems, delivering institutional reports on time, and sustaining audit readiness with zero major non-compliance findings. Expert in MOE, KHDA, CAA, RAKED, and FAHR regulations, with strong analytical, leadership, and stakeholder-engagement capabilities.

School Registrar & Senior Compliance Officer at GEMS Westminster School (2025-08 – Present)

• Student Records & Registrar Operations: Manage and safeguard 3,000+ student records on MOE systems, maintaining near-100% data accuracy; improved reporting accuracy by 25% through enhanced data validation and review processes.
• Admissions & Approvals: Support admissions processes and secure 100+ regulatory approvals annually for admissions, staff, and institutional activities, improving parent satisfaction and the enrolment experience.
• Regulatory Compliance: Lead school compliance operations, ensuring 100% adherence to MOE, KHDA, RAKED, and FAHR requirements.
• Audit Readiness: Managed multiple regulatory audits with zero major non-compliance findings.
• Institutional Reporting: Oversee preparation and submission of institutional reports (Manahel, MOE) with 100% on-time delivery.
• Government Liaison: Act as primary liaison with regulatory authorities, accelerating approval turnaround times by 20%.
• Process Improvement: Reduced compliance-related delays by 30% by streamlining approval workflows and internal coordination.
• Policy Development: Developed and implemented updated policies, increasing operational efficiency and compliance consistency across departments.
• Training & Leadership: Trained and guided 20+ staff members on compliance procedures and regulatory updates.

Government Relations Executive at GEMS Westminster School (2013-08 – 2025-07)

• Reporting: Coordinated biannual and annual reports to Manahel, KHDA, and MOE with zero missed deadlines over 10+ years.
• Compliance & Audits: Contributed to institutional compliance, supporting successful audit outcomes year-on-year.
• Data Quality: Reduced data discrepancies by 20% through improved cross-departmental coordination and validation processes.
• Communications Compliance: Ensured 100% compliance of marketing and communication materials with MOE regulations.
• Cross-Departmental Coordination: Improved reporting efficiency and turnaround time by 25% by coordinating with multiple departments.

Chess Arbiter (Volunteer) at RAK Chess Club for Girls (2012-01 – 2013-06)

• Organized and supported multiple tournaments, increasing participation and engagement among young players.

Translator & Administrative Support (Internship) at Preventive Medicine Department (2011-05 – 2011-08)

• Translated 50+ medical documents with high accuracy (Arabic ↔ English).
• Provided interpretation support, improving communication efficiency between staff and patients.
• Assisted in organizing health campaigns reaching 100+ community participants.

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Language & Translation – Etihad University (2008 – 2012)