Job Overview:

Job Title: Associate Director/Director - HR (Middle East)

Department: Human Resources

Reporting Authority (Title): VP - Chief Human Resources Officer

Job Summary:

Responsible to collaborate closely with Senior leadership team to assess HR needs, anticipate future requirements, and develop strategies and comprehensive plans to address workforce challenges and opportunities in the Middle East Region. Oversee the various HR functions including HR Strategy & Planning, Talent Acquisition and Management, Employee Relations and Engagement, Compensation and Benefits, Learning and Development, Travel & Immigration, HR Compliance and Risk Management, HR Technology and Systems. Communicate and collaborate for effective Leadership and Team Management, Stakeholder Engagement, and Operational Management.

Roles & Responsibilities:

HR Strategy and Planning:

- Develop HR strategies for the Middle East region aligned with the organization's mission, vision, and strategic objectives.

- Partner with Senior Leadership team to assess HR needs, anticipate future requirements, and develop plans to address workforce challenges and opportunities pertaining to the Middle East.

- Ensure the Strategies focus on the Region-specific regulations and laws like the emphasis on Emiratization policies and labour market reforms in the UAE, incorporating changes under Vision 2030, promoting women in the workforce in KSA, Qatars new labour laws focusing on worker rights and welfare etc.

Top 10 Employer Choice in the Middle East:

- Lead GPTW & DEI initiatives to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the Middle East region.

- Oversee the Implementation on programs and practices to foster a culture of belonging and support diversity in all its forms.

- Ensure the Employee Attrition rate of the Organisation does not exceed the fixed %.

- Achieve the employee engagement credit points as per the Organisation objective.

- Promote a conducive work environment to achieve or exceed % Score in GPTW Survey.

- Develop and implement a robust performance appraisal process and succession planning framework.

- Ensure timely response to employee queries thus enabling excellent employee service experience.

Talent Acquisition and Management:

- Ensure adherence to Middle East Country Specific laws and regulations while hiring, like Emiratization (UAE), Nitaqat System (KSA), Migrant Workers Protection (Qatar), Kuwaitization (Kuwait), National Employment Program (Bahrain), Omanization (Oman) etc.

Employee Relations and Engagement:

- Foster a positive work environment conducive to employee engagement, satisfaction, Team Collaboration and overall retention.

- Ensure all HR Teams address employee relations issues, conflicts, and grievances, promoting open communication and conflict resolution.

Compensation and Benefits (C&B):

- Design and administer Middle East region specific competitive compensation and benefits programs to attract, motivate, and retain employees.

- Ensure all the Statutory compliances are adhered to, especially the Middle East Regions Labour laws, Working hours, Annual Leave, Termination Regulations and End of service benefits.

- Conduct benchmarking study and analysis to ensure the Regions C&B offerings are on par with market standards.

Learning and Development:

- Recommend Strategies to Middle East Regions learning and development initiatives to enhance employee skills, capabilities, and career growth.

- Provide guidance for the design and implementation of Individual Development Programs (IDP) to support performance management and succession planning for leadership pipeline development in the Middle East.

Travel & Immigration:

- Provide direction on Middle East travel and immigration process to the Travel team for the implementation of Strategies, including visa applications and immigration procedures.

- Ensure assigned region-wise resident permits are achieved as per organisation requirements.

HR Compliance and Risk Management:

- Ensure compliance, in accordance to all Middle East relevant employment laws, regulations, and industry standards.

- Guide relevant HR teams to develop and implement HR policies, procedures, and practices to mitigate risks and maintain a legally compliant workplace.

HR Technology and Systems:

- Oversee the implementation and utilization of HR technology solutions, including KEBS automations, and other HR systems contributing to organisation's objective of becoming a holistic AI-first DX company.

- Leverage technology to streamline HR processes, enhance data analytics capabilities, thus improving HR service delivery through HR Digital Transformation.

Leadership and Team Management:

- Provide leadership, guidance, and coaching to Middle East HR team members, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.

- Mentor HR members to support their professional growth and development.

- Assign tasks and OKRs to team members as per PMS in vogue and monitor progress to meet deadlines and objectives.

- Enable and ensure the Regional HR teams strike a work-life balance.

Stakeholder Engagement:

- Collaborate with internal stakeholders, including senior leadership team, department heads, and employees, to understand their needs and align HR strategies and initiatives accordingly.

- Build and maintain effective relationships with external partners, vendors, and industry peers to stay abreast of HR best practices and trends in the Middle East.

Operations Management:

- Responsible to maintain Middle East HR SG&A cost within the approved budget.

- Conduct monthly Team Meetings (MTM) for direct reportees to ensure the team is abreast with the Organisational progress.

- Monitor the conduct of the MTMs upto the Nth level employees.

- Ensure the conduct of other Kaar Team engagement activities like SKIP level meetings etc.

- Monitor Monthly Payroll processing and provide approval for any exceptional requirement.

- Develop Strategies for Facility Management and ensure successful implementation of the same.

- Responsible to address and resolve serious escalations requiring higher level intervention in Facility Management.

Job Details:

Education Qualifications: Masters/PG degree in Management, Preferably in Human Resources Development/Management.

Technical / Functional Knowledge: Knowledge on Middle East Labor Laws and Regulations, Talent Acquisition and Recruitment, Performance Management, Employee Relation, Learning and Development, Organization Development, HR Analytics and Metrics, HRIS, Budgeting and Financials, Risk Management.

Work Experience: Overall, 12-17 years of experience with at least 10 years of progressive experience in managing various HR functions in the Middle East.

Other Qualifications:

- Proficiency in HRIS and other HR technology solutions.

- Strong knowledge of HR best practices, employment laws, and regulations in the Middle East.

Competencies:

Behavioral & Leadership:

Strategic Thinking, Change Management, Financial Acumen, Effective Communication, Leadership and Influence, Coaching & Mentoring, Service Orientation, Stakeholder Management, Crisis Management, Emotional Intelligence, Integrity & Ethics, Strong Drive.

Functional / Technical: HR Policy Development and Compliance, Compensation & Benefits, Diversity and Inclusion, Succession Planning, HR Technology Management, Performance Management, Employee Relations, Workforce Planning.