Role SummaryThe Group HR Director will provide strategic leadership for the Group's people agenda across its portfolio of companies and markets. The role is responsible for developing and executing an HR strategy that supports business growth, organisational effectiveness, leadership capability and long-term value creation. Working closely with the Group CEO, shareholders and Executive Leadership Team, the successful candidate will lead the evolution of the Group's HR function from a primarily operational support function into a strategic, commercially focused and data-driven business partner. The role requires an experienced international HR executive who has operated within multinational, diversified or multi-entity organisations and has a proven ability to lead transformation, build scalable HR infrastructure and influence senior stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities01 Group People Strategy & Executive Partnership
- * Develop and implement the Group's overall People & Culture strategy, aligned with business objectives, growth plans and organisational priorities.
- Act as a trusted strategic advisor to the Group CEO, shareholders and Executive Leadership Team.
- Translate business strategy into workforce, talent, leadership and organisational priorities.
- Provide executive insight on organisational capability, workforce risks, leadership succession and people-related opportunities.
- Establish appropriate Group-wide HR governance, policies and standards while allowing flexibility for individual businesses where required.
02 HR Transformation & Operating Model
- * Assess the current HR function, structures, processes, systems and capabilities across the Group.
- Develop and implement a fit-for-purpose Group HR operating model.
- Identify opportunities to simplify, standardise, automate and improve HR processes.
- Introduce internationally recognised HR practices and modern approaches to employee experience.
- Build and develop a strong HR leadership team with clear accountability and measurable objectives.
- Lead major HR transformation and change initiatives across Group companies.
03 Organisation Design & Workforce Planning
- * Lead organisation design and workforce planning across the Group.
- Ensure structures, roles, responsibilities and reporting lines support business objectives and operational efficiency.
- Establish appropriate workforce planning methodologies to support growth, expansion and changing business requirements.
- Advise leadership on restructuring, organisational changes and workforce optimisation.
- Support new business launches, market expansion, acquisitions, integrations and other strategic initiatives from a people perspective.
04 Talent, Leadership & Succession
- * Develop a Group-wide talent management and leadership strategy.
- Strengthen executive recruitment and succession planning for critical positions.
- Establish structured talent reviews and succession frameworks.
- Develop leadership and high-potential talent programmes.
- Partner with business leaders to identify capability gaps and build future leadership pipelines.
- Ensure the Group is able to attract, develop and retain high-calibre talent.
05 Performance, Culture & Employee Experience
- * Establish a high-performance culture based on accountability, leadership effectiveness and measurable outcomes.
- Review and enhance Group performance management and goal-setting frameworks.
- Develop initiatives that strengthen employee engagement, retention and organisational culture.
- Establish a consistent employee experience across the Group while respecting the individual identity of each business.
- Promote leadership behaviours and values that support the Group's long-term strategy.
06 Total Rewards & Workforce Economics
- * Develop the Group's overall compensation and benefits philosophy.
- Review salary structures, incentives, benefits and executive remuneration to ensure competitiveness and internal equity.
- Establish appropriate reward governance across Group companies and markets.
- Partner with Finance and business leadership to ensure workforce costs are aligned with business performance and productivity.
- Identify opportunities to improve workforce efficiency and optimise people-related costs without compromising capability.
07 HR Technology, Data & Analytics
- * Drive the digital transformation of the HR function through appropriate HRIS, technology, automation and analytics.
- Establish reliable Group-level people reporting and dashboards.
- Develop meaningful HR KPIs covering areas such as workforce productivity, turnover, recruitment, talent, engagement, performance and cost.
- Use data and workforce insights to support better executive decision-making.
- Ensure HR systems and processes are scalable as the Group continues to grow.
08 Governance, Compliance & Risk
- * Establish appropriate Group HR policies, governance frameworks and controls.
- Ensure compliance with applicable employment legislation and regulatory requirements across relevant jurisdictions.
- Maintain appropriate oversight of employee relations, employment risk and HR compliance.
- Ensure HR practices are consistent, transparent and aligned with the Group's governance standards.
Required Skills
- * Strong understanding of organisation design, workforce planning, talent management, succession, performance management and total rewards.
- Experience implementing or transforming HR technology and people analytics.
- Strategic Thinking: Ability to connect people strategy directly to business strategy, growth and long-term value creation.
RequiredRequired Qualifications
- * Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology, Management or a related discipline.
Highly Desirable
- * Master's Degree / MBA - Postgraduate study in business or a related field.
Preferred
- * Professional Qualification: CIPD, SHRM or equivalent.
Experience Requirement
- * 15+ years of progressive HR / People & Culture experience, with significant experience in a senior HR leadership position.
- Good knowledge of UAE and KSA labour laws.
- Previous experience as a Group HR Director, HR Director, CHRO, VP HR or equivalent.
- Proven experience within a multinational, diversified, holding or multi-entity organisation.
- Demonstrated experience managing HR across multiple businesses, countries and diverse workforce populations.
- Strong track record of leading HR transformation, organisational change and culture initiatives.
- Experience working directly with CEOs, shareholders, boards and executive leadership teams.
Location / Work ModeDubai, United Arab Emirates & Riyadh, KSA
Additional NotesSuccess Measures The successful candidate will be expected to deliver measurable progress across:
- Group HR transformation and operating model maturity
- Organisational effectiveness and workforce productivity
- Leadership capability and succession depth
- Talent attraction, retention and development
- Performance management and accountability
- Employee engagement and organisational culture
- Compensation and workforce cost effectiveness
- HR technology, automation and people analytics
- HR governance, consistency and compliance
- Overall credibility and strategic contribution of the People & Culture function
