HR Manager - UAE

About the Company

Our client is a German multinational biopharmaceutical organization with an established presence in Dubai. The UAE branch collaborates closely with the German headquarters and Global HR, blending international standards with local governance.

Role Overview

This role serves as the dedicated HR Manager for the UAE entity. You will work directly with the General Manager and leadership team to handle all aspects of HR, ranging from organizational design and succession planning to payroll, visa management, and compliance with UAE laws.

As there is no extensive local HR team available, this position offers genuine ownership, direct leadership interaction, and significant influence over business growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the General Manager and leadership on organization structure, workforce and succession planning, and talent development.
• Oversee the complete employee lifecycle, including recruitment, offer management, onboarding, probation, employment changes, exits, and offboarding.
• Ensure adherence to UAE labor laws and MOHRE regulations, managing contracts, leave entitlements, gratuity, and disciplinary proceedings.
• Manage payroll preparation and verification, coordinate wage protection system (WPS) payments, and oversee benefits and health insurance.
• Coordinate visa and immigration paperwork alongside the PRO.
• Administer the performance management process covering goal setting, appraisals, and salary reviews.
• Maintain HR policies, employee handbook, personnel records, and all HR-related documentation.
• Lead recruitment initiatives, including agency collaboration and LinkedIn sourcing.
• Organize training programs and foster employee relations and engagement.
• Generate reports on headcount, salaries, leave, and HR expenditures for local management and headquarters.
• Drive local deployment, user adoption, and continual enhancement of Workday HR system according to global standards.
• Act as a principal liaison to Global HR for international projects, process standardization, and organizational initiatives.

Candidate Profile

• Possess a Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology, or related discipline.
• Have 5 to 7 years of advancing HR experience, with at least 2 to 3 years of hands-on work within the UAE.
• Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of UAE labor laws, MOHRE rules, visa processing, payroll, benefits, and HR compliance.
• Experience as a trusted advisor to senior management on organizational development, workforce planning, and employee relations.
• Proven capability in managing all HR lifecycle functions firsthand.
• Familiarity with HR technologies and digital HR workflows; experience with Workday system is highly favorable.
• Strong analytical aptitude with expertise in HR metrics, headcount reporting, and compensation data analysis.
• Ability to work autonomously without a large local HR team while maintaining strong collaboration with Global HR and headquarters.
• Exhibit discretion and confidence when addressing sensitive business and employee issues.
• Preferably experienced in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, healthcare, life sciences, or other multinational corporations.
• Valuable experience in international HR projects and harmonizing processes.
• Fluency in English is mandatory; knowledge of Arabic is advantageous.

Additional Information

Initial candidate screening includes an AI interview. Successful matches will be contacted directly by a consultant for further communication.