Human Resources Director
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Role Overview:
We are seeking an experienced Human Resources Director to lead the HR function for a growing construction business based in Dubai. This role will focus heavily on talent acquisition, workforce planning, compensation and benefits strategy, and building scalable HR frameworks to support project-based operations across the UAE and wider region.
The HR Director will act as a strategic partner to executive leadership, ensuring the organisation attracts, develops, and retains top-tier talent while maintaining compliance with UAE labour laws and industry regulations.
Key Responsibilities
1. Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning
- Develop and implement a comprehensive talent acquisition strategy aligned with business growth and project pipeline demands.
- Lead high-volume recruitment across technical, engineering, project management, and corporate functions.
- Build strong talent pipelines for critical construction roles (e.g., project directors, engineers, quantity surveyors, site managers).
- Establish employer branding initiatives to position the company as an employer of choice within the construction sector.
- Oversee recruitment partners, agencies, and international hiring campaigns where required.
- Implement workforce planning models to ensure manpower forecasting aligns with project timelines.
2. Compensation & Benefits
- Design and implement competitive compensation and benefits frameworks aligned with market benchmarks in the UAE construction industry.
- Lead salary benchmarking exercises and ensure internal equity across roles and geographies.
- Develop incentive schemes linked to project performance and business outcomes.
- Oversee benefits administration including health insurance, allowances, bonuses, and expatriate packages.
- Ensure compliance with WPS (Wage Protection System) and UAE Labour Law requirements.
3. HR Strategy & Leadership
- Develop and execute the overall HR strategy in alignment with business objectives.
- Establish HR policies, procedures, and governance frameworks suitable for a project-driven environment.
- Lead organisational design initiatives to support business expansion.
- Provide strategic counsel to senior leadership on people-related matters.
4. Employee Relations & Compliance
- Ensure full compliance with UAE Labour Law and regulatory requirements.
- Oversee employee relations matters including disciplinary processes and conflict resolution.
- Develop retention and engagement strategies to reduce turnover across site-based and corporate employees.
5. Performance Management & Development
- Implement performance management frameworks aligned with KPIs and project milestones.
- Support leadership development and succession planning initiatives.
- Promote a culture of accountability, safety, and high performance.
Candidate Profile
- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field (Master's degree preferred).
- 12+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role within construction, engineering, or infrastructure sectors.
- Strong expertise in talent acquisition within project-based environments.
- Proven experience designing compensation and benefits frameworks in the UAE market.
- In-depth knowledge of UAE Labour Law and HR compliance requirements.
- Experience managing multi-site or geographically dispersed workforces.
- Strong leadership, stakeholder management, and influencing skills.
- Professional HR certification (CIPD, SHRM, or equivalent) preferred.
