Our Client
A diversified holding group is launching a new college in the UAE, designed to develop the next generation of banking and finance professionals. As the institution prepares for its first intake of students and faculty, they are building a strong operational foundation and looking for an HR Manager who will play a key role in shaping the people strategy from the scratch.
Your Role
This is a unique opportunity for an HR professional who enjoys building things from the ground up. The HR Manager will be responsible for establishing and leading the HR function for the college, ensuring the right talent, policies, and culture are in place to support both the launch phase and long-term growth.
Working closely with academic leadership and operational teams, the role will combine hands-on HR delivery with strategic input, helping create a workplace where faculty and staff can thrive.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and implement the HR set-up roadmap for the college, aligned with the overall launch timeline.
- Partner with academic and operational leadership to drive workforce planning across faculty, professional, and support roles.
- Lead end-to-end recruitment, from defining role requirements and sourcing candidates to managing interviews, offers, and onboarding.
- Establish HR policies and processes in line with UAE labour law, covering areas such as contracts, probation, performance management, employee conduct, and leave management.
- Design and manage onboarding and induction programs that help new faculty and staff integrate smoothly into the institution.
- Implement a performance management framework suitable for both academic and administrative teams.
- Support compensation and benefits benchmarking to ensure fairness, competitiveness, and internal consistency.
- Oversee HR operations and systems, including HRIS, employee documentation, and compliance records.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to leadership on employee relations, engagement, and culture as the organization grows.
- Collaborate with the wider HR ecosystem to ensure alignment with broader people policies and frameworks.
Your Profile
- 712 years of HR experience, including 35 years within the UAE education sector.
- Experience in higher education environments would be advantageous.
- Strong HR generalist background, with confidence in building processes and structures where they may not yet exist.
- Good working knowledge of UAE labour law and employment practices.
- Comfortable partnering with senior stakeholders and operating in a dynamic, evolving environment.
- A proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with the ability to balance strategy with hands-on execution.
