HR & People Operations Lead (UAE) – Payroll, ER, Policies, HRIS (Oracle)

Overview

• If you’re an HR professional who’s already running the full employee lifecycle, confident with payroll + PRO, and ready to step into a bigger “own the function” role this is built for you.
• The role (why it’s a 5-year fit)
• This is a step-up opportunity into a lead-track position where you’ll move from execution into building and improving the HR engine: policies, processes, HR metrics, manager capability, and scalable people operations.
• Over the next 3–5 years, the path is HR Manager / People Ops Manager as the business grows.
• What you’ll own
• End-to-end employee lifecycle for a growing UAE workforce (onboarding to offboarding)
• Payroll oversight, benefits administration, and employee query resolution (clear, fair, compliant)
• PRO coordination and HR compliance (MOHRE/free zone processes depending on entity)
• Employee relations: grievances, investigations, disciplinary processes, and manager coaching
• HR policies, SOPs, templates, and governance (practical, usable, not “policy for policy’s sake”)
• HR reporting: headcount, cost tracking, sickness/absence trends, and audit support
• HRIS administration and process improvement (Oracle HCM / EBS experience is a big plus)
• Performance management support: cycles, documentation, and improvement plans
• Internal comms support: announcements, change rollouts, and people updates
• What “good” looks like in the first 90 days
• Payroll/benefits/PRO running smoothly with zero surprises
• Clear HR documentation and employee-facing processes (offers, onboarding, leave, EOSB basics)
• A simple HR dashboard for headcount, attrition, absence, and open roles
• Managers aligned on ER process and escalation routes (fewer fires, faster resolution)
• You’ll be a strong match if you have
• 6–8+ years HR generalist / HR operations experience in the UAE
• Hands-on payroll + benefits + employee relations experience (not just coordination)
• Confidence advising managers on policy, discipline, and grievances
• Strong HR admin discipline: documentation, compliance, and data accuracy
• HRIS exposure (Oracle HCM/EBS ideal; any structured HRIS is useful)
• Clear communication style and a calm, service-oriented approach
• Nice to have
• Experience supporting 300+ headcount environments
• Experience in real estate, construction, facilities, or multi-entity groups
• Exposure to HR audits, system rollouts, or process re-engineering

Skills