Head of Human Resources (HR)

An exciting opportunity within an Abu Dhabi-headquarted investment firm is seeking an experienced & strategically savvy Head of Human Resources (HR). This is a newly created role as part of transformation and company growth plans, and would suit a leader who enjoys the challenge of driving change and ensuring HR is seen as a strategic business function for key decision making.

The position will be based in ADGM, and report to the CEO / Managing Partner. As a trusted adviser to senior leadership, the role leads the entire HR function across topics such as workforce planning, talent management, organisational development, performance, reward, employee relations and HR operations. The position combines strategic leadership with hands-on execution and ensures that people practices are commercially sound, compliant and aligned with the culture and standards of an investment organisation.

Responsibilities Overview

• Responsible across People Strategy & Executive Partnership, Talent, Performance & Leadership, Reward, Culture & Employee Experience, Governance, Risk & HR Operations, Leadership & Stakeholder Management
• Develop and deliver the people strategy, HR plan and budget, aligning workforce priorities, organisational structure and talent requirements with business growth.
• Advise the Managing Partner and senior leadership on succession, reward, culture, senior appointments, retention, performance and key people risks.
• Lead workforce planning, recruitment standards and performance management to attract, develop and retain high-calibre talent aligned with business priorities.
• Establish succession, talent review and leadership development frameworks that strengthen capability, accelerate high-potential talent and support long-term organisational growth.
• Develop competitive reward and benefits programmes, supported by market benchmarking and clear governance, while driving employee engagement and culture initiatives.
• Oversee the employee experience across the full lifecycle, using workforce insights to strengthen accountability, inclusion, development, mobility and retention.
• Strengthen HR governance and compliance across policies, employee relations, payroll, immigration, benefits, systems and vendor management.
• Establish robust HR reporting and controls, using workforce data and continuous process improvement to enhance service quality, risk management, confidentiality and data protection.
• Lead and develop the HR team, setting clear priorities, accountability and service standards to ensure effective delivery across the function.
• Build strong internal and external partnerships, while leading change management and communication for key organisational and people initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration or a related field; a master's degree or recognised HR qualification such as CIPD, is preferred.
• 10 – 15+ years of progressive HR experience, including significant leadership responsibility across both HR strategy and operations.
• Demonstrated experience advising senior executives and operating effectively in a high-performance, confidential environment.
• Strong working knowledge of UAE employment practices, employee relations, immigration and HR compliance requirements.
• Proven capability across talent acquisition, performance, succession, reward, organisational development and HR operations.
• Experience using HR data, metrics and business insight to influence decisions and improve outcomes.
• Excellent written and verbal English; Arabic language capability is advantageous.
• Experience working and driving change within a complex investment, asset management, private equity, venture capital, or similar organisation

Note: Candidates must be based in the UAE already, and be willing to either relocate or be based in Abu Dhabi, 5 days per week.

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