Human Resources Manager

POSITION OVERVIEW The Human Resources Manager leads HR for ALGT and for the ELC and The Entertainer retail business in the UAE and GCC. This is a shared role. It covers head office, the ALGT distribution business and around 28 stores, and it serves both businesses fairly. The role does two jobs. First, it runs HR operations that must be right every time: visas, contracts, payroll inputs, leave, end-of-service and employee records, all in line with UAE and GCC law. Second, it raises the standard of people management across the business: clear policies, fair and consistent employee relations, good recruitment and managers who know how to manage. The role holder is the expert on UAE labour law. GCC has its own team on the ground for day-to-day HR, so the role holder needs a working knowledge of GCC law and the judgement to know when to take advice. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES HR leadership and strategy Build and deliver an HR plan that supports the business plans of ALGT and the retail business Advise directors, the General Manager and department heads on people matters, structure and organisational effectiveness Balance the needs of both businesses fairly, and raise any conflict of priorities with the General Manager early Employee relations Run the disciplinary, grievance, performance and absence processes, and make sure they are applied fairly and consistently across every store Lead or oversee investigations, and make sure the process is followed and documented before any outcome is decided Coach and advise line managers on every area of employee relations, so they handle issues well at the first stage Manage legal risk on employee matters, and work with external legal advisers where needed Manage change processes such as restructures, role changes and contract terminations in line with UAE and GCC law Run employee surveys and exit interviews, and act on what they show Employment law and compliance Make sure the business complies with UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and its regulations, and similar law in GCC Manage the relationship with MOHRE in the UAE and the Ministry of Labour in GCC, including labour complaints and inspections Make sure all employment contracts are correct, registered and up to date Manage Emiratisation requirements and reporting, where they apply to the business Make sure staff medical insurance is in place and renewed, in line with UAE and GCC requirements Make sure HR data is handled in line with the Personal Data Protection Law Policy and documentation Own the ALGT HR and operational policy suite, the employee handbook and contract templates; review them every year and when the law changes Make sure policies are available in English and Arabic, and written in plain English that store teams can understand Deliver policy training and briefings to managers Recruitment and induction Lead end-to-end recruitment for stores, head office and other functions, from manpower planning to onboarding Manage recruitment agencies and job advertising, and keep recruitment costs under control Write and maintain job profiles and competency frameworks Plan recruitment for new stores and peak trading periods, including Q4 and Ramadan Run induction for new starters, working with the Area Managers and the training team Visas, immigration and HR administration Oversee employment visas, work permits, labour cards, ID: new applications, renewals, transfers and cancellations Track expiry dates for visas, IDs, passports and medical insurance, so no employee is ever working without valid documents Supervise personnel files and HR records, so they are complete, accurate and secure Oversee attendance and leave records Pay, benefits and leave Oversee salary structures and grading, and make sure pay is fair across roles and stores Prepare accurate monthly payroll inputs and work with Finance so salaries are paid on time through WPS (Wage Protection System) Manage leave, including annual leave planning, sickness, maternity and Hajj leave Calculate end-of-service gratuity and final settlements correctly and on time Manage employee benefits and the bonus scheme Performance, training and development Run the appraisal process and support managers to set objectives and manage performance Identify training needs and deliver development programmes for store teams, store managers and head office Support succession planning, so the business can grow its own managers Workforce planning and reporting Monitor staffing across stores and departments, so each location has the right number of people at the right cost Produce a monthly HR report covering headcount, recruitment, turnover, absence, open cases and workforce cost Use HR data to spot problems early and recommend action HR systems Own the HR side of the company systems, including Shift (rotas, disciplinary and grievance cases) and Jack (the AI policy assistant for stores) Make sure the information in these systems stays accurate and the policies behind them are current KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS No employee working without a valid visa, ID, contract or medical insurance Payroll inputs on time and accurate every month; no WPS penalties Final settlements paid within the legal deadline Employee relations cases closed within agreed timescales, with full records Labour complaints and MOHRE cases kept to a minimum and handled correctly Staff turnover and absence against target Time to fill vacancies, and new starter retention after probation Policy suite reviewed and current, in English and Arabic Appraisals completed on time PERSON SPECIFICATION Essential Bachelor's degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration or a related field At least 4 years of hands-on HR experience, with at least 2 in the UAE Strong, practical knowledge of UAE labour law, MOHRE processes, WPS and the visa process Proven experience in employee relations, including investigations, disciplinaries and grievances Experience in recruitment, performance management, payroll coordination and HR administration Experience in a retail, hospitality or similar business with many sites and shift-based teams Excellent written and spoken English; able to write clear, simple documents for staff with English as a second language Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel, and in HR systems High standards of professionalism, confidentiality and integrity Desirable CIPD, SHRM or equivalent professional HR qualification (full or part qualified) Working knowledge of GCC labour law and HR practice, or experience managing HR across the GCC Experience supporting store teams in shopping malls Experience in a franchised or international brand Experience of Emiratisation programmes Arabic language skills Show more Show less