People & Culture Manager

People and Culture Manager

Location:
Dubai, UAE

We are a fast-scaling, technology-driven lifestyle brand operating across multiple markets across EMENA. With a digital-first model and a strong regional footprint spanning the GCC and Europe, we are building a people function that is structured, commercially aware, and genuinely focused on employee experience.

This is a hands-on generalist HR role embedded within one of our key markets, reporting into the Central People and Culture Lead with a dotted line to the Country Head. You will be the primary HR partner for that market, managing a small team of People and Culture Officers and owning the full employee lifecycle and ensuring operational excellence across all people processes.

The People and Culture Manager is responsible for the end-to-end delivery of HR services within the country, managing a small team of People and Culture Officers. You will own talent acquisition, employee relations, payroll governance, HR operations, engagement, and compliance, while serving as the key people partner for the Country Head and cross-functional leadership. This role requires someone with deep knowledge of local labour law, a strong grip on payroll processes, and the maturity to operate across both strategic and operational HR demands.

• Manage the full recruitment cycle for junior to mid-level roles, from job posting and screening through to offer coordination
• Partner with hiring managers to align on role requirements, candidate profiles, and hiring timelines
• Own onboarding logistics end-to-end, including contract preparation, systems access, and induction coordination

• Own the end-to-end payroll preparation process for the country, including validation of attendance, leave, allowances, deductions, and all variable inputs ahead of each payroll cycle
• Ensure payroll outputs are accurate, compliant with local statutory requirements, and submitted within agreed timelines
• Maintain deep working knowledge of country-specific labour laws, including end-of-service entitlements, gratuity calculations, visa and work permit requirements, and disciplinary procedures
• Maintain the accuracy and integrity of all employee data in the HRIS, ensuring timely updates across all employee lifecycle events
• Ensure all HR processes and documentation are fully compliant with local labour law, escalating exceptions and legal risks to the Central P&C Lead immediately

• Act as the primary HR point of contact for employees in the market, providing clear and consistent guidance on policies, benefits, and procedures
• Support the management of grievances, disciplinary processes, and conflict resolution under the direction of senior HR leads
• Track and manage probation confirmations, contract renewals, and exit interview processes

• Lead and coordinate employee engagement initiatives, wellness programs, and recognition activities for the market
• Support the execution of internal communications aligned with the organisation's employer brand and culture guidelines
• Gather employee feedback and contribute to action planning to continuously improve workplace experience

• Manage and support a small team of People and Culture Officers within the country, setting clear priorities and reviewing work quality
• Act as the day-to-day point of escalation for the team, providing guidance on complex employee queries, policy application, and process execution
• Support the professional development of the team in line with the broader P&C capability framework

• Prepare HR reports and dashboards for internal stakeholders, covering headcount, attrition, and HR activity
• Maintain HR documentation standards to ensure accuracy, consistency, and readiness for internal and external compliance checks
• Support timely implementation of audit recommendations and policy updates as directed

• 4 to 6 years of progressive experience in HR operations, talent acquisition, or employee relations
• Experience working in a regional, fast-paced, or multicultural environment
• Hands-on experience with HRIS platforms, ideally SAP Success Factors
• Strong working knowledge of country-specific labour law, including end-of-service, gratuity, visa processing, and statutory compliance
• Hands-on payroll management experience with a solid understanding of payroll cycles, statutory deductions, and audit requirements
• Strong interpersonal, conflict resolution, and stakeholder communication skills
• Prior experience managing or supervising a small HR team
• Arabic speaker; fluency in written and spoken Arabic is required for this role
• Highly organised, detail-oriented, confidential, and emotionally intelligent
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; CIPD or SHRM certification is a plus

Payroll accuracy and on-time delivery, time to hire,…