Compensation & Benefits Manager (HR Controlling & Compensation)

Christian Dior Couture; Dubai; On-site; AED 450,000 - 750,000; Full time

Job summary

Christian Dior Couture Middle East seeks a Compensation & Benefits Manager to lead HR Controlling and compensation strategy across the region. You will govern workforce financial planning, payroll oversight, budgeting, advanced HR analytics, and benefits administration in alignment with corporate policies and LVMH standards.

As a strategic partner to executive management, you will direct workforce cost governance, develop compensation frameworks, ensure financial controls, and provide

Responsibilities

• Own workforce financial planning and governance, including headcount, payroll costs, and cost reporting.
• Review and approve planning activities, hires, changes, and staffing requests within budgets.
• Prepare and manage HR budgets and forecasts, including revisions such as R1/R2.
• Analyze budget variances and cost trends; provide recommendations to leadership.
• Oversee payroll governance and financial controls in line with regulations and policies.
• Validate payroll adjustments, accruals, reconciliations, and reporting.
• Support audits and compliance reviews, including internal and external payroll audits.
• Prepare executive dashboards and workforce analytics to inform decisions.
• Manage compensation strategy and administration aligning with philosophy and equity.
• Oversee variable compensation programs, bonuses, and incentives.
• Evaluate compensation proposals using financial impact and market data.
• Manage employee benefits programs (medical, life, workmen's comp, education assistance).
• Manage vendor relationships including insurance providers and payroll partners.
• Review benefit policies to improve experience while controlling costs.
• Advise leadership on cost optimization and HR financial risk.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives with HR, Finance, and central teams.
• Drive HRIS implementations and compensation redesign projects.

Job description

Position

The Compensation & Benefits Manager leads two critical HR functions: HR Controlling and Compensation & Benefits for Christian Dior Couture Middle East. This role is responsible for the strategic governance of workforce financial planning, comprehensive compensation strategy development and implementation, payroll oversight, budgeting, advanced HR analytics, and the administration of employee benefits. Acting as a strategic partner to Executive Management, Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, and regional headquarters, the position directs workforce cost governance, develops and implements compensation frameworks, ensures financial controls over HR expenditures, and provides data-driven recommendations that support business growth, financial integrity, and organizational objectives across the Middle East region.

The role involves significant independent judgment, decision-making authority, and cross-functional leadership, managing a scope that is approximately 60% HR Controlling and 40% Compensation & Benefits.

Profile

Key Responsibilities

• Own workforce financial planning and governance, including headcount, FTE, payroll costs, accruals, intercompany recharges, and employee-related cost reporting.


• Review and approve workforce planning activities, such as new hires, organizational changes, employee movements, and staffing requests, ensuring alignment with budgets, business needs, and corporate policies.


• Prepare and manage HR budgets and forecasts, including annual budgets, periodic forecasts, and budget revisions such as R1/R2.


• Analyze budget variances and workforce cost trends, providing recommendations to executive leadership and headquarters.


• Oversee payroll governance and financial controls, ensuring payroll accuracy, compliance with local regulations, internal controls, corporate policies, and LVMH standards.


• Validate payroll adjustments, accruals, reconciliations, and financial reporting before executive approvals.


• Support audits and compliance reviews, including internal control reviews, statutory requirements, and external payroll audits.


• Prepare executive dashboards, workforce analytics, simulations, and scenario analyses to support strategic decision-making and resource allocation.


• Manage compensation strategy and administration, ensuring programs align with corporate compensation philosophy, internal equity, market competitiveness, and business objectives.


• Oversee variable compensation programs, including sales incentives, commissions, performance bonuses, and recognition programs.


• Evaluate compensation proposals using financial impact assessments, market competitiveness, and internal equity principles.


• Manage employee benefits programs, including medical insurance, life insurance, workmen's compensation, education assistance, employee advances, and other benefit initiatives.


• Manage vendor and provider relationships, including insurance providers, external vendors, payroll partners, and service providers.


• Review and optimize benefit policies to improve employee experience while maintaining cost-effectiveness and financial sustainability.


• Advise senior leadership on workforce cost optimization, compensation policy, organizational planning, and human capital financial risk.


• Lead cross-functional initiatives with HR, Finance, Accounting, Payroll and central headquarters teams.


• Drive transformational HR projects, including HRIS implementations, compensation redesign initiatives, and workforce planning projects.