Director - Employee Relations

Dubai Holding; Dubai; On-site; AED 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Dubai Holding is seeking a Director - Employee Relations to provide strategic leadership for ER across the Group, ensuring fair and compliant handling of matters under UAE labour law. You will shape governance, policy, investigations, and workforce relations while driving a high-trust workplace culture.

As a senior adviser to the VP of Human Capital and business leaders, you will lead the ER function, oversee case management, and drive continuous improvement across all subsidiaries in alignment

Qualifications

• Progressive experience in employee relations, HR operations, or employment law.
• Senior leadership experience overseeing ER across a multi-entity or group.
• UAE / GCC experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the group-wide Employee Relations strategy aligned with People Strategy and culture objectives.
• Oversee end-to-end ER case management including disciplinary actions, grievances, investigations, and terminations.
• Ensure investigations comply with UAE labour law and natural justice, with thorough documentation.

Skills

Leadership

Employee relations

HR operations

Employment law

Analytical skills

UAE/GCC experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Law/Business

Master's degree preferred

CIPD Level 7 / SHRM-SCP advantageous

Tools

HRIS

ER case management systems

Job description

Established in 2004, Dubai Holding is a global investment company with investments in more than 34 countries and a combined workforce of nearly 45,000 individuals. In line with the vision of Dubai’s leadership and economic diversification strategy, Dubai Holding companies have nurtured sectors, irrevocably transforming Dubai’s socio-economic landscape and positioning Dubai as a diversified, globally integrated economy.

Dubai Holding is committed to the diversification of Dubai’s non-oil economy. Our portfolio, valued at over AED 284+ billion, spans 10 sectors, including real estate, hospitality, leisure & entertainment, ICT, design, education, media, retail, manufacturing & logistics, and science.

For the Good of Tomorrow

Dubai Holding is looking to hire a Director - Employee Relations who is responsible for providing strategic leadership and oversight of the Employee Relations function across Dubai Holding, ensuring the consistent, fair, and legally compliant management of all employee relations matters across the Group’s verticals and corporate functions.

The role sets the direction for ER policy, governance, and case management frameworks, ensuring alignment with UAE labour law, MOHRE regulations, and Dubai Holding’s People Strategy. Acting as a senior adviser to Human Capital leadership, vertical HRBPs, and business leaders, the role drives a proactive and preventative approach to employee relations, safeguarding the organisation’s interests while fostering a fair, respectful, and high-trust workplace culture.

Key Accountabilities

Employee Relations Strategy & Governance

• Define and lead the Group-wide Employee Relations strategy, ensuring it supports Dubai Holding’s People Strategy, business priorities, and organisational culture objectives.
• Establish and maintain the ER governance framework, including policies, standard operating procedures, escalation protocols, and delegated authority matrices for all ER matters.
• Provide strategic counsel to the VP – Human Capital and senior leadership on complex, sensitive, or high-risk ER matters, ensuring informed decision-making and appropriate risk mitigation.

Case Management & Investigations

• Oversee the end-to-end management of all employee relations cases across the Group, including disciplinary actions, grievances, misconduct investigations, performance management escalations, and terminations.
• Ensure all investigations are conducted in accordance with Dubai Holding policy, UAE labour law, and principles of natural justice — maintaining objectivity, confidentiality, and thorough documentation at all stages.
• Establish and monitor case management metrics (volume, cycle time, resolution rates, repeat cases) to identify trends, systemic issues, and opportunities for early intervention.

Labour Law & Regulatory Compliance

• Oversee the end-to-end management of all employee relations cases across the Group, including disciplinary actions, grievances, misconduct investigations, performance management escalations, and terminations.
• Ensure all investigations are conducted in accordance with Dubai Holding policy, UAE labour law, and principles of natural justice — maintaining objectivity, confidentiality, and thorough documentation at all stages.
• Establish and monitor case management metrics (volume, cycle time, resolution rates, repeat cases) to identify trends, systemic issues, and opportunities for early intervention.

Industrial & Workforce Relations

• Lead the management of workforce relations matters, including restructuring, redundancy programmes, transfer of undertakings, and workforce rationalisation exercises, ensuring legal compliance and minimising organisational risk.
• Provide strategic oversight during sensitive organisational change programmes, advising on communication, consultation, and employee impact mitigation strategies.
• Monitor employee sentiment and engagement data to identify emerging ER risks and inform proactive intervention strategies. Reporting: Share weekly status update reports with the VP noting all project updates, next steps and deadlines.

Reporting and Continuous Improvement

• Develop and deliver regular ER reporting to HC leadership and governance bodies, including case dashboards, trend analysis, risk indicators, and benchmarking insights.
• Drive continuous improvement of ER processes, systems, and tools — including case management platforms and knowledge management resources — to enhance efficiency, consistency, and service quality.
• Benchmark Dubai Holding’s ER practices against industry peers and leading organisations, identifying gaps and recommending enhancements.

People Management

• Provide leadership within the function, setting individual objectives, managing performance, developing and motivating staff, provision of formal and informal feedback and appraisal — to maximise subordinate and departmental performance in the pursuit of the Department’s objectives.
• Drive upskilling and continuous development initiatives within the ER team in line with the capability requirements and service priorities of the function.
• Foster a culture of professionalism, discretion, and empathy within the team, ensuring all ER practitioners maintain the highest standards of confidentiality, objectivity, and employee trust.

Qualifications, Skills & Experience

• 10–12 years of progressive experience in employee relations, HR operations, or employment law, with a minimum of 5 years in a senior leadership role overseeing ER across a multi-entity or group-level organisation.
• UAE / GCC experience is strongly preferred.

Education/Professional Certification

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Law, Business Administration, or a related field. Master’s degree or postgraduate qualification in HR or Employment Law is preferred.
• CIPD Level 7, SHRM-SCP, or equivalent professional certification is advantageous.

Technical Competencies

• Deep expertise in UAE labour law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021) and MOHRE regulations
• Strong knowledge of disciplinary and grievance management frameworks
• Experience with ER case management systems and HR information systems
• Understanding of workforce restructuring, redundancy, and transfer of undertakings
• Familiarity with employee engagement analytics and sentiment monitoring tools

Behavioral Competencies

• Strong leadership and people management capability
• Exceptional judgement, discretion, and integrity in handling sensitive matters
• Clear, confident, and empathetic communication across all levels
• Analytical and evidence-based approach to decision-making
• Resilience and composure under pressure
• Collaborative and relationship-oriented with a strong advisory mindset

As much as we would be delighted to entertain all applicants, due to the high volumes of applications, only successful applicants will be contacted within 14 business days.

This job description is not all inclusive. Dubai Holding reserves the right to amend this job description at any time. Dubai Holding is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment.