Director - HR Business Partnering

GMG Gulf; Dubai; On-site; AED 550,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

GMG is seeking a Director - HR Business Partnering in Dubai to lead the HRBP function for Everyday Goods, spanning retail, manufacturing, and B2B distribution. The role shapes the people agenda, partnering with operations, plant leadership, and commercial teams to drive workforce planning, organizational development, and talent retention.

The Director will guide transformation initiatives, build capability, and ensure readiness as the business expands across multiple formats and sites in the UAE.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Master’s degree preferred with SHRM or CIPD certification.
• At least 10 years in human resources with 5+ in leadership roles.

Responsibilities

• Lead HRBP activities across organizational restructuring, budgeting, policy guidance, and management support.
• Address diverse workforce needs across retail, manufacturing, and distribution teams.
• Collaborate with senior HR leaders to set short-term and long-term departmental objectives.
• Ensure HR practices comply with UAE labour law and MOHRE regulations across sites.
• Provide strategic HR guidance and develop capability across the HR function.

Skills

HRBP

Leadership

Organizational development

Employee relations

People analytics

Stakeholder engagement

Change management

Workforce planning

Education

Bachelor’s in HR or related

Master’s degree preferred

SHRM or CIPD certification

Tools

ERP systems

BI tools

Job description

Director - HR Business Partnering Job Snapshot Role: Director - HR Business Partnering Location: Dubai, UAE Industry: Retail Function: Human Resources Experience: At least 10 years in human resources, including a minimum of 5 years in a leadership role Job Type: Full Time

Position Overview GMG is seeking a Director - HR Business Partnering in Dubai, UAE to lead the HR Business Partnering function for its Everyday Goods division, covering multi-format retail, food manufacturing, and B2B distribution. This senior leadership role will shape and execute the people agenda across diverse workforce populations, partnering with retail operations, manufacturing and plant leadership, and commercial and distribution teams. The Director will lead strategic HR initiatives spanning workforce planning, organizational development, employee relations, capability building, talent retention, transformation, and organizational readiness as the business expands.

Job Details Country: UAE City: Dubai Industry: Retail Function: Human Resources Salary: Not disclosed Gender: No Preference Candidate Nationality: Not specified Job Type: Full Time Work Arrangement: On-site

Strategic HR Business Partnering

The Director will lead assigned HRBP functions while ensuring people programs and practices remain aligned with GMG 's business priorities and organizational values.

• Lead HR Business Partnering activities covering organizational restructuring, strategic budgeting, employee relations, policy application, and management guidance.
• Address the different workforce requirements of retail frontline employees, factory and production teams, and the distribution sales force.
• Maintain a strong understanding of the wider business environment to guide employee relations, people management, and policy implementation.
• Collaborate with other HR Directors and senior HR leadership to develop and execute short-term and long-term departmental objectives.
• Establish HR and culture priorities aligned with business goals while supporting consistent people practices across the division 's different verticals.

Workforce Planning and Business Expansion

• Own workforce planning and manpower budgeting across the Everyday Goods division.
• Lead headcount planning and establish appropriate manning ratios for new store and factory openings.
• Plan seasonal and promotional staffing requirements for retail operations.
• Partner with retail, manufacturing, and distribution leadership on capability building and organizational readiness.
• Support workforce transitions associated with new store openings, manufacturing expansion, and growth of the distribution portfolio.
• Ensure people strategies remain appropriate for a multi-format, multi-site operating environment.

Leadership and Team Development

The position carries supervisory responsibility for assigned HRBP functions and requires strong people leadership across the HR organization.

• Evaluate individual team member performance and encourage continuous performance improvement.
• Ensure key HR personnel have the skills, tools, and capabilities required to perform their responsibilities effectively.
• Provide strategic HR guidance and advanced internal consulting to business leaders.
• Influence management decisions through sound business understanding, HR expertise, and organizational development knowledge.

Employee Relations and HR Governance

• Apply appropriate HR practices across retail stores, manufacturing facilities, and distribution and commercial offices.
• Maintain a strong understanding of UAE labour law and MOHRE regulations, particularly in relation to blue-collar and production workforces and multi-site retail operations.
• Apply relevant industrial and labour relations knowledge within FMCG and manufacturing environments.
• Support effective workforce management while recognizing the importance of food safety culture within manufacturing operations.
• Ensure job descriptions are developed and organized in accordance with guidelines established by the Rewards team, maintaining consistency, clarity, and compliance.

Business and Functional Expertise

• Strong business and financial acumen with the ability to understand market and operational factors affecting people decisions.
• Advanced HR consulting and organizational development capability.
• Knowledge of current HR trends and established practices.
• Experience operating a multi-format and multi-site HR delivery model.
• Understanding of route-to-market and commercial sales force structures.
• Knowledge of incentive design and field force management relevant to multi-channel distribution.
• Familiarity with change management and organizational transformation.
• Understanding of business operations, process optimization, and performance metrics.
• Experience using ERP systems and business intelligence tools.
• Advanced problem-solving and decision-making capability.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor 's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Master 's degree is preferred.
• SHRM or CIPD professional HR certification.
• At least 10 years of human resources experience.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in a leadership role.
• Significant experience in a similar HR position.
• Strong people leadership and team management capabilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and senior business leaders.
• Arabic language skills are an advantage.

Why Join GMG

This role provides the opportunity to shape the people agenda across a diverse Everyday Goods business encompassing retail stores, manufacturing operations, and B2B distribution. The Director will work closely with senior business and HR leadership on workforce growth, organizational transformation, capability development, and the people requirements associated with business expansion.