Employee Relations Specialist - Ethics and Compliance

AlFuttaim; Dubai; On-site; AED 240,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Al-Futtaim seeks an Employee Relations Specialist to support complex ER matters under UAE labor law. You will investigate, mediate, and govern policy while ensuring confidential handling of cases and robust reporting across the organization.

You will manage Speak Up channels, coordinate investigations, and deliver training, awareness programs, and ER controls to drive compliant, ethical workplace practices across multiple units in the UAE.

Qualifications

• Requires a diploma/degree in HR, employment law, or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience (5+ years) in ER within GCC with UAE labor law knowledge preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide timely guidance on ER matters, internal policies, UAE labor law requirements, and compliance risks.
• Manage Speak Up, grievance, escalation, and reporting channels.
• Assess misconduct, ethics violations, conflicts, and policy breaches to determine investigative actions.
• Conduct impartial investigations with confidentiality, fairness, and proper documentation.
• Interview employees, managers, witnesses, and stakeholders as part of investigations.
• Review evidence and prepare clear findings in line with policies and legal requirements.
• Recommend corrective, disciplinary, or preventive actions based on outcomes.
• Support grievance and appeal hearings and provide translation assistance when needed.
• Mediate workplace conflicts where formal action isn’t necessary.
• Maintain accurate case records covering allegations, steps, evidence, and outcomes.
• Keep ER policies current with UAE labor law and organizational standards.
• Develop SOPs, SLAs, and lean ER processes; promote ethics through awareness programs.
• Create ER training content for managers, staff, and HR; deliver ethics training.
• Lead awareness campaigns on Code of Conduct, Speak Up, and conflicts of interest.
• Analyze ER data on Speak Up cases, disciplinary matters, and recurring issues.
• Monitor ER controls, trends, and KPIs to assess program effectiveness.
• Prepare reports on Speak Up performance, investigations, and ER risks.
• Conduct ethics compliance risk assessments and due diligence across policy areas.
• Maintain accurate ER administration to avoid legal or reputational exposure.
• Collaborate with HR, leaders, legal, and external specialists.

Skills

Employee relations

UAE labor law

Employment law

Employee investigations

Workplace investigations

Speak Up management

Grievance management

Disciplinary procedures

Ethics compliance

Code of Conduct

Conflict of Interest

Policy development

Policy governance

Compliance risk assessment

Due diligence

Corrective action

Disciplinary action

Workplace mediation

Case management

Investigation reporting

Employee grievance hearings

ER escalation

SOP development

SLA management

HR compliance

Employee relations training

Ethics training

KPI reporting

Education

Diploma or Degree in Human Resources or Employment Law

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

Role Context

The Employee Relations Specialist will support the organization in managing complex employee relations matters while ensuring cases are handled consistently, confidentially, and in accordance with UAE labor law and internal policies. The role combines investigation, mediation, policy governance, compliance monitoring, ethics awareness, training, and ER reporting. A key responsibility will be managing Speak Up and grievance channels so employees have a trusted mechanism for raising concerns. The specialist will assess allegations, coordinate investigations, recommend appropriate outcomes, and monitor corrective or disciplinary actions while protecting legal, financial, and reputational interests. The position will also strengthen preventive employee relations through training, policy communication, compliance controls, and analysis of recurring workplace trends.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide timely guidance on employee relations matters, internal policies, UAE labor law requirements, and compliance risks.
• Manage employee concerns raised through Speak Up, grievance, escalation, and related reporting channels.
• Assess allegations of misconduct, ethics violations, conflicts, and policy breaches before determining appropriate investigative action.
• Conduct impartial employee investigations while maintaining confidentiality, fairness, and professional documentation.
• Interview employees, managers, witnesses, and relevant stakeholders as part of formal case investigations.
• Review available evidence and prepare clear findings based on established policies and applicable legal requirements.
• Recommend corrective, disciplinary, or preventive action based on investigation outcomes.
• Support grievance and appeal hearings and provide translation assistance where required.
• Mediate workplace conflicts and help employees and managers reach appropriate resolutions where formal disciplinary action is not necessary.
• Maintain accurate case records covering allegations, investigation steps, evidence, decisions, and final outcomes.
• Ensure employee relations policies remain current and consistent with UAE labor legislation and organizational standards.
• Support implementation of the Group policy framework, disciplinary procedures, grievance processes, and escalation protocols.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures, service level agreements, and lean process flows for ER activities.
• Promote an ethical workplace culture through structured awareness programs and practical guidance.
• Develop employee relations training content for managers, employees, and HR teams.
• Deliver corporate ethics training, including introductory programs for new employees and ongoing awareness sessions.
• Launch awareness campaigns covering Code of Conduct, Speak Up, Conflict of Interest, and related ethics topics.
• Analyze employee relations data covering Speak Up cases, disciplinary matters, conflicts of interest, and recurring issues.
• Monitor ER controls, trends, service levels, and key performance indicators to assess program effectiveness.
• Prepare reports on Speak Up performance, investigation outcomes, compliance indicators, and emerging ER risks.
• Conduct ethics compliance risk assessments and due diligence across relevant policy areas.
• Ensure accuracy in employee relations administration where errors could create legal, financial, or reputational exposure.
• Maintain effective working relationships with HR teams, business leaders, legal stakeholders, and external specialists.
• Support the Line Manager with employee relations projects and strategic HR initiatives.
• Keep current knowledge of UAE labor law procedures, employment practices, and company policies.
• Prioritize ER activities across international business requirements while meeting case deadlines.
• Gather stakeholder feedback and use it to improve employee relations processes and service quality.

Ideal Profile

Candidates should ideally hold a Diploma or Degree in Human Resources, Employment Law, or a closely related discipline and have at least 5 years of relevant HR or Employee Relations experience within the GCC. Deep understanding of employee relations practices and employment law is essential, particularly UAE labor law, disciplinary procedures, grievances, investigations, ethics concerns, and workplace compliance. Candidates should have proven experience managing sensitive employee cases and documenting findings in a structured and defensible manner. Strong project management and policy documentation capability is important because the role involves maintaining ER frameworks, procedures, training materials, reporting processes, and awareness initiatives. The successful professional will demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication, sound judgment, discretion, attention to detail, and the ability to explain complex policy or legislative matters clearly. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint is required for reporting, case management, policy documentation, and management presentations.

Skills Set

• Employee relations
• UAE labor law
• Employment law
• Employee investigations
• Workplace investigations
• Speak Up management
• Grievance management
• Disciplinary procedures
• Ethics compliance
• Code of Conduct
• Conflict of Interest
• Policy development
• Policy governance
• Compliance risk assessment
• Due diligence
• Corrective action
• Disciplinary action
• Workplace mediation
• Case management
• Investigation reporting
• Employee grievance hearings
• ER escalation
• SOP development
• SLA management
• HR compliance
• Employee relations training
• Ethics training
• KPI reporting
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint

Why Join Us

This role provides direct exposure to complex employee relations, ethics, compliance, and workforce governance matters within a large and highly diversified regional organization. Professionals with strong ER and employment law expertise play an important role in protecting employees, supporting managers, reducing organizational risk, and maintaining trust across the workplace. Al-Futtaim offers the opportunity to work across multiple industries, business units, and multicultural teams while contributing to Group-wide policies, ethics programs, investigation processes, and strategic HR projects. The position provides a strong platform for progression into senior employee relations, HR governance, compliance, employment policy, or broader HR leadership responsibilities.

About the Company

Al-Futtaim is a diversified privately held regional business headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Established in the 1930s, the Group operates across automotive, financial services, real estate, retail, and healthcare, employing more than 35000 people across over 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Al-Futtaim partners with more than 200 international brands and continues to expand through customer-focused operations, strategic investment, and long-term regional growth.