Head Of Talent Management And Development Financial Services

Black Pearl Consult; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 350,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Black Pearl Consult is recruiting a Head of Talent Management & Development in Abu Dhabi. This senior HR role focuses on Learning & Development, succession planning, performance management, and leadership development to align capability with strategic priorities.

You will partner with Human Capital leadership and department heads to translate business goals into practical development programmes, strengthen career pathways for UAE national talent, and design graduate programmes and onboarding

Qualifications

• Senior HR professional with TM&D expertise.
• Experience in investment management, asset management, banking, financial services, or a complex professional environment.
• Proven experience in succession planning, talent reviews, performance management and leadership development.

Responsibilities

• Develop a learning strategy addressing capability gaps and future business needs.
• Oversee the annual learning programme, including needs assessment, design, budgeting and evaluation.
• Lead talent review and succession planning activities with clear development priorities.
• Support consistent performance assessment through manager guidance and calibration discussions.
• Develop career progression and promotion frameworks with clear advancement expectations.
• Build leadership programmes to prepare high-potential employees for broader responsibilities.
• Create and monitor Individual Development Plans for Emirati employees with line manager involvement.
• Design structured graduate development and onboarding programmes for early-career talent.
• Utilize talent data and programme outcomes to assess progress and drive improvements.

Skills

Talent management

Learning & development

Succession planning

Performance management

Leadership development

Instructional design

Graduate programmes

Stakeholder management

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

CIPD/SHRM qualification (advantageous)

Job description

Job Description:

Black Pearl Consult is recruiting a Head of Talent Management & Development in Abu Dhabi. This opportunity suits a senior Human Resources professional with expertise in Learning & Development, succession planning, performance management, and leadership development.

Working closely with Human Capital leadership and department heads, you will turn business priorities into practical development programmes, strengthen career pathways, and support the growth of UAE national talent.

Your responsibilities:

• Develop a learning strategy that addresses current capability gaps and prepares employees for future business needs.
• Oversee the annual learning programme, including training needs assessment, programme design, provider selection, budgets, and impact evaluation.
• Partner with investment and corporate teams to create relevant development experiences for specialist professionals.
• Lead talent review and succession planning activities, identifying potential successors and establishing clear development priorities.
• Support consistent performance assessment through manager guidance and calibration discussions.
• Develop career progression and promotion assessment frameworks with clear expectations for advancement.
• Build leadership programmes that prepare high-potential employees for broader responsibilities.
• Create and monitor Individual Development Plans for Emirati employees, working closely with their managers.
• Design structured graduate development and onboarding programmes that help early-career talent build capability.
• Use talent data and programme outcomes to assess progress and recommend improvements.

What we are looking for

• Substantial experience in Talent Management, Learning & Development, or Organisational Development, with ownership of programmes and frameworks.
• A background in investment management, asset management, banking, financial services, or another complex professional environment.
• Demonstrated experience across succession planning, talent reviews, performance management, and leadership development.
• Strong knowledge of instructional design and practical approaches to adult learning.
• The ability to understand specialist business needs and work with subject-matter experts to develop relevant learning content.
• Experience in Emirati talent development, graduate programmes, or structured career development would be an advantage.
• Strong project management skills, including managing external providers, budgets, and multiple initiatives.
• Excellent written and spoken English, with the confidence to advise and present to senior stakeholders.
• A relevant bachelor’s degree. CIPD, SHRM, or an equivalent professional qualification is advantageous.