Head, Talent Development

Masdar; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading renewable energy company in Abu Dhabi seeks a Head of Talent Development to drive innovative initiatives that enhance workforce capabilities and align talent strategies with business goals. This senior role requires extensive experience in leadership development and creating scalable career frameworks, focusing on enabling UAE national talent and international mobility. The ideal candidate will possess an MBA and a strong background in talent development within high-growth industries.

Qualifications

• 12–15 years in Talent Development, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record in building scalable leadership frameworks.
• Experience in high-growth, innovative industries.

Responsibilities

• Drive development and execution of operational business plans.
• Define and lead global talent development strategy.
• Implement leadership frameworks for all career levels.

Skills

Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills

Expertise in competency modeling

Ability to influence C-level stakeholders

Familiarity with digital learning ecosystems

Education

MBA or relevant Master’s degree

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or Psychology

Tools

Workday

Cornerstone

Degreed

Job description

Overview

Masdar is seeking a dynamic Head of Talent Development to shape and drive the future of our workforce. In this role, you will lead the strategic design, development, and execution of transformative talent initiatives that strengthen our leadership pipeline, elevate workforce capabilities, and accelerate career growth. You will be instrumental in aligning people strategies with business priorities through innovative learning programs, competency frameworks, and leadership development initiatives, fostering a high-performance, future-ready culture that empowers our teams to thrive.

The role will be based in Abu Dhabi, Masdar HQ.

Responsibilities

Strategic Business Support

Drive the development and execution of the unit’s annual operational business plans, KPIs, and performance reporting, ensuring alignment with Masdar’s overall objectives.

Global Talent Development

Define and lead Masdar’s global talent development strategy, translating business needs into scalable programs that build future-ready capabilities.

Identify and implement cutting-edge learning platforms (LMS, LXP, AI-driven tools) to support personalized, scalable development.

Leadership Development

Design and implement leadership frameworks for all career levels, from emerging leaders to senior executives.

Partner with executives to assess leadership needs, deliver tailored coaching, and strengthen succession pipelines.

Career Development & International Mobility

Build career frameworks including pathing, mentoring, and development plans.

Promote career mobility through international assignments and global talent mobility strategies.

Competency & Capability Frameworks

Oversee the development and governance of technical and behavioral competency frameworks across all divisions.

Embed frameworks into performance management, talent reviews, and learning programs.

Maintain a global talent database to provide data-driven insights on skills, gaps, and opportunities.

Learning & Development (L&D)

Foster a culture of continuous learning through innovative L&D strategies, microlearning, and experiential programs.

Apply metrics-driven approaches to measure learning impact and ROI.

Succession Planning & Workforce Readiness

Partner with stakeholders to identify critical roles, successors, and talent gaps.

Align talent development plans with strategic workforce planning and future skill requirements.

UAE National Talent Development

Develop and implement high-impact Emirati graduate programs and career development initiatives.

Build UAE national talent pools and integrate them into succession planning and workforce strategies.

Collaborate with educational institutions and government bodies to attract, retain, and grow Emirati talent.

Employee Engagement, Wellness & Recognition

Drive employee engagement initiatives, wellness programs, and recognition schemes like the Masdar Annual Awards and ‘KAFU’ program.

Develop action plans to address survey findings and enhance overall workforce satisfaction.

Team Leadership & Budget Oversight

Lead, mentor, and manage the talent development team, ensuring high engagement, performance, and professional growth.

Contribute to budgeting and monitor performance against plans to optimize outcomes.

Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications :

• MBA or relevant Master’s degree from a top-tier internationally recognized higher education institution
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology or equivalent

Preferred Experience :

• At least 12–15 years in Talent Development, with at least 5 years in a leadership role overseeing enterprise talent strategy; deep specialist expertise in function is essential
• Proven track record in building scalable leadership and career development frameworks.
• Experience working in high-growth, future-focused industries, particularly global energy or organizations with strong innovation or sustainability agendas.

Additional Information

Job-Specific Skills :

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills leading to a consultative approach within a corporate / multifunctional environment.
• Deep expertise in competency modeling, succession planning, and learning principles.
• Familiarity with digital learning ecosystems and talent platforms (e.g., Workday, Cornerstone, Degreed).
• Proven ability to influence C-level stakeholders and translate talent strategy into business value.
• Ability to manage cross-functional teams.
• Exposure and understanding of the Middle East and GCC markets.
• Knowledge of change management concepts and trends.

Masdar is one of the world’s fastest growing renewable energy companies and a green hydrogen leader, placing the UAE at the forefront of the energy transition.

As a pioneer in advancing the clean energy sector and a key enabler of the UAE’s vision as a global leader in sustainability and climate action, Masdar has developed projects in more than 40 countries across six continents and has invested, or committed to invest, in worldwide projects with a combined value of more than US$30 billion.

Masdar unites the UAE’s three energy champions – Mubadala, ADNOC and TAQA – and will utilize their combined expertise to fulfill its purpose as a global clean energy pioneer across renewables and green hydrogen.

Promoting innovation in solar, wind, energy storage, waste-to-energy, and geothermal energy, Masdar has a proven record of delivering pioneeringprojects using cutting-edge clean energy technologies, that are commercially viable and bankable.

As part of the application process, we will collect, store and process personal information about you.

Masdar will use your personal information in accordance with our Candidate Privacy Notice, which provides details on the purposes for which your data is processed.