HR Business Partner Middle East

Cigna Group; Dubai; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health advocate in Dubai is seeking an HR Business Partner to oversee strategic HR initiatives, improve employee experience, and maintain compliance with regional laws. The role requires at least 7 years of HR experience, ideally in insurance or healthcare sectors. The ideal candidate should possess strong communication skills, expertise in employment law, and the ability to influence stakeholders. This is an excellent opportunity to drive HR strategy and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years progressive HR experience in insurance or healthcare sector.
• Proven success in multinational and matrixed organizations.
• Ability to influence and build trust with senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Translate business priorities into a people agenda.
• Lead strategic HR initiatives including workforce planning.
• Ensure compliance with regional employment laws.

Skills

Business partnering

Employee relations

Compensation

Recruitment

Organizational development

Communication in English

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Psychology or related field

Tools

Workday

Job description

Overview

HR Business Partner Middle East — Location: Dubai UAE; Reports to: HR Director Middle East & Africa; Function: Human Resources International Health

This HR Business Partner role is based in our Dubai office and is responsible for the end-to-end delivery of the employee lifecycle across the Middle East (UAE Oman Kuwait Bahrain and Lebanon). In addition to regional responsibilities the role will contribute to broader HR initiatives at the International Health level supporting enterprise-wide priorities.

As a trusted advisor to the business the HR Business Partner will play a pivotal role in translating business strategy into people outcomes. The role partners closely with HR Leads the HR Director and Centers of Excellence (COEs) to drive continuous improvement operational excellence and a high-impact employee experience aligned with Cigna MEAs strategic goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic HR Leadership
  • Translate business and functional priorities into a forward-looking people agenda.
  • Lead and execute strategic HR initiatives including workforce planning talent acquisition development and engagement.
  • Act as a liaison between country leadership functional teams and International Markets HR to ensure alignment and transparency.
• Culture & Employee Experience
  • Champion the Employee Value Proposition and embed it across the employee journey.
  • Drive culture and leadership development initiatives that support organizational transformation.
  • Monitor employee engagement and wellbeing recommending interventions to enhance performance and retention.
• Talent & Organizational Development
  • Lead talent reviews succession planning and capability building in partnership with business leaders.
  • Provide strategic and operational guidance on organizational design and workforce optimization.
  • Support innovation and change management efforts across the region.
• Compensation & Governance
  • Oversee compensation and benefits to ensure competitiveness and equity.
  • Partner with Finance on HR budget planning and forecasting.
  • Ensure compliance with regional employment laws and regulatory developments.
• Operational Excellence
  • Execute HR processes in Workday including position management headcount reporting and HR transactions.
  • Prepare HR metrics and reporting to inform decision-making.
  • Support the HR Director on cross-regional and enterprise-wide projects.

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Human Resources, Business, Psychology or related field.
• Minimum of 7 years progressive HR experience ideally within the insurance or healthcare sector.
• Proven success operating within multinational and matrixed organizations navigating complexity and driving alignment across geographies and functions.
• Strong business partnering experience with expertise in employment law, compensation, recruitment, employee relations and organizational development.
• Demonstrated ability to influence, coach and build trust with senior stakeholders.
• High proficiency in HR systems (Workday preferred) and data-driven decision-making.
• Excellent communication skills in English.

Core Competencies

• Organizational Agility
• Strategic Thinking
• Builds Networks
• Drives Results
• Communicates Effectively
• Customer Focus
• Decision Quality
• Cultivates Innovation

About Cigna Healthcare

Cigna Healthcare a division of The Cigna Group is an advocate for better health through every stage of life. We guide our customers through the health care system empowering them with the information and insight they need to make the best choices for improving their health and vitality. Join us in driving growth and improving lives.

Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race color age disability sex childbirth (including pregnancy) or related medical conditions including but not limited to lactation sexual orientation gender identity or expression veteran or military status religion national origin ancestry marital or familial status genetic information status with regard to public assistance citizenship status or any other characteristic protected by applicable equal employment opportunity laws.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing the online application process please email: for support. Do not email for an update on your application or to provide your resume as you will not receive a response.