HR Director - FMCG

Yello; Dubai; On-site; AED 300,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Yello, a privately owned international food and agriculture group with a Dubai footprint, is seeking an experienced HR leader to drive strategy, governance and organisational effectiveness across its global operations.

You will lead the transformation of the HR function, design scalable policies, and implement operating models that align local needs with group-wide standards. A strong focus on compensation, grading, and succession planning will be central to this role.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of HR experience in FMCG, food manufacturing, industrial, logistics, trading, agriculture or diversified family-owned groups.
• Extensive HR leadership experience within large, complex or multinational organisations.
• Demonstrated success building, restructuring or transforming HR functions.
• Experience operating within family-owned, founder-led or evolving corporate environments.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to navigate ambiguity and influence senior decision-makers.
• International exposure across multicultural and geographically dispersed workforces.
• Strategic mindset combined with a hands-on execution approach.
• Experience in compensation, grading, performance management and organisational design.
• Strong communication skills and confidence presenting to executive leadership.
• Willingness to travel internationally, including to regional operating locations.

Responsibilities

• Partner with senior leadership and the board on people strategy, organisational effectiveness and governance.
• Lead the transformation and professionalisation of the HR function across multiple countries.
• Design and implement scalable HR policies, processes, systems and operating models.
• Establish job grading, compensation frameworks and performance management processes.
• Drive workforce planning, succession planning and leadership development initiatives.
• Lead organisational change, integration projects and culture-building programmes.
• Manage talent acquisition strategies for regional and international hiring needs.
• Oversee a geographically dispersed HR team and improve reporting, controls and people analytics.
• Build alignment between local business requirements and group-wide HR standards.
• Serve as a trusted advisor within a complex stakeholder environment balancing entrepreneurial and corporate operating styles.

Skills

HR leadership

Stakeholder management

People strategy

Organisational design

Change management

Executive communication

International exposure

Travel willingness

Multinational experience

Job description

A privately owned international food and agriculture group undergoing significant organisational transformation.

Key responsibilities include:

• Partner with senior leadership and the board on people strategy, organisational effectiveness and governance.
• Lead the transformation and professionalisation of the HR function across multiple countries.
• Design and implement scalable HR policies, processes, systems and operating models.
• Establish job grading, compensation frameworks and performance management processes.
• Drive workforce planning, succession planning and leadership development initiatives.
• Lead organisational change, integration projects and culture-building programmes.
• Manage talent acquisition strategies for regional and international hiring needs.
• Oversee a geographically dispersed HR team and improve reporting, controls and people analytics.
• Build alignment between local business requirements and group-wide HR standards.
• Serve as a trusted advisor within a complex stakeholder environment balancing entrepreneurial and corporate operating styles.

Key prerequisites for the role include:

• 15+ Years of HR experience within FMCG, food manufacturing, industrial, logistics, trading, agriculture or diversified family-owned groups.
• Extensive HR leadership experience within large, complex or multinational organisations.
• Demonstrated success building, restructuring or transforming HR functions.
• Experience operating within family-owned, founder-led or evolving corporate environments.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to navigate ambiguity and influence senior decision-makers.
• International exposure across multicultural and geographically dispersed workforces.
• Strategic mindset combined with a hands-on execution approach.
• Experience in compensation, grading, performance management and organisational design.
• Strong communication skills and confidence presenting to executive leadership.
• Willingness to travel internationally, including to regional operating locations.