HR Generalist

Grant Thornton UAE; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Grant Thornton UAE is seeking an HR Generalist to support HR Operations, People & Culture, and related enabling teams. You will manage the employee lifecycle, ensure compliance, and partner with managers across service lines to handle performance, planning, and people initiatives.

The role focuses on governance of HR processes, data accuracy, and employee relations while supporting the broader business objectives and workforce strategy.

Qualifications

• Experience managing end-to-end employee lifecycle activities including onboarding, probation reviews, promotions, transfers, contracts, and offboarding.
• Strong understanding of HR policies, compliance, and employee relations; comfortable guiding managers and staff.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end employee lifecycle activities including onboarding, probation reviews, promotions, transfers, contract amendments, and offboarding.
• Prepare and issue employment-related documentation, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Maintain employee records within HR systems and personnel files.
• Coordinate visa, labour, and immigration-related HR activities where applicable.
• Support payroll administration by ensuring accurate employee data and timely submissions.
• Monitor probation periods, contract renewals, and key employee milestones.
• Ensure HR policies, procedures, and employee records remain compliant with internal and regulatory requirements.
• Respond to employee HR queries and provide guidance on policies and procedures.
• Build strong working relationships with managers across assigned service lines.
• Support managers on lifecycle decisions, performance management, and people-related matters.
• Provide first-line advice on employee relations issues, escalating complex matters appropriately.
• Assist with performance review cycles and talent management initiatives.
• Support workforce planning, resource forecasting, and headcount tracking activities.
• Contribute to employee engagement and culture initiatives.
• Support implementation of people strategies aligned with business objectives.
• Identify opportunities to improve HR processes, systems, and employee experience.
• Contribute to HR transformation and automation initiatives.
• Assist in developing HR dashboards, reports, and people analytics.
• Support annual HR activities including budgeting, promotions, compensation reviews, and engagement surveys.
• Participate in cross-functional projects and firm-wide people initiatives.
• Produce regular HR reports and insights on headcount, turnover, recruitment, absence, and workforce trends.
• Maintain data integrity across HR systems and reporting tools.
• Support compliance, audit, and governance requirements through accurate documentation and reporting.
• Analyse people data to support decision-making and identify trends.

Skills

Employee lifecycle

Onboarding

Payroll administration

Visa & immigration

HR policies & compliance

Employee relations

Performance management

Workforce planning

People analytics

Data reporting

Job description

We’re a large and growing professional services firm that still feels like a community. With over 76,000 professionals in more than 150 countries, we combine global scale with local expertise to help dynamic organizations unlock their potential for growth. We truly care about our colleagues, our clients, and the communities where we work and live.

As a HR Generalist, you’ll be part of the backbone of the firm’s operations, providing the essential internal support that enables client‑facing service lines to deliver high‑quality work. CSC includes functions such as IT, HR Operations, People & Culture, Finance, Marketing, and other enabling teams that keep the firm running smoothly. Discover your purple and join our Internal Client Service s Team today!

Let us paint a picture for you

Imagine being part of a team that puts “we before me”, where flexibility is a mindset, and where you trust your colleagues to have your back.

Imagine working for an organization that believes in the power of authenticity in everything that we do. Whether you're steering discussions in a client meeting, tackling your fear of heights at the top of the Burj Khalifa or ziplining across Jebel Jais – bring your true self to work. Be a part of a team driven by a purpose of shaping the world that we live in, based on trust and integrity in markets, dynamic businesses, and communities where businesses and people thrive.

Join us to expand your horizons, be inspired, face challenges, and most importantly, be yourself.

About People & Culture

The People & Culture (P&C) function, operating as part of ICS, is responsible for shaping and supporting the full employee lifecycle while ensuring that all internal people‑related processes run smoothly, compliantly, and consistently across the firm. P&C serves as a strategic partner to the business, enabling high performance and an excellent employee experience.

As a HR Generalist some of your responsibilities will include:

HR Operations & Employee Lifecycle

• Manage end-to-end employee lifecycle activities including onboarding, probation reviews, promotions, transfers, contract amendments, and offboarding
• Prepare and issue employment‑related documentation, ensuring accuracy and compliance
• Maintain employee records within HR systems and personnel files
• Coordinate visa, labour, and immigration‑related HR activities where applicable
• Support payroll administration by ensuring accurate employee data and timely submissions
• Monitor probation periods, contract renewals, and key employee milestones
• Ensure HR policies, procedures, and employee records remain compliant with internal and regulatory requirements
• Respond to employee HR queries and provide guidance on policies and procedures

Business Partnering & Employee Relations

• Build strong working relationships with managers across assigned service lines
• Support managers on employee lifecycle decisions, performance management, organisational changes, and people‑related matters
• Provide first‑line advice on employee relations issues, escalating complex matters appropriately
• Assist with performance review cycles, calibration discussions, and talent management initiatives
• Support workforce planning, resource forecasting, and headcount tracking activities
• Contribute to employee engagement, wellbeing, and culture initiatives
• Support implementation of people strategies aligned with business objectives

HR Projects & Process Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve HR processes, systems, and employee experience
• Contribute to HR transformation, digitalisation, and automation initiatives
• Assist in developing and maintaining HR dashboards, reports, and people analytics
• Support annual HR activities including budgeting, promotions, compensation reviews, and engagement surveys
• Participate in cross‑functional projects and firm‑wide people initiatives

Reporting & Data Management

• Produce regular HR reports and insights on headcount, turnover, recruitment, absence, and workforce trends
• Maintain data integrity across HR systems and reporting tools
• Support compliance, audit, and governance requirements through accurate documentation and reporting
• Analyse people data to support decision‑making and identify trends