HR Manager Middle East

Oceaneering; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 360,000 - 540,000; Full time

Job summary

Oceaneering invites an experienced HR Manager, Middle East, to lead the regional HR team in Abu Dhabi and serve as a strategic partner to business leaders. The role focuses on workforce planning, talent development, employee engagement, and program execution across the Middle East.

You will guide employee relations, drive HR programs, and lead regional initiatives with global impact, partnering with stakeholders to align people strategies with business goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Human Resources Management, or related field.
• Typically, 10+ years experience in multiple HR functions including compensation, global mobility, and/or a generalist role, including 5+ years managing HR staff.
• Experience managing a team across multiple locations including offshore and manufacturing locations is preferred.
• Relevant international country HR experience, preferably within the Middle East.
• Demonstrated ability to coach employees and management through complex issues.
• Has experience turning business strategies into people-related actions; development of strategic goals and tactical plans.
• Experience developing and leading change management plans; risk management and communications.
• Understanding of internal and external HR principles, concepts, practices, and standards.
• Experience developing business cases and presentations for senior leadership review.
• Strong project management, process development, and continuous improvement skills.
• Strong relationship, influence, and conflict management skills.
• Ability to adapt to a multi-cultural environment.
• Adaptable to conflicting priorities, multiple projects, and time pressures.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills (Excel and dashboards).

Responsibilities

• Collaborate between Corporate HR and client groups for effective communication, trust, and problem solving.
• Ensure effective implementation of Corporate HR programs and processes within the region.
• Ensure country HR processes and programs are operating effectively, aligned with Corporate; and comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
• Identify and lead the re-engineering of processes, management/employee development, workflow efficiencies, and organizational design in partnership with key stakeholders.
• Identify the need for and develop or support effective change management and communication plans for people-related changes with area of responsibility to appropriately manage risk and deliver on organizational goals.
• Anticipate and partner with other stakeholders to understand the people requirements and implications of business projects, initiatives, and action plans; and turn them into people priorities and HR solutions and action plans.
• Exert influence to create positive change and proactively mitigate and resolve employee issues.
• Act as a trusted advisor on sensitive/complex people-related matters to ensure business needs are met while mitigating employment risk for the company and ensuring actions are aligned with the company’s values and culture.
• Provide guidance and coaching to various levels of management concerning employee engagement, performance management, career development, talent assessment, and retention.
• Proactively identify opportunities and assess improvements to the employee experience and partner with key stakeholders to develop and implement solutions.
• Lead and develop a high-performing local/regional HR team to provide efficient and effective support.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Employee relations

Change management

Stakeholder management

HR analytics

Performance management

Workforce planning

Talent development

Communication

Multi-cultural

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

Tools

Excel

Dashboard software

Job description

Job Description:

• Reporting to the HR Director, Global Operations, the HR Manager, Middle East will lead the HR team supporting employees across the Middle East. This role serves as a strategic business partner, working closely with business and functional leaders to develop and execute people strategies that strengthen organizational effectiveness, workforce planning, talent development, and employee engagement.

• We are seeking an experienced and results-driven HR leader to oversee HR support across the Middle East. In this role, you will partner with business leaders to shape and execute people strategies that drive organizational performance, employee engagement, and workforce effectiveness. You will provide expert guidance on employee relations matters, champion HR programs and processes, and lead key HR initiatives including projects with regional and global impact, while partnering with stakeholders to align people strategies with business objectives.

• As a key member of the HR leadership team, you will lead and develop a high-performing HR team, influence organizational change, and collaborate with stakeholders across the business to deliver impactful people solutions that support both regional and global objectives.

Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL

• Collaborate between Corporate HR and client groups for effective communication, trust, and problem solving.

• Ensure effective implementation of Corporate HR programs and processes within the region.

• Ensure country HR processes and programs are operating effectively, aligned with Corporate; and comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

• Identify and lead the re-engineering of processes, management/employee development, workflow efficiencies, and organizational design in partnership with key stakeholders.

• Identify the need for and develop or support effective change management and communication plans for people-related changes with area of responsibility to appropriately manage risk and deliver on organizational goals.

• Anticipate and partner with other stakeholders to understand the people requirements and implications of business projects, initiatives, and action plans; and turn them into people priorities and HR solutions and action plans.

• Exert influence to create positive change and proactively mitigate and resolve employee issues.

• Act as a trusted advisor on sensitive/complex people-related matters to ensure business needs are met while mitigating employment risk for the company and ensuring actions are aligned with the company’s values and culture.

• Provide guidance and coaching to various levels of management concerning employee engagement, performance management, career development, talent assessment, and retention.

• Proactively identify opportunities and assess improvements to the employee experience and partner with key stakeholders to develop and implement solutions.

• Lead and develop a high-performing local/regional HR team to provide efficient and effective support.

Qualifications

REQUIRED

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Human Resources Management, or related field

• Typically, 10 or more years experience in multiple HR functions including compensation, global mobility, and/or a generalist role, including 5+ years managing HR staff

• Experience managing a team across multiple locations including offshore and manufacturing locations is preferred

• Relevant international country HR experience, preferably within the Middle East

• Demonstrated ability to objectively coach employees and management through complex issues

• Has relevant experience or demonstrated ability in turning business strategies into people-related actions; including development of strategic goals, identifying tactical plans to implement a strategy, and managing plan execution

• Experience developing and leading others in the development of change management plans; including risk management, stakeholder identification, and communications

• Thorough understanding and hands-on application of internal and external HR principles, concepts, practices, and standards

• Experience developing business cases and presentations for senior leadership review

• Strong project management, process development, and continuous improvement skills

• Strong relationship, influence, and conflict management skills

• Ability to adapt to and communicate in a multi-cultural environment

• Adaptable to conflicting priorities, multiple projects, and time pressures

• Strong quantitative and qualitative analytical skills (including Excel and dashboards)

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics

• Has a high accountability, business, and goal-oriented mind-set

• Strong facilitation and coaching skills

• Generates inspiration and has a positive can-do attitude, solution orientation and customer service mind-set

• Ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply the appropriate sections of applicable laws, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, and policies

• Demonstrates resiliency and ability to adapt to changes in the external and internal environment

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines with urgency

• Excellent verbal and written communication

Oceaneering is a global provider of engineered services and products, primarily to the offshore energy industry. We develop products and services for use throughout the lifecycle of an offshore oilfield, from drilling to decommissioning. We operate the worlds premier fleet of work class ROVs. Additionally, we are a leader in offshore oilfield maintenance services, umbilicals, subsea hardware, and tooling. We also use applied technology expertise to serve the defense, material handling, aerospace, science, and renewable energy industries.
Our regional support functions play a critical role in enabling the success of all Oceaneering business units. These teams include disciplines such as Finance, HR, Recruitment, IT, HSE, Supply Chain, Quality, and Administration. Operating collaboratively across multiple departments and geographic locations, they provide responsive, high-quality support that ensures our operations run efficiently and safely. Having these teams based locally allows us to make timely decisions, respond quickly to operational needs, and maintain strong alignment with our business units and workforce.