HR Operations & Payroll Specialist

Confidential; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential в UAE is building a digital-first, AI-enabled financial services organisation. We seek an HR Operations & Payroll Specialist to design and run payroll and people data governance from day one, reporting to the Director of Human Resources.

You will ensure payroll accuracy, regulatory compliance, onboarding/offboarding, visas, and benefits, shaping an exceptional employee experience. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement HRIS controls, generate Emiratisation

Qualifications

• 8+ years of HR Operations and Payroll experience within banking or financial services in the UAE.
• Strong expertise in payroll processing, HR operations, benefits administration, onboarding, and HRIS management.
• Experience building or improving HR operational processes and payroll controls within a regulated environment.
• Deep knowledge of UAE Labour Law, MOHRE requirements, WPS, Emiratisation, Nafis, and pension obligations.

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end payroll process, including approvals, reconciliation, controls, and disbursement.
• Administer the HRIS and payroll platform, maintaining data quality, workflows, and system controls.
• Coordinate onboarding and offboarding activities, ensuring a smooth employee lifecycle experience.
• Support employment visa processing, Emirates ID administration, labour documentation, and related government requirements.
• Manage employee benefits, insurance programmes, end-of-service provisions, and vendor relationships.
• Produce workforce and HR reporting, including Emiratisation, Nafis, payroll, and operational metrics.

Skills

HR operations

Payroll processing

HRIS management

Emiratisation

Stakeholder management

Tools

HRIS

Payroll platform

Job description

We're excited to be partnering with a leading institution in the UAE that is building a digital-first, AI-enabled financial services organisation from the ground up. This is a unique opportunity to join at an early stage and help shape the people, operational, and service foundations of a business with significant institutional backing and long-term ambition. If you're passionate about HR operations, payroll excellence, and creating exceptional employee experiences, we'd love to hear from you.

As HR Operations & Payroll Specialist, you will play a key role in building and running the bank's HR operations and payroll capability from day one. Working closely with the Director of Human Resources, you'll help create a seamless employee experience while ensuring payroll accuracy, regulatory compliance, and strong people data governance.

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end payroll process, including approvals, reconciliation, controls, and disbursement.
• Administer the HRIS and payroll platform, maintaining data quality, workflows, and system controls.
• Coordinate onboarding and offboarding activities, ensuring a smooth employee lifecycle experience.
• Support employment visa processing, Emirates ID administration, labour documentation, and related government requirements.
• Manage employee benefits, insurance programmes, end-of-service provisions, and vendor relationships.
• Produce workforce and HR reporting, including Emiratisation, Nafis, payroll, and operational metrics.

Requirements

• 8+ years of HR Operations and Payroll experience within banking or financial services in the UAE.
• Strong expertise in payroll processing, HR operations, benefits administration, onboarding, and HRIS management.
• Experience building or improving HR operational processes and payroll controls within a regulated environment.
• Deep knowledge of UAE Labour Law, MOHRE requirements, WPS, Emiratisation, Nafis, and pension obligations.
• Experience with HR systems, payroll platforms, workforce reporting, and data management.
• Strong attention to detail, confidentiality, stakeholder management, and service excellence.