Human Resources Partner Specialist Region IMEEA

American President Lines; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

CMA CGM Group in the UAE is seeking a Human Resources Partner Specialist Region IMEEA to partner with regional leadership, shaping people strategies and delivering HR services that strengthen performance and engagement across the region.

You will lead talent management, workforce planning, recruitment, and HR operations in alignment with local employment law and group standards, collaborating with cross-functional teams and Head Office as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business Administration, Psychology, Industrial Relations or related field.

Responsibilities

• Partner with regional leadership to shape people strategies and drive organizational effectiveness.
• Oversee talent management, workforce planning, succession planning, performance management and employee engagement.
• Manage recruitment lifecycle, onboarding, visa processes, and contracts in collaboration with local teams.
• Advise managers on employee relations, employment law, and compliance in the UAE.
• Oversee HR administration, payroll coordination, and benefits with Finance and Payroll.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Communication

English fluency

HR partnering

Influence senior leaders

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR/Business/PSY/IR

Tools

SuccessFactors

Workday Adaptive

HRIS

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

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Human Resources Partner Specialist Region IMEEA

Led by Rodolphe Saadé, the CMA CGM Group, a global leader in shipping and logistics, serves more than 420 ports around the world on five continents. With its subsidiary CEVA Logistics, a world leader in logistics, and its air freight division CMA CGM AIR CARGO, the CMA CGM Group is continually innovating to offer its customers a complete and increasingly efficient range of new shipping, land, air and logistics solutions.

Committed to the energy transition in shipping, and a pioneer in the use of alternative fuels, the CMA CGM Group has set a target to become Net Zero Carbon by 2050.
Through the CMA CGM Foundation, the Group acts in humanitarian crises that require an emergency response by mobilizing the Group’s shipping and logistics expertise to bring humanitarian supplies around the world.

Present in 160 countries through its network of more than 400 offices and 750 warehouses, the Group employs more than 155,000 people worldwide, including 4,000 in Marseilles where its head office is located.

Primary Objective

Purpose of the Position

The Human Resources Business Partner supports the Regional HR function and partners with business leaders and HR teams to shape and deliver people strategies that strengthen business performance, organisational effectiveness, employee engagement, and compliance.

The role contributes to strategic HR leadership and regional people priorities while ensuring the consistent delivery of high-quality HR support in line with regional objectives, Group standards, and local employment requirements.

Key objectives include:

Supporting Regional HR priorities in alignment with business objectives, Regional HR direction, Group standards, and local employment requirements.

Overseeing talent management, workforce planning, succession planning, performance management, employee engagement, employee relations, and change initiatives.

Using people data and insights to identify risks, support decision-making, and recommend practical actions.

Key Result Areas and Accountabilities

1. Business Partnering, Organisational Design and Workforce Planning

Support Regional Leadership and managers on workforce-related and people management matters.

Contribute to defining organisational structures, target headcount, succession plans, and recruitment priorities in line with approved budgets and the Group’s strategic direction.

Assess requests relating to position creation, replacement, or changes in scope.

Review and challenge accountabilities, seniority levels, job descriptions, and salary proposals in partnership with the Compensation & Benefits team.

2. Talent Management, Performance and Development

Support and coordinate performance cycles, People Reviews, talent reviews, and succession planning across the assigned scope.

Support career development plans, mobility opportunities, role transitions, and retention initiatives.

Provide individual follow-up and guidance to employees within the assigned population.

Identify learning and development needs, recommend tailored solutions, and coordinate their delivery with Head Office, managers, and external providers.

3. Recruitment and Onboarding

Manage the full recruitment lifecycle, including role scoping, job description drafting, sourcing and advertising strategy, candidate screening, HR interviews, case studies, manager coordination, and candidate follow-up.

Coordinate employment offers, budget approvals, reference checks, contracts, visa processes, and joining dates with the relevant internal teams.

Structure and coordinate onboarding activities.

Monitor probation periods and support managers throughout the confirmation process.

4. Employee Relations, Employment Law and Management Advisory

Act as the first point of contact for employees and managers regarding individual cases, contractual matters, absences, leave, compensation, benefits, and working conditions.

Advise managers on probation periods, resignations, disciplinary matters, and other sensitive employee relations cases.

Ensure that all cases are managed in compliance with UAE employment law and internal policies and procedures.

5. HR Administration, Payroll and Benefits

Oversee employee data accuracy and contribute to monthly payroll preparation and review, including variable pay, bank details, joiners and leavers, absences, bonuses, and deductions.

Coordinate employment contracts, entity transfers, visa renewals, medical insurance coverage, and onboarding and offboarding formalities with Finance, Payroll, the PRO, and external providers.

Draft, issue, and monitor the administrative documents required for employees.

6. International Mobility and the V.I.E. Programme

Manage regional HR support for V.I.E. assignees, including recruitment, assignment validation, coordination with Business France and Head Office, onboarding, assignment follow-up, and end-of-assignment planning.

Coordinate temporary and permanent relocations, international assignments, transfers, and repatriations.

Ensure that all contractual, administrative, and employee-related aspects of mobility cases are properly managed.

7. HRIS, Reporting and Data Management

Serve as the regional point of contact for SuccessFactors and Workday Adaptive.

Support users and contribute to the deployment and harmonisation of HR processes and systems.

Produce and validate headcount, recruitment, mobility, performance, succession, absence, compensation, and workforce reports in coordination with the Regional HR Director.

Ensure data consistency across HR systems, payroll records, local trackers, and Head Office reporting.

8. HR Projects, Transformation and Change Management

Contribute to regional organisational transformation, process harmonisation, and system deployment projects.

Partner with Regional Leadership, Finance, Legal, Security, IT, Facilities, and external providers to support decision-making, meet project timelines, and ensure a positive employee experience.

Develop clear HR communications, FAQs, manager toolkits, and action plans.

Assess risks, monitor implementation, and adjust arrangements when required.

Develop and communicate HR policies following approval from the Regional HR Director.

Position Requirements

Qualifications and Education

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology, Industrial Relations, or a related discipline.

Significant HR experience across business partnering, employee relations, talent management, organisational effectiveness, and change management.

Technical Skills, Experience and Knowledge

Proven experience as an HR Business Partner or HR generalist within an international, matrixed, and multi-country environment.

Strong knowledge of local employment law, employee relations, HR governance, and compliance requirements.

Proven ability to influence senior leaders, support change, manage complexity, and operate effectively within a global matrix organisation.

Strong capabilities in workforce planning, talent management, performance management, organisational design, and employee engagement.

Ability to interpret people data and translate insights into practical recommendations and action plans.

Excellent communication, facilitation, stakeholder management, and executive presentation skills.

Advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills.

Hands-on experience with SuccessFactors, Workday Adaptive, and/or other HRIS or payroll systems.

Professional fluency in English.

Personal Skills

Strategic and commercially minded, with the ability to balance business requirements with sound people judgement.

High level of integrity, discretion, diplomacy, and confidence when handling sensitive matters.

Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and influence stakeholders at all levels.

Resilient, adaptable, and comfortable operating in situations involving ambiguity and change.

Clear and credible communicator with a professional, pragmatic, and solution-focused approach.

Preferred Qualifications, Experience and Skills

Postgraduate qualification in Human Resources, Business, Employment Law, Leadership, or a related discipline.

Professional HR certification or equivalent professional membership.

Experience within the shipping, logistics, or multinational sectors.

Experience with job evaluation, competency frameworks, leadership development, and HR transformation projects.

Strong digital literacy, including Microsoft 365, HRIS platforms, reporting tools, and dashboards.

Knowledge of UAE employment law and international mobility matters.

Professional fluency in French and/or Arabic.