Human Resources & Payroll Associate

Confidential Search; Dubai; On-site; AED 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential Search in Dubai seeks an experienced HR Operations Specialist to manage payroll, benefits, lifecycle administration and compliance in a fast-paced environment. You will oversee monthly payroll, validate data with Finance, monitor costs, and produce accurate HR reports while ensuring UAE regulations are followed.

The role requires strong Excel skills, Workday experience, and a proactive, detail-oriented approach to employee administration and governance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related discipline.
• At least 3 years of relevant experience in HR Operations, People Operations, HR Administration, or a comparable position.
• Proven experience independently managing the full payroll process.
• Practical experience with payroll budgets, employee cost monitoring, and HR reporting.
• Strong working knowledge of UAE Labour Law, Free Zone employment requirements, and employee visa procedures.
• Broad exposure to HR operations, including employee administration, employee relations, compensation processing, and benefits management.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the complete monthly payroll cycle, ensuring salaries and payments are processed accurately and on time.
• Partner with Finance to validate payroll information, resolve discrepancies, and maintain payroll records.
• Support workforce cost planning, payroll forecasting, and monitoring of employee-related expenditure.
• Prepare and maintain payroll reports, salary cost analyses, and other HR financial data.
• Ensure payroll practices align with UAE employment regulations and internal procedures.
• Coordinate administration of employee benefit programmes, with a focus on medical insurance.
• Manage insurance registrations, policy updates, employee additions/removals, and claims-related matters.
• Review and validate monthly insurance billing and reconcile against records.
• Serve as a primary contact for employees and external providers regarding benefits.
• Review benefits offerings and suggest improvements to support satisfaction and objectives.
• Take ownership of employee separation processes and ensure compliance with policies.
• Coordinate exit activities including return of property, immigration formalities, and final payments.
• Work with stakeholders to ensure timely exits and maintain departure records.
• Support HR governance by reviewing policies for UAE Labour Law alignment and audits.
• Maintain secure employee data and confidentiality.
• Identify opportunities to simplify processes and improve HR service delivery.

Skills

Payroll

Data analysis

Attention to detail

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related

Tools

Workday

Excel

Job description

The Role

We are seeking an experienced and detail-oriented HR Operations Specialist to join a dynamic, fast-paced organisation based in Dubai.

This position will play an important role in supporting the day-to-day delivery of HR operations, ensuring efficient people processes, accurate employee administration, and compliance with local employment regulations.

The successful candidate will have strong operational HR experience, particularly across payroll, employee benefits, employee lifecycle management, and HR compliance.

We are looking for someone who is highly organised, comfortable working with numbers, and confident managing multiple priorities while delivering an excellent employee experience.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll Administration & Financial Reporting

• Oversee the complete monthly payroll cycle, ensuring salaries and associated payments are processed accurately and within established deadlines.
• Partner with Finance to validate payroll information, resolve discrepancies, and maintain accurate payroll records.
• Support workforce cost planning, payroll forecasting, and the monitoring of employee-related expenditure.
• Prepare and maintain payroll reports, salary cost analyses, and other relevant HR financial data.
• Ensure payroll practices align with UAE employment regulations and internal company procedures.

Employee Benefits & Insurance

• Coordinate the administration of employee benefit programmes, with a particular focus on medical insurance.
• Manage insurance registrations, policy updates, employee additions and removals, and the coordination of claims-related matters.
• Review and validate monthly insurance billing, ensuring accurate reconciliation against employee records.
• Serve as a key contact for employees and external providers regarding benefit enquiries and issue resolution.
• Review existing benefit offerings and recommend improvements that support employee satisfaction and organisational objectives.

Employee Lifecycle & Exit Management

• Take ownership of employee separation processes, ensuring all required activities are completed efficiently and in accordance with company policies.
• Liaise with relevant stakeholders to coordinate the return of company property, removal of system permissions, immigration formalities, and completion of exit documentation.
• Coordinate end-of-service benefit calculations and final payment instructions in collaboration with Payroll and Finance.
• Work closely with internal departments, government relations representatives, and external service partners to ensure timely completion of employee exits.
• Maintain comprehensive employee departure records and contribute to relevant reporting and audit requirements.

HR Governance, Compliance & Process Improvement

• Support the implementation and ongoing review of HR policies to ensure alignment with UAE Labour Law and relevant Free Zone requirements.
• Maintain accurate, secure, and up-to-date employee information, ensuring appropriate confidentiality and data integrity.
• Assist with HR compliance reviews and internal or external audits by preparing and providing supporting documentation.
• Identify opportunities to simplify administrative processes, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen HR service delivery.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to maintain consistent and effective People Operations practices.

What We’re Looking For

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• At least 3 years of relevant experience in HR Operations, People Operations, HR Administration, or a comparable position.
• Proven experience independently managing the full payroll process.
• Practical experience with payroll budgets, employee cost monitoring, and HR reporting.
• Strong working knowledge of UAE Labour Law, Free Zone employment requirements, and employee visa procedures.
• Broad exposure to HR operations, including employee administration, employee relations, compensation processing, and benefits management.

Technical Skills

• Strong Excel capabilities, including the ability to analyse payroll information, manage complex spreadsheets, and prepare financial and HR reports.
• Experience working with HR information systems; familiarity with Workday would be advantageous.
• Excellent attention to detail, particularly when handling sensitive employee information and financial records.
• Good understanding of HR documentation, compliance requirements, and administrative controls.

Personal Attributes

• Excellent communication skills and the ability to engage professionally with employees and stakeholders at all levels.
• Highly organised, proactive, and capable of managing competing priorities.
• Strong relationship-building skills and a collaborative approach to working across departments.
• Comfortable taking ownership of tasks and working independently.
• A solutions-focused mindset with a commitment to accuracy, confidentiality, and continuous improvement.
• Strong planning and coordination skills, with the ability to manage several HR activities simultaneously.