Middle East HR Director

Excelerate Energy, Inc.; Dubai; On-site; AED 500,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Excelerate Energy, Inc. is seeking an experienced Regional HR leader for the Middle East to partner with regional leaders and employees in Dubai.

The role focuses on workforce planning, organizational design, recruitment, performance management, and employee relations to support regional growth and compliance. You will lead talent development, succession planning, and compensation programs, while partnering with global HR teams to align regional needs with enterprise standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field.
• Ten or more years of progressive HR experience, including senior HR business partnership or regional HR leadership responsibility.
• Strong generalist experience across workforce planning, organizational design, employee relations, performance management, talent management, compensation, benefits, and organizational change.
• Demonstrated knowledge of UAE and broader Middle East employment practices, with experience supporting employees across the region.

Responsibilities

• Regional HR leadership: Serve as the primary HR partner to Middle East leaders and employees, develop a strong understanding of regional business priorities, and represent regional workforce needs in enterprise HR planning.
• Workforce and organization planning: Advise leaders on workforce plans, organizational design, role clarity, staffing, capability requirements, restructuring, new-country entry, and growth initiatives.
• Talent acquisition and onboarding: Partner with Talent Acquisition and business leaders on recruitment, selection, offers, onboarding, probation management, and integration of regional employees.
• Performance and talent management: Lead regional goal setting, performance reviews, talent reviews, succession planning, development planning, leadership development, and engagement actions.
• Employee relations: Provide timely, practical guidance on performance, conduct, workplace concerns, investigations, grievances, organizational change, and other employee matters, coordinating with the CHRO, Legal, and Compliance as appropriate.
• Compensation and benefits: Partner with global Compensation and Benefits leaders to implement competitive, compliant, and locally appropriate pay, allowances, benefits, incentive programs, and annual compensation processes.
• HR operations and compliance: Ensure regional HR practices, employee documentation, and records comply with applicable employment requirements and company policies; maintain accurate employee data in Workday and related systems.
• Employee experience and retention: Monitor engagement, retention, workforce concerns, and organizational health, and develop practical responses aligned with regional business needs.
• Cross-functional partnership: Coordinate with HR Operations, HRIS, Payroll, Talent Acquisition, Compensation, Benefits, Legal, Compliance, HSE, and external advisers to deliver effective regional support.
• Change and integration: Support acquisitions, integrations, new projects, office or operational expansions, and other business changes affecting the Middle East workforce.
• Global HR projects: As needed and appropriate, work with HR colleagues globally on enterprise HR projects spanning compensation, HRIS, policy, talent, employee relations, and other areas.

Skills

Regional HR leadership

Workforce planning

Talent acquisition

Performance management

Employee relations

Compensation and benefits

HR operations and compliance

Employee experience and retention

Cross-functional partnership

Change management

Global HR projects

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business or related field

Advanced degree or relevant professional certification preferred

Tools

Workday

Job description

Excelerate Energy is helping countries around the world enhance energy security through reliable LNG and power infrastructure solutions. We strive to deliver sustainable results by doing what we promise and investing in our people, assets, and technology while promoting a culture of safety, quality, and environmental stewardship. We believe our people are our greatest asset and are committed to fostering a culture of safety, collaboration, and continuous growth. Together, we work to expand access to reliable energy for communities around the world.

Location:

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Reports to:

Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer

Essential duties and responsibilities: include but are not limited to the following activities:

• Regional HR leadership: Serve as the primary HR partner to Middle East leaders and employees, develop a strong understanding of regional business priorities, and represent regional workforce needs in enterprise HR planning.
• Workforce and organization planning: Advise leaders on workforce plans, organizational design, role clarity, staffing, capability requirements, restructuring, new-country entry, and growth initiatives.
• Talent acquisition and onboarding: Partner with Talent Acquisition and business leaders on recruitment, selection, offers, onboarding, probation management, and integration of regional employees.
• Performance and talent management: Lead regional goal setting, performance reviews, talent reviews, succession planning, development planning, leadership development, and engagement actions.
• Employee relations: Provide timely, practical guidance on performance, conduct, workplace concerns, investigations, grievances, organizational change, and other employee matters, coordinating with the CHRO, Legal, and Compliance as appropriate.
• Compensation and benefits: Partner with global Compensation and Benefits leaders to implement competitive, compliant, and locally appropriate pay, allowances, benefits, incentive programs, and annual compensation processes.
• HR operations and compliance: Ensure regional HR practices, employee documentation, and records comply with applicable employment requirements and company policies; maintain accurate employee data in Workday and related systems.
• Employee experience and retention: Monitor engagement, retention, workforce concerns, and organizational health, and develop practical responses aligned with regional business needs.
• Cross-functional partnership: Coordinate with HR Operations, HRIS, Payroll, Talent Acquisition, Compensation, Benefits, Legal, Compliance, HSE, and external advisers to deliver effective regional support.
• Change and integration: Support acquisitions, integrations, new projects, office or operational expansions, and other business changes affecting the Middle East workforce.
• Global HR projects: As needed and appropriate, work with HR colleagues globally on enterprise HR projects spanning compensation, HRIS, policy, talent, employee relations, and other areas.

Qualifications, Experience, And Educational Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field; advanced degree or relevant professional certification preferred.
• Ten or more years of progressive HR experience, including senior HR business partnership or regional HR leadership responsibility.
• Strong generalist experience across workforce planning, organizational design, employee relations, performance management, talent management, compensation, benefits, and organizational change.
• Demonstrated knowledge of UAE and broader Middle East employment practices, with experience supporting employees across the region.
• Experience partnering with senior executives in a global, multicultural, and operationally complex organization.
• Experience with Workday or a comparable global HR platform preferred.
• Energy, marine, infrastructure, engineering, project development, or another operationally complex industry background preferred.
• Ability to travel regionally and internationally and support stakeholders across multiple time zones.

Leadership And Professional Capabilities

• Commercially minded and able to connect people priorities to regional business strategy and operating requirements.
• Credible adviser with strong judgment, discretion, and executive presence.
• Hands-on, responsive, and comfortable balancing strategic priorities with day-to-day HR needs.
• Culturally aware and effective across countries, functions, and leadership levels.
• Skilled in coaching, influencing, conflict resolution, and stakeholder management.
• Able to simplify complex issues and implement practical, sustainable solutions.
• Collaborative, adaptable, data-oriented, and committed to continuous improvement.

Measures Of Success

• Effective workforce planning and timely staffing of critical regional roles.
• Consistent, high-quality HR support and trusted partnership with regional leaders and employees.
• Strong employee relations, policy compliance, and accurate HR documentation and data.
• Successful execution of regional performance, talent, succession, compensation, and engagement processes.
• Improved leadership capability, employee engagement, retention, and succession readiness across the Middle East.
• Effective integration of regional needs with enterprise HR programs and standards.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear and frequently required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Travel Required

Regional and international travel is required.

Affirmative Action/EEO Statement

It is the policy of Excelerate Energy to provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.
Excelerate Energy is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures and employment processes. If you need an accommodation to apply for a role or to perform essential job functions, please contact Human Resources at [e-mail]. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis consistent with applicable laws.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.