Regional HR Manager (MEA)

BYD; Dubai; On-site; AED 550,000 - 850,000; Full time

Job summary

BYD Group in the United Arab Emirates seeks a Regional HR Manager (MEA) to lead HR Operations, Compliance & Governance, Compensation & Benefits, and Employee Relations across the MEA region. You will partner with regional leaders to deliver scalable, compliant HR practices and manage people-related risks.

This leadership role requires 8–10 years HR experience including 3–5 years in regional leadership, with fluency in English; Arabic or French is an advantage.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or above in HR, Business Administration, Law or Psychology or related fields.
• 8-10 years HR experience with 3-5 years in a regional HR leadership role.
• Strong experience in HR Operations, Compliance, Compensation & Benefits and Employee Relations.
• Experience managing HR activities across multiple countries in MEA.
• Multinational, matrixed or high-growth experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end HR operations across the MEA region with standardized service delivery.
• Oversee compliance, governance, and labor law adherence across MEA markets.
• Design and manage compensation, benefits, salary reviews and incentive programs.
• Manage employee relations, investigations, and risk mitigation.
• Develop governance processes, audits, and HR analytics for regional leadership.

Skills

HR Operations

Compliance

Compensation & Benefits

Employee Relations

HR Analytics

HRIS

Cross-cultural communication

Fluent English

Education

Bachelor's degree or above in HR/Business/Law/Psychology

Tools

HRIS systems

Job description

Position Summary

The Regional HR Manager (MEA) is responsible for driving and overseeing HR Operations, Compliance & Governance, Compensation & Benefits, and Employee Relations across the MEA region. This role serves as a strategic HR partner to regional business leaders, ensuring compliant, efficient, and scalable HR practices that support organizational growth while effectively managing people-related risks.

Key Responsibilities

1.HR Operations & Shared Services

HR Operations Management

• Lead and manage end-to-end HR operations across the Middle East and Africa region, ensuring efficient, standardized, and high-quality HR service delivery.
• Establish and continuously optimize regional HR operational processes, policies, and service standards.
• Oversee the entire employee lifecycle, including onboarding, confirmation, personnel changes, transfers, promotions, expatriate management, and offboarding.
• Ensure timely and accurate employee data management, personnel documentation, and HRIS maintenance.
• Develop and implement HR operational governance mechanisms, service-level agreements (SLA), and operational KPIs.
• Drive HR process automation and digitalization initiatives to improve operational efficiency and employee experience.
• Manage regional HR vendors and shared service providers to ensure service quality and cost effectiveness.

HR Shared Services

• Build and optimize regional HR shared service frameworks and delivery models.
• Standardize HR services and workflows across countries while balancing local compliance requirements.
• Establish employee self-service and manager self-service processes to enhance HR service efficiency.
• Monitor HR service performance and continuously improve employee satisfaction.

2. HR Compliance & Governance

Employment Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with labor laws, employment regulations, immigration requirements, and statutory obligations across all MEA countries.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments and assess business impact proactively.
• Partner with Legal and external counsel to manage employment-related legal matters and labor disputes.

HR Governance

• Develop, review, and update regional HR policies, employee handbooks, codes of conduct, and governance frameworks.
• Establish HR control mechanisms and compliance monitoring processes.
• Conduct periodic HR compliance audits and implement corrective action plans.
• Ensure employment contracts, policy documents, and HR practices align with local regulatory requirements.
• Support internal and external audits related to HR operations and compliance.

Risk Management

• Identify HR-related operational and compliance risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Ensure proper documentation, record retention, and audit readiness across the region.
• Advise management on labor law implications and employment risk exposure.

3. Compensation & Benefits

Compensation Management

• Design and implement competitive compensation strategies aligned with business objectives and market practices.
• Lead annual salary review, merit increase, promotion adjustment, bonus, and incentive planning processes.
• Conduct compensation benchmarking and market analysis across MEA markets.
• Develop salary structures, job grading systems, and compensation governance frameworks.
• Ensure internal pay equity and external market competitiveness.

Benefits Management

• Design, implement, and continuously optimize employee benefits programs across the region.
• Manage medical insurance, life insurance, pension schemes, leave programs, wellness initiatives, and statutory benefits.
• Evaluate benefit utilization and vendor performance to improve cost effectiveness and employee value proposition.
• Partner with Finance to ensure payroll accuracy and effective compensation budgeting.

Rewards Governance

• Establish compensation and benefits policies, approval mechanisms, and governance processes.
• Ensure reward programs comply with local legal and tax requirements.

4. Employee Relations & Labor Risk Management

Employee Relations Management

• Establish and maintain a robust employee relations framework across the MEA region.
• Foster a positive employee experience and healthy workplace culture.
• Develop communication and engagement initiatives to strengthen employee trust and organizational commitment.
• Support leadership teams in driving employee engagement and retention strategies.

Case Management

• Lead investigations and resolution of employee relations cases, including:
• Employee complaints and grievances
• Disciplinary actions
• Workplace misconduct
• Harassment and ethics-related concerns
• Performance-related disputes
• Conflict resolution and mediation
• Ensure all cases are handled fairly, consistently, and in compliance with local laws and company policies.

Labor Risk Management

• Manage sensitive labor matters including workforce restructuring, redundancies, terminations, and organizational changes.
• Develop labor risk assessment and escalation mechanisms.
• Identify potential employee relations risks and implement preventive measures.
• Partner with Legal and business leaders to minimize litigation exposure and protect company reputation.
• Support crisis management and business continuity initiatives involving workforce-related issues.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or above in Human Resources, Business Administration, Law, Psychology, or related disciplines.
• Minimum 8-10 years of HR experience, with at least 3-5 years in a regional HR leadership role.
• Strong experience in HR Operations, Compliance, Compensation & Benefits, and Employee Relations.
• Experience managing HR activities across multiple countries within the Middle East and/or Africa.
• Experience working in multinational, matrixed, or high-growth organizations is preferred.

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong knowledge of labor laws and employment regulations across MEA markets.
• Solid understanding of HR governance, HR operations, and shared services models.
• Strong compensation and benefits design and implementation experience.
• Excellent employee relations investigation and labor risk management capabilities.
• Strong stakeholder management and cross-cultural communication skills.
• Proficiency in HRIS systems and HR analytics.
• Fluent English; Arabic and/or French language capability is an advantage.

Success Measures

• HR operational excellence and service quality across the region.
• Full compliance with local labor laws and internal governance requirements.
• Competitive and sustainable compensation & benefits programs.
• Effective management of employee relations cases and labor risks.
• High employee satisfaction and positive employee experience.
• Strong partnership and credibility with regional business leaders.

About BYD Group

Established in November 1994, BYD Group is a leading multi-sector high-tech company focused on innovation and development in automobiles, rail transit, renewable energy, and electronics.

Committed to fulfilling a better life through technological innovations, BYD Group leverages a robust network of over 40 subsidiaries, with over 900,000 employees of nearly 110,000 engineers worldwide in over 400 cities of 79 countries, actively driving the implementation of comprehensive zero-emission and emission reduction solutions.

BYD Group upholds the values of innovation, pragmatism, passion, and competition, dedicating itself to technological empowerment throughout the entire process of renewable energy acquisition, storage, and application, contributing to the goal of sustainable future development for all humanity.

Our Purpose is to build a zero-emission future that reconnects humanity with nature and a World of clean air. We are looking for talent that connects with this mission and want to create positive impact by joining a diverse and dynamic team