Senior Consultant - Compensation & Benefits (4-Month Engagement)

MENA Consultant; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 250,000 - 450,000; Full time

Job summary

MENA Consultant in Abu Dhabi seeks an experienced HR consultant to lead and support compensation, benefits and HR policy work for a 4‑month, on‑site assignment. Candidates should have 6+ years in HR consulting, with strong UAE framework knowledge and fluency in Arabic and English.

The role covers salary studies, job grading, policy development and alignment with government regulations, across all grades and allowances.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of HR consulting or specialist experience.
• Experience in compensation and benefits benchmarking.
• Understanding of job architecture and grading.
• Experience with UAE government compensation and HR frameworks.
• Big 4 Human Capital or Reward consulting experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assess current compensation, benefits, grading and related HR policies.
• Lead salary and benefits study, reviewing salaries, allowances and benefits.
• Develop and refine compensation and benefits policies in line with proposed HR Regulation.
• Support the development of job architecture and grading framework with links between positions, levels and pay.
• Review UAE and Abu Dhabi Government frameworks and develop recommendations.
• Define policy provisions, eligibility criteria, governance requirements and approval arrangements.
• Support development and revision of broader HR policies and procedures, forms and templates.
• Prepare comparative analyses and supporting documents explaining the basis for proposed approaches.
• Work with Legal Advisor to align policies with regulatory requirements.
• Participate in stakeholder interviews and validation sessions and incorporate feedback.
• Support development of compensation, benefits and HR policy documents in Arabic and English.

Skills

Compensation & Benefits

Job Evaluation

HR Policy Development

Grading & Allowances

UAE Government Frameworks

Education

Bachelor's in HR/Business/Finance

Job description

Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Years of Experience: 6+ years of relevant experience.

Project Duration: 4 months.

Working Arrangement: on-site.

Language Requirements: Fluency in Arabic & English (written and spoken).

Lead and support the development of the organization's compensation, benefits and HR policy frameworks. Ensure the proposed arrangements are competitive, internally consistent, practical, and aligned with applicable government frameworks and the Agency's operating requirements.

The scope of work specifically requires the HR Regulation and its annexes to cover the Agency's grades, salaries, allowances and benefits, supported by a salary and benefits study. The work must also reference applicable federal requirements and the Abu Dhabi Government framework for grades, salaries, allowances and benefits.

Key Requirements

• At least 6 years of relevant HR consulting or specialist experience, with strong exposure to compensation, benefits, reward, grading and HR policy development.
• Demonstrated experience in compensation and benefits benchmarking, job evaluation and grading, and HR policy development.
• Understanding of job architecture, grading, allowances and benefits structures.
• Experience with UAE government compensation and HR frameworks.
• Big 4 Human Capital or Reward consulting experience is strongly preferred.

Other Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Finance or a related field; a Master's degree or relevant reward qualification is preferred.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to turn quantitative findings into practical policies and recommendations.

Key Responsibilities

• Assess the Agency's current compensation, benefits, grading and related HR policies to identify gaps and areas for improvement.
• Lead the salary and benefits study, reviewing salaries, allowances, benefits and other employee reward components.
• Develop and refine compensation and benefits policies in line with the proposed HR Regulation.
• Support the development of the job architecture and grading framework, with clear links between positions, job levels, grades and compensation.
• Review relevant UAE and Abu Dhabi Government frameworks and help develop recommendations suited to the organization.
• Define clear policy provisions, eligibility criteria, governance requirements and approval arrangements for compensation and benefits.
• Support the development and revision of broader HR policies and related procedures, forms and templates.
• Prepare comparative analyses and supporting documents that explain the basis and rationale for proposed approaches.
• Work closely with the Legal Advisor to align proposed policies with applicable legislative and regulatory requirements.
• Participate in stakeholder interviews, workshops and validation sessions, incorporating agreed feedback into final policies.
• Support the development and review of compensation, benefits and HR policy documents in Arabic and English.