Senior Manager â HR Policies & Employee Relations

PricewaterhouseCoopers; Dubai; On-site; AED 300,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consulting firm in Dubai seeks a Senior Manager to drive employee relations and policy development. This role blends strategic leadership with hands-on management of HR compliance and governance. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in human capital management and a strong understanding of labor laws in the Middle East. Proficiency in both English and Arabic is required. This position emphasizes creating a people-centric workplace while ensuring adherence to regulatory standards.

Qualifications

• 12 years of experience in Human Capital (HC) or related fields, preferably in multinational settings.
• 5 years in senior leadership with policy design and compliance expertise.
• Fluent in English & Arabic.

Responsibilities

• Lead employee relations practices and people policies.
• Provide strategic advisory on complex employee relations matters.
• Oversee the design and compliance of HR policies across the region.

Skills

Compliance Management

Employee Relations Law

Conflict Management

Governance Framework

Risk Mitigation

Education

Bachelor Degree - Human Resources Management

Bachelor Degree - Business Administration

Bachelor Degree - Business Law

Job description

Line of Service

Internal Firm Services

Industry/Sector

Not Applicable

Specialism

IFS - Human Capital (HC)

Management Level

Senior Manager

Job Description & Summary

Firm Overview: At PwC we are a community of solvers where every individual plays an important role in shaping the future of our firm clients and communities. We seek individuals who excel in their roles and embody our core behaviours working together to create a better tomorrow. Our commitment to Trusted Leadership and Distinctive Outcomes from our PwC Professional framework defines how we deliver on our purpose and strategy serving our clients and living our values in every interaction. Trusted Leadership emphasises building trust delivering sustained outcomes and demonstrating courage and honesty especially during challenging times. Distinctive Outcomes focus on excellence collaboration and inclusiveness ensuring our work adds value meaning and purpose. By integrating these principles into our daily operations we ensure that our efforts are aligned with our values and objectives. Thus we are looking for candidates who are self‑aware collaborative committed to continuous learning and dedicated to delivering quality and integrity.

We are a network of firms in 152 countries with more than 328000 people who are committed to delivering world‑class capabilities and quality in assurance tax and advisory services. Established in the region for over 40 years PwC Middle East employs over 10000 people across 12 countries: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Palestine and the United Arab Emirates. Complementing our depth of industry expertise and breadth of skills is our sound knowledge of local business environments across the Middle East region. Our tailored solutions help our clients meet the challenges and opportunities of doing business in the Middle East market and beyond.

Line of Service and Overview: Internal Firm Services (IFS). IFS is a network of specialist support professionals which includes Clients & Markets, Finance, Human Capital (HC), Marketing & Communications, Office Management, Risk & Quality, Technology, to name but a few. Each function plays a vital role in making sure we have all the right resources, services and technology across our business.

Job Summary: We value every individual's role in shaping our future. We are looking for candidates who excel in their roles and embody our core behaviours of Trusted Leadership and Distinctive Outcomes. Trusted Leadership focuses on building trust, delivering sustained results and showing courage and honesty. Distinctive Outcomes emphasise excellence, collaboration and inclusiveness. We seek self‑aware, collaborative individuals committed to continuous learning and delivering quality and integrity. As a senior member of the People Experience function you will lead the design, implementation and governance of employee relations practices and people policies across the region. This role blends strategic advisory, policy transformation and employee relations leadership ensuring our policies and practices are not only compliant and risk‑managed but also clear, accessible and people‑centric. You will serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership balancing firm reputation and compliance requirements with the employee experience. With a strong focus on simplification, consistency and proactive culture‑building you will ensure our firm remains a great place to work while meeting regulatory and governance standards.

Key Responsibilities

Employee Relations (ER)

• Provide strategic advisory on complex and sensitive employee relations matters including grievances, investigations, disciplinary cases, counselling, and terminations.
• Lead and coach the HC team in conducting investigations ensuring fairness, consistency, and timeliness.
• Partner with Ethics, Legal and Risk teams to manage high‑risk cases and ensure alignment with labor law, firm values and code of conduct.
• Introduce proactive ER initiatives (manager training, awareness sessions, ER toolkits) to prevent issues and strengthen trust and culture.
• Oversee ER analytics and reporting, identifying trends and recommending actions that enhance employee experience and mitigate risk.

Policies & Compliance

• Lead the design, revamp and simplification of people policies ensuring they are globally aligned, locally compliant, accessible and written in clear, inclusive language.
• Digitize and centralize policy access improving visibility and usability across the region.
• Stay abreast of regional labor law changes; act as the focal point for communicating and embedding regulatory updates into policies and practices.
• Serve as the point of contact for all HC‑related internal and external audits.
• Ensure policies reinforce the firm's values, culture and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Governance & Strategic Enablement

• Establish and maintain operating procedures, governance frameworks and reporting dashboards for ER and policy compliance.
• Use data and employee feedback to continuously improve policies and ER processes.
• Connect ER and policy insights to broader People Experience initiatives (engagement, well‑being, onboarding) to enhance the overall employee lifecycle.
• Partner with senior stakeholders to balance business needs, employee experience and compliance.

Required Experience & Competencies

• 12 years of progressive experience in Human Capital (HC), HC Governance or Compliance preferably within multinational or matrixed organizations.
• 5 years in a senior leadership role with proven experience in policy design, compliance strategy and cross‑functional collaboration.
• Proven hands‑on experience managing complex and sensitive employment matters including investigations and litigation cases.
• Deep knowledge of labor laws across the Middle East region (UAE, KSA, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, Libya, Egypt, Qatar).
• Strong ability to influence senior stakeholders and act as a trusted advisor.
• Experience in simplifying, digitizing and modernising HR policies.
• Data‑driven mindset with strong analytical skills combined with sensitivity to employee experience and firm reputation.
• Ability to build credible rapport with leadership and employees and to manage situations requiring discretion and trust.
• Fluency in English & Arabic.

Expected Skills & Behaviors

• Demonstrates thought leadership in Human Capital (HC) policies and compliance setting a high standard for ethical conduct and governance.
• Cultivates a culture of integrity and transparency across all levels of the organization.
• Communicates complex policy matters with clarity and conviction, inspiring trust and confidence among stakeholders.
• Encourages ownership and accountability by fostering a compliance‑first mindset.
• Continuously monitors regulatory changes and industry trends to ensure policies remain current, relevant and future‑ready.
• Drives innovation in compliance practices through digital tools, automation and data‑driven insights.
• Advocates for fair and inclusive workplace practices through robust policy frameworks.
• Establishes strong cross‑functional partnerships with Legal, Risk, Audit and HR teams to ensure seamless policy implementation.
• Builds scalable compliance frameworks that support regional and global expansion.

Education

• Bachelor Degree - Human Resources Management
• Bachelor Degree - Business Administration
• Bachelor Degree - Business Law

Required Skills

• Compliance Management
• Compliance Management Systems
• Conflict Management
• Conflict Negotiations
• Conflict Resolution
• Management
• Employee and Labor Relations
• Employee Relationships
• Employee Relations Law
• Employee Relations Programs
• Employment Litigation
• Governance Framework
• HR Employee Relations
• HR Policy Development
• Human Resource Practices
• Human Resources Best Practices
• Human Resources Policies
• Labor and Employment Law
• Labor Employment
• Labor Rights
• Policy Design
• Policy Setting
• Risk Mitigation

Optional Skills

• Active Listening
• Analytical Thinking
• Coaching and Feedback
• Communication
• Complaint Management
• Confidential Information Handling
• Conflict Resolution
• Contract Dispute Resolution
• Contract Interpretation
• Creativity
• Developing Policies and Guidelines
• Disciplinary Procedures
• Embracing Change
• Emotional Regulation
• Empathy
• Employee Data Management
• Employee Relations Program Development
• Employee Surveys
• Handling Sensitive Information
• Human Resources (HR) Policies
• Human Resources (HR) Project Management
• Inclusion
• Influence

Desired Languages

Arabic
English

Travel Requirements

Not Specified

Available for Work Visa Sponsorship

Yes

Government Clearance Required

Yes

Required Experience

Senior Manager