Senior Manager - HR Ops

Caliberly; Dubai; On-site; AED 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional HR outsourcing firm is seeking a Senior Manager - HR Ops to lead HR operations strategy and ensure compliance with UAE labor laws. The successful candidate will oversee end-to-end HR functions, drive operational efficiencies, and manage a multi-national workforce. This role offers significant influence over process design and career growth prospects in a dynamic environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Performance-based incentives

Career growth prospects

Qualifications

• Minimum 8-12 years experience in HR operations, with 3-5 years in a leadership role.
• Deep knowledge of payroll and HR compliance in staffing contexts.
• Fluency in English; Arabic proficiency is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Oversee HR operational delivery and ensure process efficiency.
• Manage vendor contracts and ensure compliance with UAE regulations.
• Drive continuous improvement and digital transformation initiatives.

Skills

HR operations strategy development

Process improvement

Compliance with UAE labor law

Stakeholder management

Leadership skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or Business

Master's degree or HR certification

Tools

HRIS systems

Data analytics tools

Job description

Job Title - Senior Manager - HR Ops

About the Role

We are seeking a seasoned and strategic HR Operations leader to manage and scale the HR operational delivery arm of a staffing & HR outsourcing organisation. The successful candidate will oversee end-to-end HR operations including workforce onboarding & offboarding, payroll, visa/immigration service, vendor management, HRIS, compliance, and client-service integration. You will ensure service excellence, process efficiency, regulatory compliance and contribute to the business growth through operational optimisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the HR operations strategy in line with the organisations service-offering and growth targets (contract staffing, PEO/EOR, payroll outsourcing, employer-of-record).
• Oversee day-to-day HR operational delivery: onboarding, payroll processing, benefits administration, visa/immigration, employee lifecycle management and data integrity.
• Lead and continuously improve HR processes, workflows and system automation (HRIS, ticketing systems, self-service portals) to drive efficiency and scalability.
• Manage a multi-national, multi-entity workforce and ensure alignment of HR service levels across geographies and client segments.
• Ensure full compliance with UAE labour law, immigration regulations, visa services, data privacy and audit requirements; manage vendor contracts, service-levels (SLAs) and quality assurance.
• Provide leadership, mentoring and performance management for HR operations teams (PAYROLL, HRIS, visa/immigration, vendor coordination).
• Serve as key stakeholder-partner: liaise with clients, internal teams (sales, finance, legal, operations) and vendors to ensure seamless service delivery, issue escalation and client satisfaction.
• Monitor, report and analyse key operational metrics (time-to-onboard, payroll accuracy, visa renewal cycle, client satisfaction, cost per hire), identify trends and implement corrective action.
• Prepare operational budgets, manage cost efficiencies and support commercial growth of the HR outsourcing business.
• Drive continuous improvement and change management initiatives: digital transformation of HR operations, vendor consolidation, process standardisation, and risk mitigation.
• Support business development via operational readiness for new contracts, integration of client HR operations, and transition of workforce services.

Qualifications & Experience

Bachelors degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field. Masters or relevant HR/Business certification preferred.

Minimum 8-12 years experience in HR operations or HR services delivery, with at least 3-5 years in a senior leadership role within staffing, workforce solutions, HR outsourcing or professional services in the UAE/GCC region.

Deep knowledge of UAE labour law, immigration/visa processes, payroll and HR compliance in a staffing/outsourcing context.

Demonstrated experience managing HR service delivery, outsourcing vendors, multi-country operations and high-volume workforce.

Strong commercial acumen: ability to manage budgets, optimise costs, drive service-metrics and link operations to business growth.

Excellent leadership, stakeholder management and communication skills; able to influence C-Suite clients and manage internal teams.

Comfortable working with HRIS systems, data-analytics, dashboarding and process automation tools.

Fluency in English required; Arabic proficiency is an advantage.

Key Competencies & Behaviours

Strategic thinker: able to design and drive HR operations aligned with business objectives.

Results-oriented and process-driven: focused on service excellence, operational metrics and continuous improvement.

Customer-centric: strong service mindset towards internal and external clients.

Collaborative and influencing: works effectively across functions, leads change and manages vendor/client partnerships.

Adaptable and resilient: able to thrive in a fast-paced outsourcing environment with evolving priorities.

Integrity and compliance-focused: maintains high standards of confidentiality, accuracy and regulatory adherence.

What We Offer

Competitive salary and performance-based incentives aligned with operational and business outcomes.

Opportunity to lead HR operations for a major staffing & HR outsourcing service in the region, with exposure to large-scale contracts and multi-country workforce.

A role with significant influence over process design, digital transformation, service excellence and business growth.

Career growth prospects in an organisation growing regionally and offering diverse HR service lines.

Apply now!