Workforce Planning Specialist - HR Strategy and Emiratization

ADNOC Abu Dhabi UAE; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

ADNOC Abu Dhabi UAE is seeking a Workforce Planning Specialist to oversee enterprise planning, develop templates, and align staffing with organizational priorities. The role emphasizes Emiratisation, headcount forecasting, and workforce analytics to guide short-, medium- and long-term HR requirements.

The successful candidate will work with business units, recruitment and Talent Development to integrate Emiratisation targets and ensure plans reflect organizational structures and strategic

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management, Business Administration or equivalent.
• Minimum 9 years of experience in Workforce Planning or HR Management.
• At least 4 years in supervisory roles. Oil and gas experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee workforce planning activities across company units and align with strategic objectives.
• Develop templates for consistent staffing requirement planning.
• Monitor long-term workforce requirements and cost implications.
• Analyze headcount forecasts and align with corporate targets and Emiratization goals.
• Support recruitment, talent development and budget planning with workforce data.

Skills

Workforce planning

Headcount forecasting

Emiratization planning

HR analytics

Stakeholder coordination

Predictive analytics

Organizational change

Budgeting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management or Business Administration

Tools

HR systems

Job description

Workforce Planning Specialist - HR Strategy and Emiratization Job Snapshot - Role: Workforce Planning Specialist - Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Industry: Oil and Energy - Function: Human Resources - Experience: Minimum 9 years, including 4 years in supervisory roles - Job Type: Full Time - Work Arrangement: On-site

Position Overview ADNOC Group is seeking an experienced Workforce Planning Specialist to oversee workforce planning activities, develop companywide workforce planning templates and support short-, medium- and long-term human resource requirements. The role focuses on headcount forecasting, workforce budgeting, Emiratization planning, workforce analytics and alignment of staffing requirements with organizational objectives. The successful candidate will work closely with business units, recruitment teams and Talent Development to ensure that workforce plans reflect operational requirements, organizational structures and strategic priorities. The position also involves developing annual UAE National intake plans, reviewing 10-year workforce forecasts, monitoring critical vacancies and providing analytical recommendations to support effective workforce allocation and cost management.

Job Details

• Country: United Arab Emirates
• City: Abu Dhabi
• Industry: Oil and Energy
• Function: Human Resources
• Salary: Not disclosed
• Gender: No Preference
• Candidate Nationality: Not specified
• Job Type: Full Time
• Work Arrangement: On-site

Key Accountabilities

Workforce Planning and Strategy

• Review, study and supervise workforce planning activities across company business units.
• Develop workforce planning templates to support consistent preparation of staffing requirements.
• Monitor annual and long-term workforce requirements to ensure realistic and achievable workforce plans.
• Review annual and 10-year workforce business plans and assess their alignment with corporate objectives.
• Analyze workforce requirements across business functions to support short-, medium- and long-term staffing needs.
• Ensure workforce planning processes align with approved organizational structures and strategic business objectives.
• Provide analytical information and recommendations to support corporate planning and management decisions.
• Support business units with workforce information required to prepare their workforce business plan submissions.

Headcount Forecasting and Workforce Analysis

• Review corporate headcount forecasts and evaluate their alignment with approved workforce targets.
• Analyze workforce projections to identify staffing requirements, potential gaps and opportunities for cost optimization.
• Maintain accurate workforce information and statistics to support planning and decision-making.
• Monitor vacant and critical positions to support recruitment priorities and workforce allocation.
• Review workforce data and translate analytical findings into clear, actionable management information.
• Recommend improvements to workforce allocation and headcount planning based on business requirements.
• Support workforce planning decisions through statistical analysis, predictive modelling and workforce metrics.

Emiratization and UAE National Workforce Planning

• Supervise the development of annual UAE National intake plans and 10-year national workforce plans.
• Ensure national workforce plans align with ADNOC 's Emiratization targets.
• Maintain accurate information on critical vacancies and staffing requirements to support the Annual Recruitment and Critical Emiratization Plan.
• Coordinate with relevant business units to identify UAE National recruitment and workforce requirements.
• Work with the Talent Development Department to ensure integration plans for Entry Point Employees are incorporated into workforce business plans.
• Monitor alignment between national workforce intake planning, recruitment requirements and long-term staffing objectives.

Recruitment Requisition and Position Validation

• Review and validate recruitment requisitions against approved workforce plans.
• Verify the availability of vacancies before supporting recruitment requests.
• Assess employee status change requisitions for alignment with workforce planning requirements.
• Ensure recruitment and employee status changes remain consistent with approved organizational staffing plans.
• Coordinate with relevant stakeholders to clarify workforce requirements and position availability.

Workforce Budgeting and Cost Management

• Develop annual workforce budget inputs and supervise their compilation.
• Coordinate workforce budget information with relevant business units.
• Analyze headcount forecasts and associated financial implications.
• Identify opportunities to minimize workforce-related costs while supporting operational requirements.
• Apply cost control principles to workforce planning and budgeting activities.
• Provide accurate workforce data to support financial planning and budget preparation.

Workforce Planning Systems and Analytics

• Monitor the effectiveness of automated workforce planning features, dashboards and supporting systems.
• Use HR systems and technology to generate workforce analytics, statistics and performance metrics.
• Review workforce planning information for accuracy, consistency and usefulness.
• Apply predictive analytics and statistical modelling to support workforce forecasting.
• Identify opportunities to improve workforce planning data analysis and reporting.
• Support effective use of workforce information in management decision-making.

Organizational Planning and Continuous Improvement

• Evaluate workforce planning processes to ensure consistency with organizational structures and business requirements.
• Identify opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of workforce planning activities.
• Analyze organizational workforce issues and recommend practical improvements.
• Apply root cause analysis techniques when assessing workforce planning challenges.
• Support organizational change initiatives through workforce analysis and planning recommendations.
• Provide organizational information to external consultants conducting workforce and organizational studies.
• Ensure information provided to consultants supports studies conducted in accordance with company standards.

Stakeholder Coordination and Reporting

• Coordinate with business units to obtain and validate workforce planning inputs.
• Liaise with recruitment and Talent Development teams on staffing requirements and employee integration plans.
• Prepare clear analytical reports covering workforce requirements, headcount forecasts and position information.
• Present workforce planning findings in a format that supports management review and decision-making.
• Communicate workforce planning recommendations to relevant business stakeholders.
• Maintain effective working relationships across functions involved in workforce planning and organizational development.

Qualifications and Experience

Minimum Education

• Bachelor 's degree in Human Resource Management, Business Administration or an equivalent professional qualification.

Professional Experience

• Minimum 9 years of experience in Workforce Planning or Human Resource Management.
• At least 4 years of experience in supervisory roles.
• Experience in the oil and gas industry is preferred.

Knowledge and Skills

• Extensive experience in workforce planning and strategic headcount forecasting.
• Strong knowledge of workforce budgeting and financial planning.
• Experience developing annual and long-term workforce plans.
• Understanding of Emiratization planning and national workforce intake requirements.
• Experience analyzing organizational structures and workforce requirements.
• Ability to analyze, organize and support positive organizational change.
• Knowledge of commercial principles and cost control.
• Experience using HR systems and technology to develop workforce analytics and metrics.
• Experience developing and applying predictive analytics and statistical models.
• Strong analytical and root cause analysis skills.
• Ability to interpret workforce data and provide practical recommendations.
• Experience preparing clear, analytical reports on workforce requirements and positions.
• Understanding of applicable employment laws and regulations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder coordination abilities.
• Ability to supervise workforce planning activities and coordinate inputs from multiple business units.

Role Focus

The Workforce Planning Specialist contributes to ADNOC 's long-term organizational effectiveness by aligning workforce requirements with business objectives, supporting Emiratization targets, improving headcount forecasting and strengthening the quality of workforce planning information used in corporate decisions.