Country HR Officer (CHRO), Kuwait

Citigroup Inc.; Kuwait; On-site; KWD 48,000 - 96,000; Full time

Job summary

Citi is seeking a Country HR Officer (CHRO) for Kuwait to lead and advise on strategic HR activities aligned with local regulation and Citi’s global priorities.

The role requires navigating Kuwait Labor Law, nationalization initiatives, and a complex matrix organization while shaping the country people strategy and steering senior stakeholder engagement. Fluency in Arabic and English is essential.

Qualifications

• 8–10+ years of progressive HR experience.
• Deep knowledge of Kuwait Labor Law and regulatory requirements.
• Experience managing employee relations in a tripartite environment.
• Proven track record in Kuwaitization/nationalization in a regulated environment.
• Expertise in HR Risk, Controls and Governance, including regulatory reporting.
• Experience in a complex, global matrix organization with multiple reporting lines.

Responsibilities

• Provides broad HR consulting services to client groups and business functions in Kuwait, advising on talent acquisition, talent management, compensation, organizational effectiveness and engagement.
• Applies knowledge of Kuwait Labor Law and CBK frameworks to resolve complex people matters and support nationalization efforts.
• Partner with senior leaders to develop and implement headcount plans and organizational change initiatives.
• Work with HR disciplines to ensure local statutory compliance and measure key human capital metrics.
• Help attract and retain national and international talent through defined career paths and development programs.
• Coach leaders on performance management, succession planning, and culture.
• Manage employee relations, grievances, and disciplinary actions in line with local mandates and Citi's procedures.
• Maintain risk awareness in business decisions, ensuring compliance and ethical standards.

Skills

Bilingual Arabic & English

HR regulatory knowledge

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree or HR certification (CIPD, SHRM)

Job description

At Citi, we get to connect millions of people across hundreds of cities and countries every day. And we've been doing it for more than 200 years. We do this through our unparalleled global network. We provide a broad range of financial services and products to our clients – whether they be consumers, corporations, governments or institutions – to help them meet their biggest opportunities and face the world's toughest challenges.

The Country HR Officer (CHRO) for Kuwait accomplishes results through the management of professional HR activities and advisory services for the Kuwait franchise. Integrates subject matter, industry expertise, and local regulatory knowledge within a defined area. Contributes to standards around which others will operate across the franchise. Requires an in-depth understanding of how business areas collectively integrate within the country and sub-cluster, coordinating and contributing to the strategic human capital objectives of Citi. Requires commercial awareness and a deep understanding of the local banking sector. Developed communication and diplomacy skills are required in order to guide, influence, and advise senior stakeholders, including the Citi Country Officer & Banking Head (CCOBH), members of the Kuwait Citi Country Committee, HR Partners, and external regulatory bodies. This role interacts with and partners with multiple HR teams and plays a critical role in shaping and executing the country people strategy in alignment with cluster and global priorities.

Responsibilities:

• Provides a broad range of HR consulting services to client groups and business functions within the Kuwait franchise, including strategic advice on Talent Acquisition, Talent Management (assessment, high-potential development, and succession planning), compensation and year-end processes, organizational effectiveness (change management, leadership effectiveness, organizational design, coaching), and employee engagement.
• Applies thorough knowledge of HR principles, Kuwait Labor Law, and Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) regulatory frameworks to resolve complex people matters. Support the franchise in the Kuwaitization strategy efforts to meet and sustain regulatory nationalization requirements.
• Partners with the Citi Country Officer & Banking Head (CCOBH), HR Leadership, and business/functional line management in recommending, developing, executing, and implementing human capital strategies, headcount plans, and organizational change initiatives in support of the franchise.
• Partners closely with HR Disciplines (e.g., HR Business Partnership, Total Rewards, Talent Acquisition, Talent Management & Engagement, Learning and HR Delivery) to deliver comprehensive HR solutions, ensure local statutory compliance, and measure/report key human capital metrics to local and regional governance committees.
• Attracts and retains high-potential national and international talent by helping define and establish career paths, executive development programs, and talent pipelines tailored to the Kuwait market and regulatory guidelines.
• Coaches and develops business leaders and managers in executing objective, merit-based performance management, succession planning for regulated/critical roles, and providing counsel on people, leadership, culture, and organizational effectiveness.
• Manages employee relations, grievance handling, and disciplinary actions in compliance with local statutory mandates and Citi’s Global Disciplinary Review Procedures.
• Appropriately assess risk when business decisions are made, demonstrating particular consideration for the firm's reputation and safeguarding Citigroup, its clients, and assets, by driving compliance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, adhering to policies, applying sound ethical judgment regarding personal behavior, conduct, and business practices, and escalating, managing, and reporting control issues with transparency, as well as effectively supervising HR activity and creating accountability with those who fail to maintain these standards.

Qualifications:

• 8–10+ years of progressive HR experience
• Deep knowledge of Kuwait Labor Law, employment practices, and regulatory requirements; experience managing employee relations in a tripartite environment is highly desirable.
• Proven track record in managing employee relations and nationalization/Kuwaitization strategies in a regulated environment.
• Demonstrated expertise in HR Risk, Controls, and Governance, including internal/external audit readiness and regulatory reporting.
• Experience working within a complex, global matrix organization with multiple reporting lines and regional stakeholders.
• Strong bilingual communication skills (professional fluency in both Arabic and English, written and spoken)

Education:

• Bachelor’s / University degree required; Master’s degree or relevant professional HR certification (e.g., CIPD, SHRM) preferred.

Eligibility for this position is restricted to Kuwaiti Nationals only

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Job Family Group:

Human Resources

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Job Family:

Human Resources Management

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Time Type:

Full time

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Most Relevant Skills

Please see the requirements listed above.

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Other Relevant Skills

For complementary skills, please see above and/or contact the recruiter.

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