Head of Talent Management

AstraZeneca; Saudi Arabia; On-site; SAR 300,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading biopharmaceutical company in Saudi Arabia is looking for a Head of Talent Management. This role is pivotal to developing and executing a transformative talent management strategy in alignment with the organization’s goals. Responsibilities include overseeing talent acquisition, implementing succession planning, and ensuring compliance with local labor laws. The ideal candidate will have extensive HR experience, partnership with universities, and fluency in Arabic and English. Join a dynamic team focused on shaping the future of healthcare in Saudi Arabia.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of HR experience, including 5 years in talent management.
• Knowledge of Saudi labor law and recruitment mandates.
• Experience with university partnerships and talent programs.
• Proficiency in project management and digital HR systems.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement a talent management strategy.
• Lead succession planning and workforce planning initiatives.
• Oversee talent acquisition processes across departments.
• Develop employer branding and manage university relations.
• Ensure compliance with local labor laws and regulations.

Skills

HR experience

Fluent in Arabic and English

Project management

Data analytics

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or related field

Master’s degree or professional HR certification

Job description

Head of Talent Management

AstraZeneca is a global, science‑led, patient‑focused biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious diseases. But we’re more than one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies.

ABOUT ASTRAZENECA

Join a high-performing team, empowered to cut through the noise and drive real change. Our agility and pace, coupled with scientific focus, powers us to spot opportunities in the market that keep us moving forward and into new spaces.

SITE DESCRIPTION

AstraZeneca is experiencing a significant transformation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, driven by a commitment to advancing healthcare, innovation, and sustainable growth. Building on our global legacy, AZ KSA is rapidly evolving its operations to better serve patients, collaborate with healthcare stakeholders, and contribute to the ambitious goals outlined in the Saudi Vision 2030. We are investing in talent, digital solutions, and new ways of working; all designed to enhance our impact on patient outcomes and reinforce our leadership in therapeutic areas. This dynamic environment calls for visionary, agile professionals who thrive in change and are motivated to help shape the future of healthcare in KSA.

ROLE SUMMARY

The Head of Talent Management is a member of the HR Leadership Team in Saudi Arabia, responsible for developing and executing a transformative talent management strategy that aligns with the organization’s goals and the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030. This role oversees all aspects of talent strategy, workforce planning, talent acquisition, employer branding, and digitalization. Additionally, serves as a pivotal partner to business leaders and external stakeholders, positioning the organization as an employer of choice and a leader in the transforming healthcare in Saudi Arabia.

What you’ll do

• Talent Strategy: Design, implement, and continuously enhance a comprehensive talent management strategy tailored to the pharmaceutical industry, ensuring full alignment with HR and overall business objectives.
• Succession Planning: Lead the development, implementation, and regular review of robust succession planning processes for critical roles across the organization. Identify and assess high‑potential talent, work with business leaders and partner with Head of Learning & Development to create individualized development plans, and ensure a strong internal pipeline to support business continuity and future leadership needs.
• Workforce Planning: Lead workforce planning initiatives to proactively anticipate organizational needs and manage talent pipelines, with particular emphasis on achieving nationalization goals and regulatory requirements.
• Talent Acquisition: Oversee end-to-end talent acquisition across all departments and career levels, focusing on delivering an exceptional candidate experience. Ensure full implementation of current government recruitment mandates and best practices.
• Employer Branding: Develop and promote a compelling employer value proposition strategy to attract top Saudi nationals and expatriate talent, while ensuring strict compliance with local labor laws.
• University Relations & Early Talent Pipelines: Establish and manage strategic partnerships with leading Saudi universities and institutes. Champion internship and cooperative (Co‑op) programs, graduate trainee programs, and Tamheer initiatives to cultivate an early‑career Saudi talent pipeline that supports the company’s long‑term talent needs.
• Digitalization: Lead the digital transformation of talent acquisition processes and platforms to improve efficiency, enable data‑driven decision‑making, and increase candidate engagement.
• Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI): Integrate DEI initiatives into the overall talent strategy, with a strong emphasis on gender diversity, expanding opportunities for women, and advancing nationalization objectives.
• Talent Analytics & Reporting: Leverage advanced HR analytics to monitor key talent metrics—such as attrition, internal mobility, and nationalization rates—and provide evidence‑based decision support to local and global/regional HR leaders.
• Compliance & Risk Management: Ensure all talent management practices are fully compliant with Saudi labor law, nationalization requirements, and internal company policies. Proactively identify and mitigate risks related to workforce planning and talent pipelines.
• Stakeholder Management: Serve as a strategic partner to business leaders, government stakeholders (e.g., MHRSD, HRDF, MOH), and external partners to advance the company’s talent agenda and support local policy initiatives.

Essential for the role

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry‑leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

Essential Capabilities

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; a Master’s degree or professional HR certification is preferred.
• Preferred minimum of 10 years’ HR experience, with at least 5 years in a talent management/acquisition or HR business partner/generalist role, ideally within multinational companies in the pharmaceutical, healthcare, FMCG, or related industries.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Saudi labor law, national recruitment mandates, and regulatory trends.
• Proven track record in partnering with Saudi universities and successfully launching early talent programs.
• Experience in designing and implementing succession planning and talent community strategies.
• Effective at building relationships with diverse stakeholder groups, including regulators, industry bodies, and executive leadership.
• Fluent in both Arabic and English, with outstanding interpersonal, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Strong proficiency in project management, data analytics, and digital HR systems.
• Saudi National

Why AstraZeneca?

At AstraZeneca we’re dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. Where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science and unleash your entrepreneurial spirit. There’s no better place to make a difference to medicine, patients, and society. An inclusive culture that champions diversity and collaboration, and always committed to lifelong learning, growth, and development. We’re on an exciting journey to pioneer the future of healthcare.

So, what’s next?

• Are you already imagining yourself joining our team? Good, because we can’t wait to hear from you.
• Are you ready to bring new ideas and fresh thinking to the table? Brilliant! We have one seat available, and we hope it’s yours.

Where can I find out more?

Social Media: Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn

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Date Posted

11-Dec-2025

Closing Date

24-Dec-2025

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry‑leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non‑discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.