Head of People Services

Job description / Role

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United A"rab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world's most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group's entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organisation to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate.

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day.

Overview of the role

To act as a trusted advisor to the country management team, business stakeholders and HR Business Partners on all matters related to HR service delivery, such as on-boarding, off-boarding, government services, employee service management, life- and work events, HR technology support, company policies and local regulations, among other tasks as required. Work in liaison with all businesses in Egypt and provide support and guidance. Ensure that new- and existing businesses can scale up activities. Design, develop and implement relevant HR strategies, practices and technology solutions that are built taking into consideration the challenges encountered by the businesses in Egypt, and in parallel ensure full compliance with relevant Group HR policies and guidelines, and local labour laws. Work with the Group Head of HR Operations to drive AFG's in-country application of the People Services service delivery model and strategic performance objectives.

What you will do
- Lead HR Operations by acting as a trusted advisor to the country management team on all employee matters such as payroll inputs, on- and off-boarding, HR service management queries, insurance and government services. Managing complexities related to the country macroeconomics, HR data- and document management regulations, etc.
- Build and develop a qualified, talented and dedicated team of people able to deliver the vision of making People Services the main point of contact for all HR related matters.
- Together with the Group Head of HR Operations, develop a strategic plan for the on-boarding and off-boarding processes, and implement to improve the overall experience for new hires- and leavers whilst ensuring full compliance to local labour laws and Group AFG policies and guidelines.
- Ensure the Corporate Induction delivered by the People Services team is of a high quality, and that all information related to the Group, relevant policies, online self-service portals etc. are provided to the employees in an engaging way.
- Design streamlined processes for a seamless integration between Talent Acquisition and on-boarding.
- Ensure that the monthly payroll cycle is executed accurately and that it is completed within the payroll cut-off timelines. Work closely with the Group HRIS function to drive best practice and continuous improvement in the payroll area. Develop metrics as appropriate. Final settlements are carried out in a timely manner with 100% accuracy.
- Implement effective processes for relevant social insurance and taxation (as required), visa applications, medical insurance (in collaboration with Group Total Rewards), company housing, company cars, and other relevant benefits or requirements.
- Enhance the service delivery model to all Al-Futtaim's businesses in an efficient and effective manner, to support growth, business development and expansion, focusing on a Plug & Play approach to new business.
- Deliver transactional and standard HR services in a timely manner and in line with the SLA. This includes but is not limited to areas such as on-boarding, off-boarding, government services, employee data management and information, ERP (enterprise resource management) system management, payroll, rewards and incentives.
- Coordinate with internal stakeholders, including finance, accounting, and tax, to resolve discrepancies and address issues related to financial reconciliations.
- Act as a trusted service partner to ensure customer intimacy, and guide the business stakeholders and HR Business Partners as per their requirements and best practice.
- Liaise with relevant Centres of Excellence.
- Act as change agent and facilitate change management and transition management, especially concerning scaling the business through expansion, business development and growth.
- Partnering with Group Employee Relations and the Group Head of HR Operations on ER aspects as required, an in support of the HR Business Partners. Provide guidance, fair and consistent advice as needed on local law and Al Futtaim Policies.
- Act as an advisor to business heads & HR Business Partners in order to educate them and minimise risks for the business. Ensure compliance with HR policy.
- Ensure necessary feedback is provided to the Group on company policies and procedures, to support sound business changes in the country, as well as ensuring appropriate communication and implementation through well thought through change management programmes.
- In partnership with the Group Centres of Excellence, be the custodian of all HR policies and procedures at the country level and provide fair and consistent advice to HR Business Partners and Business Heads.
- Identify policy improvements and provide recommendations to the Group for implementation. Provide solutions to employees and managers as per company HR policies and procedures.
- Ensure that compliance to HR policies is maintained; review and strengthen internal controls and procedures; and provide guidance to leadership teams on process and governance.
- Develop and nurture strong relationships with vendors to ensure seamless collaboration and optimal performance.
- Conduct regular assessments of vendor performance and implement improvement initiatives as needed to maintain high standards of service delivery.
- Monitor vendor compliance with contractual obligations and service level agreements, ensuring adherence to quality standards and regulatory requirements.
- Manage governmental services; design and implement an efficient "employee labour relations" process together with relevant subject matter experts and internal stakeholders, and propose solutions on complex matters to businesses related to government matters.
- Manage all social insurance and taxation aspects as required, as well as visa, labour contracts and related processes, ensuring full compliance with local regulations.
- Educate and support the HR Business Partners with ongoing requirements as received from governmental agencies.
- Provide support for collating and analyzing and visualizing relevant HR- and business data, in order to enable effective data-supported decision-making by HR leaders and the business.
- Work with the Group Head of HR Operations and the Group HRIS team on any HR analytics and reporting projects and activities.
- Support Group's Global Mobility programme and promote global mobility.
- Work with the Group Head of HR Operations and the Head of HR Technology and Analytics on relevant HR technology implementations.
- Provide change leadership to Heads of Business and HR Business Partners, and participate actively as a leader in any related change management programme.
- Drive innovation in the HR Operations practices through the use of cloud-based technology, artificial intelligence, chatbots and machine learning, among other available and current tools.

Requirements

Required Skills to be successful
- Must be able to manage multiple assignments simultaneously and have strong organizational skills.
- Ability to prioritize and oversee multiple assignments in a fast-paced environment.
- Effective time management skills and ability to meet deadlines.
- Team management
- Stakeholders management

What equips you for the role
- Human Resources, Psychology or other relevant Business Management Degree
- CIPD qualification desirable, Chartered Member level preferable
- Must have a minimum of 7-10 years Human Resources Operations / Shared Services management experience, including experience being exposed to applicable HR technology. Experience from related industries preferred.
- Must have strong mediation and counselling skills.
- Must have analytical and tactical abilities.
- Must have deep knowledge of local laws and regulations concerning the labour market.
- Must have the ability to acquire and analyse local market demographics as well as economic and labour market conditions.
- Enhanced computer skills using recent MS Office suite. HR technology literate, preferably with SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central or SAP HCM; Oracle Fusion or Oracle E-Business Suite, or Workday.

We're here to provide excellent service but a little help from you can ensure a five-star candidate experience from start to finish.

Before you click "apply": Please read the job description carefully to ensure you can confidently demonstrate why this opportunity is right for you and take the time to put together a well-crafted and personalised CV to further boost your visibility. Our global Talent Acquisition team members are all assigned to specific businesses to ensure that we make the best matches between talent and opportunities. We not only consider the requisite compatibility of skills and behaviours, but also how candidates align with our Values of Respect, Integrity, Collaboration, and Excellence.

As part of our candidate experience promise, we also want to make ourselves available to you throughout the application process. We make every effort to review and respond to every application.

About the Company

Established in the 1930's, the Al-Futtaim Group initially operated as a trading enterprise. Rapid development throughout the 1940's and 50's saw it establish itself regionally as an integrated commercial, industrial and services organisation, positioning itself one of the leading business houses in the lower Gulf region. Today, it operates collectively over 40 companies bearing the Al-Futtaim name, dominates many market segments in the UAE, and has expanded its sphere of operation to include Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Egypt.

The Group comprises a diverse range of strategically positioned operating subsidiaries and associate companies, structured to give the Al-Futtaim Group the flexibility and versatility to keep ahead of local competition while keeping pace with the ever-evolving global business scenario. The Groups continued investment in world-class systems technology is clear evidence of its commitment to maintain leading edge performance and service delivery.

The success of the Al-Futtaim Group can be attributed to a business approach that combines the ability to change with the traditional values of integrity, service and social responsibility that define its core business philosophy. This, linked with the Groups belief in decentralisation, gives the heads of the operating companies a high degree of functional autonomy and authority, providing the Group with essential flexibility, and individual employees a clearly defined work culture and sense of responsibility.