Junior HR Business Partner

Job description / Role

Company Overview

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 Arab 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

The HR business partner is responsible for overseeing daily HR operations across assigned IKEA stores in Egypt, UAE, Oman, and Qatar. Acting as a strategic partner and advisor, they align HR initiatives with store objectives to drive employee engagement, operational excellence, and organizational effectiveness. Through implementation of HR strategies, they support talent development, workforce planning, and performance management while upholding a strong IKEA culture. Collaboration with store managers and leadership is crucial to achieving these aims.

What You Will Do

• Translate the IKEA People Strategy to a matching store strategy in alignment with the overall Al Futtaim Retail People strategy.
• Design and recommend an optimum organization structure for the store.
• Accountable for the manpower cost and budget planning for the store, ensuring efficient utilization of budget.
• Conduct annual manpower budgeting exercise accurately and efficiently.

• Partner with store leadership to identify talent needs and develop recruitment strategies.
• Support the hiring process ensuring the store is staffed with qualified and motivated coworkers.
• Manage the internal and external recruitment process, emphasizing values and culture fit.
• Guide store management in performance appraisal and development plans.

• Act as a point of contact for coworker concerns and grievances, ensuring fair application of HR policies.
• Mediate conflicts and facilitate resolutions to maintain a harmonious work environment.
• Ensure compliance with local labour laws and group policies throughout the employee lifecycle.
• Manage employee relations cases according to local laws and Al Futtaim Group policy and code of conduct.

• Mentor managers to enhance their leadership skills and address team concerns.
• Proactively engage with leaders to evaluate and enhance development plans within the organization.
• Develop a fair and accessible succession plan for all store positions.
• Create a continuous improvement environment providing equal learning and development opportunities.

• Collaborate with store leadership to design and implement organizational changes for operational efficiency.
• Establish a values-driven culture inspiring decision-making based on Al-Futtaim and IKEA values.
• Implement change management efforts ensuring smooth transitions.
• Develop and execute initiatives to enhance employee engagement, recognition, and retention.

Required Skills to Be Successful

• Strong influencing and communication skills.
• Advanced skills in budget planning and management.
• Ability to mentor and coach management teams.
• Experience with stakeholder management and change management processes.

What Qualifies You for the Role

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• HR certificate or CIPD qualification is desirable.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in HR business partnering; retail industry experience is preferred.
• Proficient in SAP, HRIS, and other HR-related software.

Candidate Experience

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.