Head of Human Resources

HEAD OF HUMAN RESOURCES | ABU DHABI, UAEConfidential SearchTHE OPPORTUNITYWe are conducting a confidential search for an exceptional Head of Human Resources to join a growing and ambitious organisation in Abu Dhabi.This is not a conventional HR leadership appointment.We are looking for a senior people leader who understands that HR is not simply about policies, processes and administration. It is about shaping the organisation, strengthening leadership, building culture and enabling business performance.The successful candidate will work closely with the CEO and senior leadership team to translate the organisation's vision, mission and values into the way people are hired, developed, recognised, promoted and led.This role requires someone who can move comfortably between business strategy, people strategy and organisational culture, while maintaining the judgement and discretion expected of a senior executive.THE MANDATEThe Head of HR will lead the organisation's people agenda and ensure that it evolves in line with the company's ambitions.You will help answer a fundamental question:What kind of organisation are we building, and what people, leaders, capabilities and culture do we need to become it?The successful candidate will be expected to challenge conventional HR thinking, identify organisational gaps and create practical solutions that support sustainable growth.KEY RESPONSIBILITIESPeople Strategy & Organisational DevelopmentDevelop and lead a people strategy aligned with the organisation's vision, mission and business objectives.Partner with the CEO and leadership team on workforce planning, organisational capability and future talent requirements.Identify the capabilities, skills and leadership required for the organisation's next stage of growth.Lead organisation design and effectiveness initiatives as the business evolves.Ensure structures, roles, reporting lines and ways of working remain fit for purpose.Build an HR function that is strategic, commercially minded, data-informed and trusted by the business.Culture & Employee ExperienceCulture will be a core responsibility of this role.Translate the company's values into observable behaviours and leadership practices.Ensure culture is reflected in recruitment, onboarding, performance, promotion and reward.Identify gaps between the organisation's stated values and the actual employee experience.Build an environment based on trust, accountability, integrity, respect and high performance.Understand organisational sentiment and dynamics beyond formal engagement measures.Strengthen an employee experience that supports both individual contribution and organisational objectives.The successful candidate should be able to recognise what is being said, what is not being said and what that means for the organisation.Executive & Leadership PartnershipAct as a trusted adviser to the CEO and senior leadership team on people, leadership and organisational matters.Provide insight and challenge on:Leadership effectiveness and accountability.Executive succession and senior talent.Organisational capability and structure.Performance and retention risks.Team dynamics and organisational health.Transformation and change.Sensitive employee and executive matters.You must have the confidence to challenge senior leadership when necessary, while maintaining trust, discretion and professionalism.This is not a role for someone who simply implements decisions. We are looking for someone who can influence the quality of those decisions.Talent & SuccessionBuild a talent strategy that looks beyond today's vacancies and prepares the organisation for tomorrow.Identify critical roles, capabilities and talent gaps.Establish robust succession planning.Develop high-potential and future leaders.Strengthen internal mobility and career development.Identify and address retention risks among critical talent.Build a sustainable leadership pipeline.Ensure talent decisions consider capability, performance, potential and cultural alignment.The objective is not simply to attract more people. It is to attract, develop and retain the right people.Leadership DevelopmentPartner with leaders and managers to strengthen:Leadership capability.People management.Accountability and decision-making.Coaching and development.Communication.Performance management.Succession readiness.Help establish a consistent leadership standard while recognising the different needs of individuals, teams and business functions.Performance & AccountabilityReview and strengthen the organisation's approach to performance, ensuring that expectations are clear and contribution is recognised.This includes performance management, objectives and KPIs, talent reviews, recognition and reward, development planning, leadership accountability and management of underperformance.The successful candidate should understand that culture and performance are not competing priorities; a strong culture should enable stronger performance.Organisational TransformationLead the people dimension of organisational growth and transformation.Assess the impact of business changes on structure, leadership, workforce capability, talent, culture, employee experience and change readiness.Support leadership in navigating change with clarity, discipline and respect for people.HR Governance & UAE EnvironmentEnsure strong HR governance and compliance with applicable UAE employment requirements, including oversight of:HR policies and governance.Employee relations.Workforce planning.Emiratisation requirements, where applicable.HR risk and compliance.HR systems, processes and data.Compliance should be the foundation of the HR function, not the definition of it.THE PERSONWe are deliberately looking beyond conventional HR profiles.The strongest candidate will demonstrate:Strategic depth — The ability to connect people, culture and organisational decisions to business outcomes.Commercial understanding — An appreciation of how talent, leadership, structure and culture influence growth and execution.Cultural intelligence — The ability to understand different perspectives, navigate complexity and influence culture without unnecessary bureaucracy.Executive presence — Confidence and credibility when working with CEOs, founders, boards and senior executives.Courage — The ability to have difficult conversations and challenge decisions when required.Judgement — Knowing when to act, when to challenge, when to listen and when confidentiality matters more than visibility.Builder mentality — A genuine interest in creating and improving organisations rather than simply maintaining established HR structures.Humanity — An understanding that sustainable performance is built through trust, fairness, respect and meaningful leadership.Discretion — The maturity to handle highly sensitive employee, leadership and organisational information with absolute confidentiality.EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONSWe are interested in the depth of your impact, not simply the title you have held.Ideally, you will bring:Significant senior HR leadership experience within a complex, growing or evolving organisation.Demonstrated experience partnering directly with CEOs and senior leadership teams.Strong experience across people strategy, organisational development, talent and leadership.A proven track record of shaping or transforming organisational culture.Experience leading organisational transformation or significant change.Strong understanding of UAE employment practices and the GCC business environment.Experience working within a multicultural workforce.Experience developing senior leaders and succession pipelines.Strong commercial and business acumen.Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.High levels of integrity, maturity and confidentiality.A relevant qualification in Human Resources, Business, Organisational Psychology or a related discipline is desirable.WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKESuccess will not be measured simply by the number of HR initiatives delivered.It will be visible when:Leaders become stronger and more accountable.The organisation attracts and retains high-calibre talent.High-potential individuals are identified and developed.The leadership pipeline becomes stronger.Company values are reflected in everyday behaviour.Employees understand what the organisation stands for.Performance expectations are clear and consistently applied.Organisational structures support business strategy.HR becomes a trusted source of insight for leadership.People decisions become more deliberate, consistent and aligned with the company's long-term direction.Ultimately, the successful candidate will help build an organisation that is stronger because of its people and distinctive because of its culture.CONFIDENTIALITYThis is a highly confidential executive appointment.Due to the sensitive nature of the search, details regarding the organisation, its leadership structure and specific business mandate will be shared progressively and selectively with candidates who demonstrate the required experience, discretion and cultural alignment.Candidates should expect a discreet and selective executive search process.