Head of Recruitment and Emiratization (UAEN)

Head of Talent Acquisition & Emiratisation

Location: Abu Dhabi, UAEIndustry: Manufacturing / Semi-GovernmentReporting to: VP PeopleRole OverviewWe are looking for an experienced Head of Talent Acquisition & Emiratisation to lead the organisation’s talent acquisition strategy and Emiratization agenda across the business.The role will be responsible for building a strong, future-ready talent pipeline, strengthening the organisation’s employer value proposition, and ensuring the successful attraction, selection and retention of both Emirati and international talent across critical functions.This is a strategic leadership role requiring strong knowledge of the UAE talent market, Emiratisation requirements, executive hiring and large-scale recruitment, combined with the ability to partner closely with senior business and HR leadership.Key ResponsibilitiesTalent Acquisition StrategyDevelop and execute the organisation’s overall Talent Acquisition strategy in line with business growth and workforce plans.Lead end-to-end recruitment across corporate, technical, operational and leadership positions.Partner with business leaders to understand workforce requirements, succession needs and critical talent gaps.Establish robust talent pipelines for current and future business needs.Drive recruitment effectiveness through data, market intelligence and TA analytics.Develop and maintain recruitment policies, processes, governance and service standards.EmiratisationOwn and drive the organisation’s Emiratisation strategy and hiring roadmap.Partner with leadership to establish Emirati workforce plans aligned with business and regulatory requirements.Build sustainable Emirati talent pipelines across early careers, experienced hires and critical/specialist roles.Develop relationships with UAE universities, government entities, career platforms and national talent programmes.Lead Emirati graduate, internship, scholarship and early-career hiring initiatives where relevant.Monitor Emiratisation hiring targets, progress and workforce metrics and provide regular reporting to senior leadership.Identify opportunities to strengthen Emirati career pathways, internal mobility and long-term retention.Leadership & Stakeholder ManagementLead and develop the Talent Acquisition team, setting clear objectives, standards and performance measures.Act as a trusted talent advisor to the executive leadership team and senior stakeholders.Lead senior and critical hiring mandates, including leadership and hard-to-find specialist positions.Manage relationships with recruitment agencies, executive search firms and other external talent partners.Build strong relationships with internal HR teams, particularly HRBPs, Learning & Development, Rewards and Workforce Planning.Employer Brand & Candidate ExperienceStrengthen the organisation’s Employer Value Proposition and position the company as an employer of choice within the UAE market.Develop targeted talent attraction strategies for Emirati and specialist talent.Improve candidate experience across the recruitment lifecycle.Leverage digital platforms, social media, industry networks, events and partnerships to strengthen talent attraction.Governance & AnalyticsEstablish and monitor TA KPIs including time-to-hire, quality of hire, cost of hire, pipeline health, offer acceptance and Emiratisation metrics.Provide regular talent market insights and recruitment dashboards to senior leadership.Ensure recruitment practices remain compliant with UAE labour and Emiratisation requirements.Drive continuous improvement and digitisation of recruitment processes and systems.Candidate Profile10+ years of Talent Acquisition / Recruitment experience, with significant experience leading TA functions or teams.Strong experience in the UAE market, ideally within a large organisation, manufacturing, industrial, infrastructure, energy or semi-government environment.Demonstrated experience developing and delivering Emiratisation strategies and hiring programmes.Strong understanding of the UAE talent landscape and Emirati talent ecosystem.Experience hiring across technical, corporate, operational and leadership positions.Proven senior stakeholder and executive hiring experience.Experience managing recruitment teams, agencies and external talent partners.Strong understanding of recruitment governance, workforce planning and TA analytics.Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.Bachelor’s degree required.

HR / Talent Acquisition certifications would be an advantage.Key Success MeasuresDelivery against Emiratisation and workforce hiring targetsStrength and diversity of talent pipelinesQuality and speed of critical hiringSenior stakeholder satisfactionCandidate experienceRecruitment cost and agency effectivenessDevelopment and performance of the TA teamStrength of employer brand and talent attraction