HR and Admin Manager

We’re seeking an experienced HR and Admin Manager to lead people operations and administrative services for a construction business in the UAE. You’ll support the full employee lifecycle, help ensure compliance with UAE labour requirements, and build efficient processes that serve both office teams and site-based employees. This is an opportunity to make a practical impact on workforce planning, employee experience, and day-to-day operations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement HR policies, procedures, and administrative processes aligned with business needs and UAE labour regulations. - Manage recruitment and onboarding for office and project-site roles, coordinating with hiring managers to meet workforce requirements. - Oversee employee records, employment contracts, attendance, leave, payroll inputs, and other HR documentation with accuracy and confidentiality. - Support compliance with UAE labour law, visa and work-permit processes, and relevant company and client requirements; coordinate with government authorities and service providers as needed. - Advise managers and employees on performance, employee relations, disciplinary matters, and workplace policies, escalating complex cases appropriately. - Coordinate performance reviews, training, employee engagement, and development initiatives, including role-specific and site safety training in partnership with relevant teams. - Manage office administration, facilities, procurement, travel, accommodation, transport, and other support services for employees and project teams, as applicable. - Oversee HR and administrative budgets, vendor relationships, and service standards; identify opportunities to improve efficiency and control costs. - Prepare regular reports and workforce metrics, such as headcount, turnover, recruitment progress, attendance, and leave. - Lead and develop the HR and administration team, setting clear priorities and maintaining responsive service across locations. - Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; relevant professional HR qualifications are an advantage. - Several years of progressive HR and administration experience, including management responsibility; experience in construction, engineering, or another project-based industry is preferred. - Sound working knowledge of UAE labour regulations and practical experience with employment documentation and visa or work-permit processes. - Experience supporting a diverse, multicultural workforce across office and site environments. - Strong capability across recruitment, employee relations, payroll coordination, performance management, and HR operations. - Organised and detail-oriented, with the judgement to handle confidential information and sensitive employee matters professionally. - Confident communicator and people leader, able to build effective relationships with employees, managers, contractors, and external service providers. - Proficient in HR systems and common office software, with the ability to prepare clear reports and use data to support decisions. - Able to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment and contribute to continuous improvement. - Fluency in English is required; Arabic language skills are an advantage.