Senior Manager Talent Acquisition

Senior manager - Talent AcquisitionLocation: Abu Dhabi, (Onsite – Mussafah)About the OpportunityWe are representing one of the region's leading manufacturing organizations, currently undergoing an exciting phase of growth and transformation. They are seeking an experienced Senior manager - Talent Acquisition to lead and modernize their recruitment function, driving strategic hiring initiatives, high-volume recruitment, and workforce planning while supporting business expansion and workforce objectives.This is a leadership opportunity for someone who is passionate about building high-performing talent acquisition functions, implementing scalable, data-driven recruitment strategies, and partnering closely with senior business leaders to attract exceptional talent across all levels of the organization.Key ResponsibilitiesTalent Acquisition Strategy• Develop and execute a comprehensive talent acquisition strategy aligned with business growth plans and Emiratization objectives.• Lead high-volume recruitment initiatives across corporate, manufacturing, engineering, technical, commercial, and leadership functions.• Build and maintain proactive talent pipelines across all critical business functions with a particular focus on Nationalisation talent.• Lead employer branding initiatives to strengthen the organization's position as an employer of choice• Partner with HR Business Partners and business leaders to forecast workforce requirements and develop strategic hiring plans.• Continuously assess market trends and implement innovative sourcing strategies to secure top talent.Recruitment Operations• Lead the end-to-end recruitment lifecycle from workforce planning and requisition approval through to offer negotiation and onboarding handover.• Deliver high-volume hiring campaigns while maintaining an exceptional candidate and hiring manager experience.• Drive recruitment process excellence by implementing and optimizing Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and recruitment technologies.• Establish and monitor recruitment KPIs including time-to-fill, quality of hire, cost per hire, offer acceptance rates, pipeline health, and hiring manager satisfaction.• Build and manage relationships with recruitment agencies, executive search firms, universities, and external talent partners.• Ensure all recruitment activities comply with Local Labour Law, internal governance, and recruitment best practices.Emiratization & Nationalisation Talent Strategy• Lead the organization's Emiratization recruitment strategy in line with NAFIS targets and government initiatives.• Build strong partnerships with local universities, Tawteen, government entities, and professional networks to strengthen the talent pipeline.• Track Emiratization hiring progress and provide regular reporting and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.• Develop initiatives that enhance the attraction, engagement, and retention of talent.Leadership & Stakeholder Management• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing Talent Acquisition team.• Set clear objectives, KPIs, and development plans for the recruitment function.• Partner with senior leadership to influence hiring decisions and long-term workforce planning.• Coach hiring managers on structured interviewing, candidate assessment, and selection best practices.• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, operational excellence, and candidate-centric recruitment.Qualifications & ExperienceEducation• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related discipline.• Master's degree is advantageous.• Professional certifications such as CIPD, SHRM, or equivalent are preferred.Experience• Minimum 10 years of progressive Talent Acquisition experience, including at least 4 years in a leadership role.• Proven experience leading high-volume recruitment across multiple business functions in a complex organization.• Previous experience within manufacturing, industrial, engineering, heavy industry, construction, or other operationally intensive environments is highly preferred.• Demonstrated success delivering Emiratization or Nationalization hiring programmes at scale.• Strong experience using LinkedIn Recruiter, ATS platforms, talent intelligence tools, and advanced sourcing techniques.• Proven experience managing recruitment agencies, executive search firms, and strategic recruitment partnerships.Key Competencies• Deep understanding of the talent market and Emiratization landscape.• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.• Strategic, commercial, and data-driven mindset.• Ability to build scalable recruitment processes to support high-volume hiring.• Excellent analytical, reporting, and workforce planning capabilities.• Exceptional communication and presentation skills.• High level of professionalism and discretion when managing confidential recruitment processes.• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, transformation-focused environment.• Fluency in Arabic and English is a mustKey Performance Indicators• Achievement of Emiratization hiring targets aligned with business objectives.• Time-to-fill across all business functions and seniority levels.• High-volume hiring delivery against workforce plans.• Offer acceptance and candidate conversion rates.• Quality of hire measured at 3- and 6-month milestones.• Recruitment cost per hire against budget.• Hiring manager and candidate satisfaction.• Talent pipeline health and succession readiness for critical roles.Working ArrangementThis is a fully onsite leadership position based at the client's Head Office in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi.