Director - Organization Development & HR Strategy

We are looking for a Director of OD & HR Strategy to lead group-wide organizational design, workforce planning, HR governance, and total rewards frameworks for our client in Dubai
, an esteemed group with operations spread out across multiple industries. This role requires strong experience in HR strategy, organizational development, policy governance, and excellence frameworks.

This is a permanent role in the organization and reports to the Executive Director – HR in the Group HR department.

• Define and implement the group HR and OD strategy aligned with business objectives and government excellence frameworks
• Lead HR policies, procedures, governance, and compliance across all business units
• Develop HR KPIs, dashboards, and reporting frameworks to support leadership decisions
• Lead organizational design, job evaluation, grading structures, and workforce planning models
• Drive manpower planning and workforce optimization across the group
• Lead change management and organizational transformation initiatives
• Develop and oversee group-wide compensation and benefits frameworks
• Design incentive and reward structures to drive performance and retention
• Benchmark compensation, benefits, and HR practices against market standards
• Lead internal excellence programs and coordinate government excellence submissions
• Ensure compliance with UAE labour law, Emiratization requirements, and audit standards
• Act as strategic advisor to the Executive Director – HR on OD and HR strategy matters
• Partner with Finance and Business Heads on workforce cost planning and rewards budgeting
• Oversee HR performance dashboards, benchmarking, and reporting
• Lead, develop, and manage the HR strategy and OD team
• 10–15 years of experience in HR, OD, or HR Strategy, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role
• Strong experience in organizational design, workforce planning, job evaluation, and grading frameworks
• Proven background in HR strategy execution and transformation programs
• Deep knowledge of UAE labour law, government excellence frameworks, and HR governance
• Strong experience in compensation & benefits frameworks and market benchmarking
• Experience building HR dashboards, KPIs, and reporting frameworks
• Strong stakeholder management and advisory skills at executive level
• Experience working in large, complex, multi-entity organizations
• Master’s degree in HR, OD, Business Administration, or related field
• SHRM-SCP, CIPD Level 7, or equivalent certification
• Korn Ferry Job Evaluation and Rewards certification is preferred

Availability: Preference will be given to candidates available immediately or a maximum 30 days after accepting the offer.

We are looking for a candidate who will be able to work in United Arab Emirates. Please apply with your resume and remember to provide us with your contact details.

We will review your job application within 7 working days. Should your profile fit the requirements of the role a consultant from Edari will be in touch with you to get a deeper understanding of your profile, to discuss the role in more detail and potential next steps.