HR Employee Partner - Site Lead

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced and proactive HR professional to partner with site leadership in delivering people strategies that support business objectives and foster a high-performing, engaged workforce. This role is responsible for providing strategic and operational HR support across employee relations, compliance, workforce planning, and employee experience, while ensuring the consistent delivery of HR services in line with company policies, labour laws, and the JAFZA framework. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with leaders, HR Communities of Expertise, and People Services to drive a positive workplace culture and enable sustainable business performance. 

The role will be based on-site at our company location in the Jebel Ali Freezone.  

Primary Responsibilities: 

• Coach and advise site leaders and people managers to build ‘high-performing teams’, manage performance, resolve complex workplace issues, lead change initiatives, through consistent HR practices, and corrective actions. 

• Build strong partnerships with relevant HR Business Partners, Communities of Expertise (including Total Rewards, Talent Acquisition, and Talent Management), and People Services, to deliver people strategies, employee transactions, and compliance activities aligned with labour laws and the JAFZA framework. 

• Drive employee engagement and positive employee relations through engagement initiatives, workforce insights, surveys, and effective handling of disciplinary and grievance matters.  

• Ensure compliance with employment laws, company policies and HR regulations by supporting workforce changes (hiring, restructuring, terminations) and applying fair and consistent HR practices. 

• Support and strengthen organizational culture by embedding behaviours and practices that align with business objectives and enhance employee experience.  

• Enable leaders to create engaged, high-performing, and strategy-aligned teams through recognition, communication, and employee experience initiatives that improve satisfaction, productivity, and performance. 

• Manage employee and labor relations by providing guidance on workplace issues, conducting unbiased investigations, and supporting leaders through grievance handling, and social dialogue to maintain positive and productive working relationships. 

• Apply HR best practices and organizational effectiveness principles to improve processes, enhance performance, and support sustainable business outcomes. 

• Demonstrate strong business acumen by understanding organizational priorities and delivering HR programs and projects that align with the people strategy and enable business objectives. 

• Own, facilitate and, where required, participate in HR administration, transactional, and operational activities to ensure continuity of critical HR processes to site leaders, people managers, and employees, including and not limited to monthly payroll, time and attendance, and related employee services. 

Min Qualifications & Experience Requirements 

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, with at least 5 to 7 years of HR generalist and business partnering experience in a fast-paced environment, preferably in the UAE.  

• Strong experience partnering with business leaders in complex matrix organizations, influencing decisions and aligning HR initiatives with regional or global strategies.  

• Proven employee relations expertise, including managing disciplinary cases, grievances, investigations, and conflict resolution with professionalism and confidentiality.  

• Solid experience across the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, development, engagement, and retention.  

• Experience supporting organizational change, workforce planning, restructures, or transformation initiatives in a dynamic environment.  

• Strong knowledge of UAE Labour Law and free zone regulations, ideally within JAFZA or a similar regulated environment.  

• Experience in HR operations, including compensation and benefits, payroll coordination, and HR systems (HRIS, time and attendance).  

• Strong analytical and data capability, with experience using HR metrics, dashboards, and insights to support decision-making and business recommendations.  

• Strong project management and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver outcomes within tight timelines.  

• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and influencing skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior leaders.  

• Demonstrated ability to work independently with high accountability, discretion, and attention to detail in a multicultural environment.  

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Teams).  

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; Arabic is an advantage.  

• Experience in manufacturing, MRO, technical operations, or production environments is highly advantageous.  

• Professional HR certification (CIPD, SHRM, HRCI) is an advantage.  

• Candidates who currently have the legal right to work and live in the UAE would be preferred