Head of HR - Automotive
Posted date [2026-07-08]
(ID: 47635)
 |
Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim is one of the most progressive regional family business houses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. |
Job Description and Requirements
Head of HR - AutomotiveJob Snapshot
Role: Head of HR - Automotive
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Industry: Automotive
Function: Human Resources
Experience: Minimum 10 years in HR leadership or HR business partnering
Job Type: Full-time
Position Overview
Head of HR - Automotive in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is an Automotive hiring opportunity for a senior human resources leader who can align people strategy with business performance across a large automotive business unit. The role focuses on organisational development, workforce optimisation, change management, leadership development, employee relations, succession planning, HR compliance, Emiratization, manpower budgeting, and human capital metrics.
Job Details
Country: United Arab Emirates
City: Dubai
Industry: Automotive
Function: Human Resources
Salary: 45000-65000
Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.
Gender: Any
Candidate Nationality: Any
Job Type: Full-time
Role Context
The Head of HR - Automotive will act
as a strategic advisor to senior management, helping the business build a capable, engaged, compliant, and performance-driven workforce. This position connects HR strategy with commercial priorities by supporting organisational restructuring, leadership capability, succession planning, employee engagement, manpower productivity, policy compliance, and cost control. The role has strong influence on business stability, talent retention, management effectiveness, workforce planning, and long-term organisational readiness.
Key Responsibilities
* Develop and implement the annual HR strategy and HR plan in partnership with senior management and business unit leadership.
* Align HR priorities with the automotive division’s operating model, growth plans, workforce requirements, and performance goals.
* Support continuous improvement across HR activities, employee lifecycle processes, workforce planning, and people-related governance.
* Ensure new employees are effectively inducted and integrated into the business through structured onboarding and clear role expectations.
* Build succession plans and retention strategies for key talent, high-potential employees, and critical business roles.
* Work with line managers to develop learning and development plans that strengthen technical, leadership, and commercial capability.
* Implement performance management plans that improve employee contribution, address underperformance, and support fair decision-making.
* Monitor the performance management process to ensure SMART objectives, transparent assessments, promotion discipline, and consistent follow-through.
* Identify training needs for key employees and coordinate with the Group Training Department to deliver relevant learning initiatives.
* Maintain updated organisation charts, annual people review inputs, talent development plans, and successor mapping for key positions.
* Lead regular talent development committee meetings and support structured reviews of leadership pipeline and workforce capability.
* Manage employee relations matters across business units while coaching line managers on fair, compliant, and practical issue resolution.
* Promote a culture of employee engagement, meritocracy, performance focus, diversity, respect, collaboration, integrity, and excellence.
* Advise management on local labour law, company policy, disciplinary procedures, employee exits, and risk reduction.
* Communicate HR policy updates clearly and ensure procedures are applied correctly across the automotive business.
* Act as a trusted HR business partner, coach, and advisor to senior leaders and management teams.
* Support organisational change, business restructuring, consolidation, and workforce optimisation initiatives.
* Advise on lean workforce planning, multi-skilled team structures, productivity improvement, and manpower efficiency.
* Monitor employee feedback, internal communication effectiveness, and engagement outcomes within assigned business units.
* Ensure compliance with localization policy, Emiratization targets, diversity commitments, and Emirati-only position safeguards.
* Prepare employee cost reporting, manpower budget inputs, HR budget tracking, incentive payout monitoring, and monthly HR metrics.
* Attend board, financial, and management meetings where workforce cost, structure, productivity, and HR performance updates are required.
* Strengthen internal controls by reviewing HR policy compliance, resolving policy breaches, and ensuring adherence to laws and regulations.
Ideal Profile
* Professional qualification in Human Resources, Business Management, or a related field.
* First degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Management, or a relevant discipline is preferred.
* Minimum 10 years of HR experience, ideally in a senior HR leadership, Head of HR, or HR Business Partner role.
* Experience supporting large multinational organizations, complex business units, or regional operating structures.
* Strong exposure to the Middle East market and modern HR operating models.
* Proven capability in organisational development, change management, leadership development, employee relations, workforce planning, and performance management.
* Good understanding of compensation management, recruitment and selection, talent development, succession planning, and employee engagement.
* Strong knowledge of HR policy, labour law compliance, internal controls, Emiratization, and localization requirements.
* Experience working with senior management as a trusted advisor on people strategy, structure, productivity, and organisational effectiveness.
* Strong analytical ability with experience in human capital metrics, employee cost reporting, manpower budgeting, and financial modelling.
* Confident communication, coaching, influencing, and problem-solving skills.
* Strategic thinker with achievement orientation, solution focus, business partnership mindset, and strong teamwork.
* Able to manage sensitive employee matters with discretion, fairness, compliance, and sound judgment.
* Comfortable working in a fast-paced automotive environment with multiple stakeholders, performance pressures, and transformation priorities.
Skills Set
* Human resources leadership
* HR business partnering
* Organisational development
* Change management
* Workforce optimisation
* Talent management
* Succession planning
* Leadership development
* Employee relations
* Performance management
* Compensation management
* Recruitment and selection
* Learning and development
* Employee engagement
* HR policy compliance
* Labour law compliance
* Emiratization
* Localization policy
* Manpower budgeting
* Employee cost reporting
* Human capital metrics
* Financial modelling
* Organisational restructuring
* HR governance
* Internal controls
* Coaching and mentoring
* Stakeholder management
* Senior management advisory
* Diversity and inclusion
* Strategic HR planning
Why Join Us
This role offers the opportunity to lead the HR agenda for a major automotive business within one of Dubai’s most established regional groups. The position provides strong exposure to senior leadership, workforce transformation, organisational restructuring, Emiratization, talent development, employee engagement, and business performance improvement. It is a strong fit for an experienced HR leader who wants to influence people strategy, strengthen leadership capability, and support the growth of a large automotive operation.
About the Company
Al-Futtaim is a diversified business headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with operations across automotive, retail, financial services, real estate, and healthcare. Its automotive division represents major global mobility brands and supports customers through distribution, aftersales, leasing, commercial vehicles, electric mobility, and customer-focused automotive services across regional markets.
Key Responsibilities
* Develop and implement the annual HR strategy and HR plan in partnership with senior management and business unit leadership.
* Align HR priorities with the automotive division’s operating model, growth plans, workforce requirements, and performance goals.
* Support continuous improvement across HR activities, employee lifecycle processes, workforce planning, and people-related governance.
* Ensure new employees are effectively inducted and integrated into the business through structured onboarding and clear role expectations.
* Build succession plans and retention strategies for key talent, high-potential employees, and critical business roles.
* Work with line managers to develop learning and development plans that strengthen technical, leadership, and commercial capability.
* Implement performance management plans that improve employee contribution, address underperformance, and support fair decision-making.
* Monitor the performance management process to ensure SMART objectives, transparent assessments, promotion discipline, and consistent follow-through.
* Identify training needs for key employees and coordinate with the Group Training Department to deliver relevant learning initiatives.
* Maintain updated organisation charts, annual people review inputs, talent development plans, and successor mapping for key positions.
* Lead regular talent development committee meetings and support structured reviews of leadership pipeline and workforce capability.
* Manage employee relations matters across business units while coaching line managers on fair, compliant, and practical issue resolution.
* Promote a culture of employee engagement, meritocracy, performance focus, diversity, respect, collaboration, integrity, and excellence.
* Advise management on local labour law, company policy, disciplinary procedures, employee exits, and risk reduction.
* Communicate HR policy updates clearly and ensure procedures are applied correctly across the automotive business.
* Act as a trusted HR business partner, coach, and advisor to senior leaders and management teams.
* Support organisational change, business restructuring, consolidation, and workforce optimisation initiatives.
* Advise on lean workforce planning, multi-skilled team structures, productivity improvement, and manpower efficiency.
* Monitor employee feedback, internal communication effectiveness, and engagement outcomes within assigned business units.
* Ensure compliance with localization policy, Emiratization targets, diversity commitments, and Emirati-only position safeguards.
* Prepare employee cost reporting, manpower budget inputs, HR budget tracking, incentive payout monitoring, and monthly HR metrics.
* Attend board, financial, and management meetings where workforce cost, structure, productivity, and HR performance updates are required.
* Strengthen internal controls by reviewing HR policy compliance, resolving policy breaches, and ensuring adherence to laws and regulations.
Ideal Profile
* Professional qualification in Human Resources, Business Management, or a related field.
* First degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Management, or a relevant discipline is preferred.
* Minimum 10 years of HR experience, ideally in a senior HR leadership, Head of HR, or HR Business Partner role.
* Experience supporting large multinational organizations, complex business units, or regional operating structures.
* Strong exposure to the Middle East market and modern HR operating models.
* Proven capability in organisational development, change management, leadership development, employee relations, workforce planning, and performance management.
* Good understanding of compensation management, recruitment and selection, talent development, succession planning, and employee engagement.
* Strong knowledge of HR policy, labour law compliance, internal controls, Emiratization, and localization requirements.
* Experience working with senior management as a trusted advisor on people strategy, structure, productivity, and organisational effectiveness.
* Strong analytical ability with experience in human capital metrics, employee cost reporting, manpower budgeting, and financial modelling.
* Confident communication, coaching, influencing, and problem-solving skills.
* Strategic thinker with achievement orientation, solution focus, business partnership mindset, and strong teamwork.
* Able to manage sensitive employee matters with discretion, fairness, compliance, and sound judgment.
* Comfortable working in a fast-paced automotive environment with multiple stakeholders, performance pressures, and transformation priorities.
Skills Set
* Human resources leadership
* HR business partnering
* Organisational development
* Change management
* Workforce optimisation
* Talent management
* Succession planning
* Leadership development
* Employee relations
* Performance management
* Compensation management
* Recruitment and selection
* Learning and development
* Employee engagement
* HR policy compliance
* Labour law compliance
* Emiratization
* Localization policy
* Manpower budgeting
* Employee cost reporting
* Human capital metrics
* Financial modelling
* Organisational restructuring
* HR governance
* Internal controls
* Coaching and mentoring
* Stakeholder management
* Senior management advisory
* Diversity and inclusion
* Strategic HR planning
Why Join Us
This role offers the opportunity to lead the HR agenda for a major automotive business within one of Dubai’s most established regional groups. The position provides strong exposure to senior leadership, workforce transformation, organisational restructuring, Emiratization, talent development, employee engagement, and business performance improvement. It is a strong fit for an experienced HR leader who wants to influence people strategy, strengthen leadership capability, and support the growth of a large automotive operation.
About the Company
Al-Futtaim is a diversified business headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with operations across automotive, retail, financial services, real estate, and healthcare. Its automotive division represents major global mobility brands and supports customers through distribution, aftersales, leasing, commercial vehicles, electric mobility, and customer-focused automotive services across regional markets.
