HR Director Job Description UAE

What an HR Director does in UAE

An HR Director in UAE leads the human resources function for a large organisation, setting people strategy, overseeing talent acquisition, compensation, learning and development, and ensuring full compliance with UAE Labour Law and Emiratisation requirements. You report to the CEO or COO and sit on the senior leadership team, making decisions that shape the culture and workforce capability of the organisation.

Key responsibilities

• Set the organisation’s people strategy covering talent acquisition, development, retention, and Emiratisation
• Lead the HR team including HR managers, L&D managers, and payroll and compensation specialists
• Own UAE Labour Law compliance including MOHRE regulatory submissions, WPS, and work permit governance
• Design and implement the annual Emiratisation hiring plan to meet NAFIS sector targets
• Oversee the total compensation and benefits framework aligned to UAE market benchmarks
• Drive the performance management cycle and succession planning programme for critical roles
• Manage HRIS implementation and ensure HR data quality across all UAE entities
• Handle executive-level employee relations, disciplinary, and termination processes
• Build relationships with MOHRE, GDRFA, and Abu Dhabi government HR authorities
• Report quarterly people metrics including turnover, engagement, Emiratisation rate, and capability index to the Board

Qualifications required

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in human resources or business administration
• 12 to 18 years of HR experience with at least 4 years as HR Director in UAE or GCC
• CIPD Level 7 or SHRM-SCP qualification preferred
• Demonstrated Emiratisation programme leadership for UAE mainland organisations
• Deep knowledge of UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, MOHRE, and GDRFA requirements
• Experience managing HR functions for organisations of 500 or more employees in UAE
• Arabic language fluency preferred for MOHRE authority and government stakeholder engagement
• Strong Board-level people metrics reporting experience

HR Director salary by employer type in UAE

Employer type	Annual salary (AED)
Government-linked entity or UAE SOE	350,000–580,000
Multinational corporation UAE or GCC HQ	300,000–520,000
UAE-listed company or large private group	260,000–460,000
Free zone or regional headquarter	280,000–490,000

Contract terms for this role in UAE

HR Director roles carry a 60 to 90 day notice period in UAE. Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 applies to your end-of-service gratuity at 21 days basic salary per year for the first five years.