Employee Relations Specialist

Job Requisition ID: 180455

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United A”rab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world's most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organisation to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate.

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day.

Overview Of The Role:

The ER Specialist is responsible for implementing the escalation process and providing guidance on employee relations (ER) matters within the organization. The ER specialist will be managing the ER Speak Up channels for employees to raise concerns, investigating and tracking ER cases in line with company policies and local labor laws, and ensuring outcomes are compliant, fair, and consistent with both business priorities and Al-Futtaim values. This role also involves the development and maintenance of ER policies, the Policy Framework, and awareness programs. The ER Specialist will work to uphold a culture of ethics, manage compliance processes, and support business ethics through training and documentation. Success in this role is defined by proactive ER management and fostering a positive workplace culture.

What You Will Do:

• Provide timely and accurate advice on employee relations issues, ER policies, local labor law practices, policy standards, and compliance risk.
• Conduct investigations and assessment of allegations of ethics violations in line with the Speak Up process.
• Mediate conflicts, conduct employee investigations, ensuring impartiality, confidentiality, fairness, and professionalism.
• Make recommendations for corrective and disciplinary action.
• Act as a translator in employee grievance or appeal hearings and communicate ER programs and strategies.
• Ensure ER policies and processes are current, conform and comply with relevant labor laws.
• Communicate and implement the policy framework, compliance processes, group-wide grievance/speak up, disciplinary procedures, and escalation process.
• Develop and establish SOPs, SLAs and lean process flows.
• Maintain an ethic culture and environment.
• Develop ER training programs and materials.
• Cultivate ER awareness by building a culture of ethics and a safe environment.
• Participate in HR strategic projects as required.
• Launch campaigns creating awareness on ER-related matters, such as COCE, speak up.
• Implement corporate ethics training programs, including introductory training for new employees and ongoing training for all employees and managers.
• Analyze and report on ER processes such as Speak Up, Conflict of Interest, and Disciplinary actions.
• Monitor controls, trends, and key performance indicators (KPIs) for an effective ER program.
• Analyze and report on Speak Up performance.
• Conduct compliance risk assessment and due diligence covering all areas of Ethics policies.
• Ensure accuracy in all ER administrative tasks (legal, financial, and reputational) for group-wide employee relations.
• Foster effective working relationships in a diverse, multi-cultural, and competitive commercial environment.
• Maintain a strong network of internal and external specialists and peers.
• Support the Line Manager with ER projects.
• Possess full know-how in the procedures and regulations of UAE Labor law and company policies.
• Ensure attention to detail and strong decision-making.
• Manage work prioritization for international business execution.
• Utilize strong communication skills and proficient interaction with stakeholders.
• Generate stakeholder feedback and produce reports.

Required Skills To Be Successful:

• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to analyze and concisely explain legislative or policy changes.
• Multitasking ability in a demanding environment.
• Strong attention to detail and decision-making skills.

What Qualifies You For The Role:

• Diploma or degree in HR or Employment Law is preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant working experience in HR and/or ER in the GCC.
• Deep knowledge of employee relations and employment law.
• Proven track record in project management and policy documentation.
• Understanding of functional areas and risks within HR and their importance.
• Proficiency in Microsoft suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

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Before you click “apply”: Please read the job description carefully to ensure you can confidently demonstrate why this opportunity is right for you and take the time to put together a well-crafted and personalised CV to further boost your visibility. Our global Talent Acquisition team members are all assigned to specific businesses to ensure that we make the best matches between talent and opportunities. We not only consider the requisite compatibility of skills and behaviours, but also how candidates align with our Values of Respect, Integrity, Collaboration, and Excellence.

As part of our candidate experience promise, we also want to make ourselves available to you throughout the application process. We make every effort to review and respond to every application.