HR & Payroll Consultant

Job Purpose

As an HR & Payroll Consultant, you will act as a trusted advisor to a portfolio of clients across the UAE, delivering end-to-end HR advisory, compliance, and payroll outsourcing services. This role goes beyond operational HR-focusing on risk management, regulatory compliance, process optimisation, and strategic workforce advisory.

You will support clients ranging from SMEs to growing corporate groups, ensuring alignment with UAE Labour Law, WPS requirements, immigration regulations, and best practice HR frameworks, while delivering accurate and scalable payroll solutions.

Key Responsibilities Client Advisory & Relationship Management

• Act as the primary point of contact for assigned client portfolio on HR, payroll, and workforce compliance matters.

• Build long-term trusted relationships with key client stakeholders (owners, finance teams, HR leads).

• Provide practical, commercially focused HR advice tailored to UAE market conditions.

• Lead regular client review meetings, providing insights, risk updates, and improvement recommendations.

HR Advisory & Compliance

• Advise clients on UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021) and related regulations.

• Support clients in:

  • Employment contracts (mainland & free zone)

  • Employee classifications and benefits structuring

  • Terminations, disciplinary processes, and grievance handling

  • Leave policies, EOSB (End of Service Benefits), and compensation frameworks

• Conduct HR health checks / compliance reviews and provide actionable remediation plans.

• Develop and implement HR policies, employee handbooks, and SOPs aligned with UAE legal requirements.

• Support immigration and visa-related HR processes (in coordination with PRO/CSP teams).

Payroll Management & Processing

• Manage end-to-end payroll processing for multiple clients, including:

  • Salary calculations, allowances, deductions

  • Overtime, commissions, and bonus structures

  • Leave salary and EOSB calculations

• Ensure compliance with Wages Protection System (WPS) requirements.

• Coordinate payroll outputs including:

  • Payslips

  • WPS file preparation

  • Bank transfer reports

• Perform payroll reconciliations and resolve discrepancies proactively.

• Maintain strong controls to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and audit readiness of payroll data.

Systems, Automation & Process Improvement

• Implement and manage HRMS / payroll systems (e.g., Zoho People, Zoho Books, or similar platforms).

• Identify opportunities to automate payroll and HR workflows to improve efficiency and reduce risk.

• Develop standardised templates, trackers, and dashboards for client reporting.

• Support integration of HR/payroll systems with accounting and finance platforms.

Reporting & Insights

• Prepare and deliver monthly HR and payroll reports, including:

  • Headcount analysis

  • Payroll summaries

  • Cost analysis and trends

• Provide clients with actionable insights on workforce costs, productivity, and compliance risks.

• Support clients with audit requests, documentation, and regulatory submissions.

Business Development & Growth

• Identify opportunities for:

  • Upselling HR services

  • Cross-selling related services (accounting, tax, corporate services)

• Support proposal development, client onboarding, and solution design.

• Contribute to thought leadership content (guides, articles, webinars) on HR and payroll topics in the UAE.

Internal Collaboration

• Work closely with:

  • Accounting & Tax teams (for payroll postings, provisions, compliance)

  • Corporate Services teams (for visas, licensing, labour files)

  • Technology teams (for system implementations and integrations)

  • Contribute to continuous improvement of firm-wide service delivery standards

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field

• Minimum 2-4 years of experience in HR and payroll, preferably within:

  • Professional services / consulting firms

  • Outsourced HR/payroll environments

• Strong working knowledge of:

  • UAE Labour Law

  • WPS regulations

  • EOSB calculations and payroll compliance

• Experience handling multiple clients or entities simultaneously

Technical Skills

• Hands-on experience with:

  • Payroll systems and HRMS platforms (Zoho, Bayzat, ZenHR or similar)

• Strong proficiency in:

  • Microsoft Excel (advanced preferred - payroll reconciliations, trackers)

  • Reporting and data analysis

• Familiarity with UAE compliance frameworks and documentation standards

Core Competencies

• Strong consultative and client delivery mindset

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

• High attention to detail and accuracy in payroll processing

• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and client priorities

• Strong problem-solving and analytical capabilities

• High level of confidentiality and professional integrity

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English (written and verbal) is mandatory

• Arabic is an advantage

What Success Looks Like in This Role

• Clients view you as a trusted HR and payroll advisor

• Payroll is consistently accurate, compliant, and delivered on time

• HR risks for clients are proactively identified and mitigated

• Strong client retention and growth in service scope

• Contribution to building a scalable HR outsourcing practice within the firm