National Relations & Engagement Specialist

The National Relations & Engagement Specialist is a critical role focused on supporting our national employees' well-being, fostering engagement, and ensuring alignment with organizational goals through effective performance management. This role plays a vital part in supporting the company’s Emiratisation strategy by ensuring the successful integration of our national talent into the workforce and fostering a culture of belonging, growth, and career development.

Key Responsibilities

· Act as the first point of contact for our national employees regarding HR queries and support needs.

· Assist, develop, and implement engagement initiatives designed to improve our national employee satisfaction, performance, and career progression.

· Look after our national employees’ workplace experiences, gather feedback, and implement initiatives to address challenges and improve retention.

· Monitor attendance, probation reviews, and performance feedback for our national talent.

· Partner with managers to support the national employees through mentoring, career coaching, and professional development opportunities.

• Initiate the creation of recognition and reward programs to celebrate the contributions of national employees.
• Provide guidance to the national employees and managers on goal setting and performance expectations.
• Assist in the development and implementation of effective recruitment strategies to attract national talent for roles across all brands and departments.
• Support partnerships with universities, career fairs, and government programs (e.g., Nafis, MOHRE) to build a strong pipeline of national talent.
• Coordinate the hiring process of national candidates.
• Ensure and oversee onboarding programs tailored to national hires, ensuring smooth integration into the company culture and operations.
• · Ensure company practices comply with UAE Emiratisation laws, quotas, and reporting requirements.
• · Maintain accurate records of national employees in HR systems.
• · Prepare basic reports on Emiratisation numbers, turnover, and progress toward targets.
• · Support with government documentation and Emiratisation compliance requirements.
• · Educate managers and teams on Emirati culture and workplace expectations to promote inclusion and understanding
• · Work closely with Employee Relations & Engagement team on day-to-day tasks.
• · Support with administrative duties such as filing, documentation, and data entry.
• · Liaise with operations and managers to ensure smooth integration of national staff in restaurants and head office roles.
• · Partner with Operations, HR sub-departments, and leadership teams to identify roles suitable for national talent.
• · Provide general administrative support to the HR department as required.

Qualifications/Requirements:

Education:

· Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.

Experience:

· Minimum 3–5 years of HR experience, preferably with a focus on nationalization programs in the UAE.

· Proven experience in employee engagement and retention strategies.

Skills:

· Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to address employee concerns effectively.

· Strong organizational and analytical skills, with attention to detail.

· Strong understanding of UAE labor laws and Emiratisation regulations.

• Fluency in English and Arabic (preferred).

Job Type: Full-time

Application Question(s):

• Have you worked on Nationalization/Emiratization programs?
• Do you speak Arabic?
• How many years experience you have in Employee Relations & Engagement?
• How much is your salary expectation?