Job Description
Regional Human Resource Manager
Middle East and Asia Pacific
Job Scope
The Regional Human Resources Manager is responsible for leading and executing the human resources strategy for laboratory and field operations across the Middle East and Asia Pacific region. This role supports a multidisciplinary workforce including laboratory scientists, geochemists, petroleum engineers, field technicians, and corporate staff.
The HR Manager partners with business leaders to drive talent strategy, workforce planning, employee engagement, and compliance with employment regulations across multiple countries, while ensuring alignment with the company's global HR framework. This requires strong experience in multinational HR operations, particularly in regulated industries such as oil \& gas, energy services, or laboratory services.
Job dimensions:
This role reports directly to the CHRO with a dotted line to the Regional VP of Operations and is directly responsible in leading 2 direct reports while supporting countries in the region – UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Australia, Oman.
Duties and Responsibilities:
HR Strategy \& Business Partnership
- Partner with regional leadership to develop and implement HR strategies aligned with business objectives and growth plans across the region.
- Provide strategic HR guidance to laboratory managers, technical leaders, and operational executives.
- Support organizational design, workforce planning, and talent development initiatives.
Talent Acquisition \& Workforce Planning
- Lead recruitment strategies for highly specialized roles including laboratory scientists, geologists, chemists, petroleum engineers, and field technicians.
- Collaborate with hiring managers to build strong pipelines for technical and operational talent.
- Oversee onboarding processes to ensure successful integration of new employees.
Employee Relations
- Provide expert guidance on employee relations issues including performance management, disciplinary actions, and conflict resolution.
- Ensure consistent application of company policies across all regional locations.
- Foster a culture of accountability, safety, and collaboration.
Compliance \& Labor Law
- Ensure compliance with employment laws and labor regulations in each country.
- Manage HR policies and practices to meet country-specific requirements related to contracts, terminations, benefits, and labor relations.
- Partner with legal advisors on complex employment matters.
Compensation \& Benefits
- Support regional compensation structures to remain competitive within the oil \& gas and laboratory services market.
- Manage benefits programs across multiple countries and vendors.
- Participate in compensation benchmarking and annual salary review cycles.
Performance Management \& Talent Development
- Lead performance management processes and leadership development initiatives.
- Support succession planning and career development programs for technical and leadership roles.
- Implement training programs aligned with operational needs, including safety and compliance training.
HR Operations
- Oversee HR operations including payroll coordination, HRIS administration, and reporting.
- Manage HR metrics and analytics to inform leadership decisions.
- Support HR process standardization across the region.
Culture, Engagement \& Safety
- Promote a strong safety culture aligned with Company Standards.
- Lead employee engagement initiatives and organizational culture programs.
Qualifications
Education
- Degree in Human Resources, Psychology, Business Administration or related field
- CIPD Qualified
Experience
- 10+ years of progressive HR experience with Labour laws in the Middle East
- Experience in oil \& gas services, energy, laboratory services, engineering, or technical environments strongly preferred
Skills
- Strategic HR leadership and business partnership
- Strong employee relations and conflict resolution skills
- Cross-cultural communication and leadership
- Experience managing HR in multiple countries
- Data-driven decision making and HR analytics
- Fluency in English is essential
Key Competencies
- Strategic Thinking
- Cultural Intelligence
- Leadership \& Influence
- Operational Excellence
- Ethical Judgment \& Integrity
- Change Management
Work Environment
- Hybrid Office Schedule
- 30% of travel across the region may be required