HR Business Partner - Saudi Arabia

About the Role

The HR Business Partner for Saudi Arabia serves as the primary custodian of all HR strategies and their operational implementation for Sharaf DG within Saudi Arabia. Reporting directly to the Country Manager – KSA and maintaining functional reporting lines to the UAE Head Office HR and Centers of Excellence (COE), this position plays a key role in driving business growth, enhancing organizational effectiveness, and managing workforce planning aligned with expansion goals. Expertise in Saudi labor laws and retail HR operations will be critical in building and scaling the organization across multiple cities within KSA, laying the groundwork for a future regional HR framework.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a strategic adviser to the Country Manager by supporting organizational structuring, workforce planning, and people-related strategy development reflecting KSA market dynamics.
• Translate business expansion plans into aligned HR strategies to support growth.
• Lead initiatives to foster leadership effectiveness, cultivate a high-performance culture, and boost employee engagement.
• Manage end-to-end talent acquisition processes across store locations, regional roles, and support functions ensuring compliance with Saudization (Nitaqat) and local hiring regulations.
• Develop scalable recruitment frameworks to back multi-region expansion in KSA.
• Oversee all aspects of the employee lifecycle, including onboarding, confirmations, transfers, promotions, and exits with full compliance to Saudi labor law regarding contracts and documentation.
• Coordinate payroll inputs, benefits administration, and the management of HR vendors.
• Ensure adherence to Saudi labor laws and statutory requirements such as GOSI, Qiwa, Muqeem, and Mudad by managing government inspections and audits.
• Lead the performance management cycle consistent with group policies, including goal setting, performance reviews, disciplinary proceedings, and coaching plans.
• Collaborate with UAE COE teams on compensation, benefits, and rewards programs tailored to local market needs.
• Identify capability gaps and facilitate learning and development interventions alongside UAE L&D teams, supporting leadership growth and succession planning initiatives within KSA.
• Recruit, mentor, and manage the local HR team as the business expands, designing operational HR models to cover multiple cities including Riyadh and Jeddah.
• Coordinate closely with UAE HO HR & COE teams to ensure policy governance and alignment across functions including finance, legal, operations, and merchandising.
• Serve as the key HR contact point for both employees and management within Saudi Arabia.

Candidate Profile

• Possess 8 to 14 years of progressive HR experience, preferably within retail or multi-site operational environments.
• Demonstrated expertise in Saudi labor legislation and proficiency with relevant government HR platforms.
• Experience in scaling organizations and supporting rapid business growth is essential.
• Academic credentials include a Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related areas; Master’s degree preferred.
• Strong command of Saudi labor laws, HR compliance, and strategic HR business partnering combined with practical execution skills.
• Exposure to retail or frontline workforce environments is desirable.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the capability to work autonomously while upholding group HR governance standards.
• Arabic language proficiency is preferred; English language skills are mandatory.
• Personal attributes include a business-focused mindset with a strong sense of ownership, resilience, execution drive, cultural sensitivity, employee-centric attitude, and unwavering ethical conduct.

Additional Information

The job description outlines the primary duties and responsibilities but is not exhaustive; the incumbent is expected to embrace and reflect Sharaf DG’s corporate vision, values, behaviors, and core competencies to perform at the highest standards.

Document Reference: SDG-HRD-F-02, Version No.1, Effective date: To be inserted.