Employee Relations Specialist

About Al-Futtaim Group

Founded in the 1930s as a trading company, Al-Futtaim Group is now one of the largest and most diversified privately-owned conglomerates in the Middle East, headquartered in Dubai. Operating through five main divisions - automotive, financial services, real estate, retail, and healthcare - the organization employs over 35,000 personnel across more than 20 countries across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Partnering with over 200 leading global brands, Al-Futtaim thrives on entrepreneurship and unwavering customer focus, enabling continuous expansion and adaptation to evolving market demands.

Driven by values such as respect, excellence, collaboration, and integrity, Al-Futtaim is committed to enriching customers' lives daily.

Role Overview

The Employee Relations (ER) Specialist plays a key role in handling the escalation procedures and guiding the company on employee relations issues. Responsibilities include managing the Speak Up channels for employee concerns, conducting thorough investigations aligned with company policies and UAE labor laws, and ensuring outcomes that are equitable and consistent with business objectives and organizational values. The role also encompasses updating and maintaining ER policies, frameworks, and awareness initiatives while promoting an ethical workplace culture and compliance through training and documentation. Success is measured by proactive ER issue management and fostering a positive work environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide prompt and precise counsel regarding employee relations matters, ER policies, local labor regulations, compliance risks, and policy standards.
• Lead investigations into ethics violation allegations following the Speak Up process.
• Mediate conflicts and conduct employee inquiries with impartiality, confidentiality, and professionalism.
• Recommend corrective and disciplinary measures as appropriate.
• Facilitate communication in grievance or appeal hearings and promote ER programs and strategies.
• Ensure ER policies and processes comply with applicable labor legislation.
• Implement and communicate the policy framework, grievance procedures, disciplinary processes, and escalation protocols across the group.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), service level agreements (SLAs), and streamlined workflows.
• Foster an ethical culture and maintain a compliant work environment.
• Create ER training programs and educational materials.
• Raise awareness through campaigns focusing on ER themes such as Code of Conduct and Speak Up initiatives.
• Manage the execution of corporate ethics training programs for new hires and ongoing sessions for all employees and managers.
• Analyze and generate reports on ER processes, including Speak Up, conflict of interest, and disciplinary activities.
• Track performance indicators to ensure an effective ER framework.
• Carry out compliance risk assessments regarding ethics-related policies.
• Handle all ER administrative tasks accurately, covering legal, financial, and reputational areas across the organization.
• Build and sustain working relationships in a diverse, multicultural, and competitive business landscape.
• Maintain strong networks with internal teams and external experts.
• Assist line management with ER-related projects.
• Apply thorough knowledge of UAE labor law and company policies to all processes.
• Exhibit strong attention to detail and sound decision-making abilities.
• Coordinate prioritization of tasks to support international business operations.
• Employ effective communication skills and engage with stakeholders proficiently.
• Collect stakeholder feedback and prepare insightful reports.

Qualifications and Skills

• Diploma or degree in Human Resources, Employment Law, or related field is preferred.
• At least five years of proven experience in HR and employee relations within the GCC region.
• Extensive understanding of employee relations and labor law practices.
• Demonstrated experience in project management and policy development.
• Awareness of HR functional areas, associated risks, and their significance.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to analyze legislative or policy changes and articulate them succinctly.
• Capability to manage multiple tasks effectively in a demanding environment.
• Exceptional focus on detail and strong judgment skills.

Additional Information

The recruitment process is designed to match candidates whose values align with respect, integrity, collaboration, and excellence. The organization prides itself on a positive candidate experience and thorough assessment of both skills and cultural fit throughout hiring.