Job Description

Roles & Responsibilities

Role Description: 

The Employee Relations & HR Operations Executive is a senior, dual-mandate role supporting Mercantile Pacific Group's manufacturing and refurbishment operations in Dubai. Reporting to the HR Business Partner, the role holder will serve as the primary first-line specialist for both employee relations casework and day-to-day HR operations across the Dubai entity, encompassing operator, technician and supervisory populations. 

This is a hands-on, sole-contributor position requiring deep familiarity with UAE labour law and free zone employment frameworks, combined with the operational discipline to manage HR processes, compliance filings, and workforce data to MNC-level governance standards. The successful candidate will combine sound legal judgement, strong interpersonal skills, and rigorous attention to detail to manage the full HR lifecycle — from workplace investigations to payroll coordination, work permit management, and regulatory reporting. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Employee Relations & Casework 

• Serve as the first point of contact for ER matters across the Dubai factory, refurbishment lines, and supporting operations functions. 

• Lead workplace investigations into grievances, misconduct, harassment complaints and policy breaches — gather evidence, interview witnesses, document findings, and recommend outcomes. 

• Manage end-to-end disciplinary processes (verbal warning, written warning, final warning, termination) in line with UAE labour law and internal policy. 

• Mediate disputes between employees and supervisors; facilitate constructive conflict resolution on the shop floor. 

• Maintain accurate, confidential case records and produce ER trend dashboards for HRBP and operations leadership review. 

UAE Labour Law & Regulatory Compliance 

• Ensure all ER actions and outcomes comply with local laws and regulations. 

• Liaise with MOHRE and / or the relevant free zone authority on labour complaints, work permit matters, and end-of-service settlements. 

• Advise line managers on probation periods, notice, lawful termination grounds, end-of-service gratuity (EOSB), and leave entitlements. 

• Maintain current working knowledge of the Wage Protection System (WPS), Emiratisation requirements, and gratuity / final settlement calculations. 

• Flag changes in UAE employment legislation and recommend operational adjustments; coordinate with external counsel on matters that escalate beyond standard ER scope. 

HR Operations Lifecycle 

• Coordinate end-to-end onboarding (contracts, handbook acknowledgement, workstation and equipment setup, induction scheduling) and offboarding (exit clearance, final pay, EOSB settlements, asset retrieval) for all Dubai-based staff. 

• Administer employee benefits, leave entitlements, medical coverage, and government-mandated entitlements in accordance with UAE law and internal policy. 

• Support recruitment operations — job postings, candidate screening coordination, interview scheduling, offer letter issuance, and pre-employment documentation. 

• Maintain employee master data and HR records in the HRIS platform, ensuring data integrity and audit-readiness at all times. 

Work Permit & Visa Administration 

• Manage the full work permit lifecycle for Dubai-based employees — applications, renewals, cancellations, and appeals via MOHRE and the relevant free zone portal. 

• Track work permit quotas, dependency ratios, and compliance thresholds; proactively flag risks to the HRBP and recommend remediation. 

• Coordinate with relocation and immigration vendors on incoming foreign hires, including visa applications, dependent passes, and onboarding logistics. 

Payroll Coordination & WPS Compliance 

• Act as the primary operational point of contact for payroll execution for the Dubai entity, coordinating with finance and any external payroll provider to ensure accurate, on-time disbursement. 

• Oversee WPS submission and reconciliation; ensure payroll records are audit-ready and compliant with UAE Employment Regulations and free zone requirements. 

• Manage computation and administration of end-of-service gratuity, notice pay, overtime, allowances, and final settlement calculations. 

• Prepare monthly payroll cost and headcount reports for management review; respond to regulatory data requests. 

Workforce Engagement & Communication 

• Conduct regular shop-floor walkthroughs and listening sessions with operators, technicians and frontline supervisors. 

• Translate company policies, code of conduct and process changes into accessible communications for a multi-cultural, multi-lingual workforce. 

• Champion a culture of fairness, dignity and open dialogue; act as a credible, neutral point of contact for employees raising concerns. 

Policy, Process & Capability Building 

• Maintain and update the employee handbook, code of conduct and ER-related policies; ensure version control and timely roll-out of changes. 

• Partner with the HRBP on policy implementation, manager training and refresher sessions on ER, conduct and disciplinary handling. 

• Develop supervisory capability for first-line people issues — coaching team leaders and shift supervisors on how to identify, escalate and document concerns appropriately. 

• Drive digital transformation of HR records and processes, migrating manual workflows to automated platforms where applicable. 

Reporting, Risk & Stakeholder Management 

• Track ER KPIs — case volumes, resolution times, root cause categories, recurrence rates — and report to the HRBP and CHRO on a fortnightly cadence. 

• Generate monthly headcount, attrition, payroll cost, and leave liability reports for management; respond to regulatory statistical submissions. 

• Identify and flag ER risk patterns (attrition pockets, grievance clusters, supervisor hotspots) with proposed mitigations. 

• Support audits, regulator enquiries, and internal reviews relating to people matters; maintain documentation to evidentiary standard. 

Desired Candidate Profile

• 5–7 years of progressive HR experience, with a minimum of 3 years in a dedicated employee relations or industrial relations capacity and demonstrated ownership of HR operations (payroll coordination, work permit management, HR administration). 

• Manufacturing, industrial, or large-operations experience managing shop-floor employee relations, including operator and technician populations. 

• Minimum 3 years of continuous residency in Dubai, with deep working knowledge of UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, MOHRE processes, and Dubai free zone employment frameworks (familiarity with Dubai Commercity / DDA strongly preferred). 

• Proven track record of conducting workplace investigations and managing disciplinary processes end-to-end, with documented case outcomes. 

• Hands-on experience managing work permit lifecycles (application, renewal, cancellation) via MOHRE and free zone portals. 

• Operational payroll experience in the UAE context, including WPS compliance, EOSB calculations, and final settlement processing. 

• Excellent written and spoken English; demonstrated ability to communicate clearly with multi-national, multi-lingual workforces. 

• Sound judgement, discretion, and a strong commitment to confidentiality. 

• Calm, fair, and resilient temperament; comfortable managing difficult conversations and high-stakes interactions. 

• Strong analytical and documentation skills; comfortable using HR data to identify trends and shape decisions. 

• UAE residency required; must be eligible to work in the UAE without sponsorship delay. 

Preferred 

• Working proficiency in Arabic (read, write, and speak) — advantageous for MOHRE filings, legal correspondence, and worker communications. 

• Direct experience interfacing with MOHRE, free zone authorities, or UAE labour courts on case escalations. 

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Law, Industrial Relations, Business Administration, or a related discipline. 

• Prior exposure to a multi-country, matrix organisation operating across the GCC and South/Southeast Asia. 

• Experience with HRIS platforms operating in the UAE context; prior involvement in HR system implementation or migration is advantageous. 

• Prior experience in technology distribution, device refurbishment, or a similar high-volume manufacturing environment.