Jobs For Faculty Of Social Work Graduates in UAE

Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Function: Human Capital Reporting To: Head of Talent Acquisition Direct Reports: Recruiters, Talent Acquisition Specialists and Recruitment Partners (as assigned)<br>About EDGEEDGE is an advanced technology group established to develop agile, bold and disruptive solutions for defence and beyond. With a growing portfolio of companies, international operations, and strategic Joint Ventures, EDGE is driving innovation across aerospace, autonomous systems, cyber, electronic warfare, advanced manufacturing, and defence technologies. As part of our continued growth, we are seeking an experienced Talent Acquisition Manager to lead recruitment delivery across our International Offices and Joint Venture portfolio.<br>Role Purpose The Talent Acquisition Manager – International is responsible for leading end-to-end recruitment activities across EDGE's international operations and strategic Joint Ventures.<br>The role will act as a trusted talent advisor to business leaders, ensuring the delivery of high-quality talent pipelines, exceptional candidate experiences, and robust recruitment governance whilst supporting complex international hiring requirements. The successful candidate will oversee recruitment operations, workforce planning, sourcing strategy, executive hiring activity, and stakeholder engagement across multiple geographies whilst ensuring alignment with EDGE's Talent Acquisition Centre of Excellence standards.<br>Key Responsibilities Talent Acquisition Delivery & Governance Lead the delivery of recruitment activities across assigned International Offices and Joint Ventures. Partner with business leaders to understand strategic workforce requirements and develop hiring plans aligned to growth objectives. Manage full-cycle recruitment activities from requisition approval through onboarding. Ensure compliance with all EDGE Talent Acquisition policies, procedures, governance requirements and audit controls. Drive adherence to recruitment Service Level Agreements (SLAs), ensuring delivery against agreed hiring timelines and quality metrics. Monitor recruitment activity and proactively identify risks, bottlenecks and workforce gaps. Ensure all recruitment activity is accurately documented within the Applicant Tracking System and related HR systems.<br>Custodian of Talent Acquisition Excellence Drive execution of Talent Acquisition standards and best practices across International Offices and Joint Ventures. Oversee compliance with recruitment governance requirements including:Candidate dispositions Competitive hiring requirements Internal mobility processes Interview documentation Hiring approvals Job posting standards Rehire eligibility processes Develop and execute sourcing strategies for specialist, critical and hard-to-fill positions. Leverage internal talent pools, Linked In Recruiter, talent communities, referrals, executive search firms and targeted market mapping techniques. Manage agency relationships and ensure optimal utilisation aligned to approved budgets. Support complex offer negotiations, including international relocation packages, executive compensation structures and scarce-skill recruitment scenarios. Facilitate recruitment strategy reviews, intake meetings, calibration sessions and hiring governance forums.<br>Strategic Talent Advisory Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on talent market trends, workforce availability, compensation positioning and competitor hiring activity. Provide workforce intelligence and talent analytics to support business decision-making. Influence hiring managers to adopt best practice assessment and selection methodologies. Support organisational growth initiatives, new market entry strategies and Joint Venture workforce build programmes. Partner with Human Capital Business Partners and business leaders to develop proactive talent pipelines for future hiring needs.<br>Leadership & Capability Development Lead, coach and develop assigned recruiters and recruitment partners. Build a high-performance recruitment culture focused on accountability, customer service and continuous improvement. Ensure recruiting team members possess strong capability across sourcing, stakeholder management, interviewing and candidate engagement. Conduct regular performance reviews, capability assessments and development planning. Champion a culture of learning and innovation across the Talent Acquisition function.<br>Employer Branding & Talent Attraction Promote EDGE as an employer of choice across international markets. Support employer branding initiatives, industry partnerships, university engagement programmes and talent networking events. Represent EDGE at recruitment conferences, career fairs and industry forums where appropriate. Contribute thought leadership and market insights to enhance EDGE's talent attraction strategy.<br>Key Performance Indicators Recruitment Delivery Time to Fill: Achievement of agreed hiring SLA targets. Time to Shortlist: Delivery of qualified candidate shortlists within agreed timelines. Offer Acceptance Rate: Achievement of agreed offer acceptance targets. Quality of Hire: Successful completion of probation and hiring manager satisfaction metrics. Stakeholder Experience Hiring Manager Satisfaction Score. Candidate Experience Score. Stakeholder responsiveness and service delivery standards. Operational Excellence100% compliance with recruitment governance and audit requirements. Accurate ATS data management and reporting. Agency utilisation maintained within approved thresholds. Recruitment process adherence across all supported entities. Talent Acquisition Capability Achievement of team hiring targets. Recruiter development and capability progression. Team engagement and retention. Delivery of annual process improvement initiatives. Strategic Impact Successful delivery of critical hiring programmes. Development of talent pipelines for future workforce requirements. Contribution to Emiratisation and nationalisation objectives where applicable. Reduction in external agency dependency through proactive sourcing strategies.<br>Qualifications & Experience Education Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology or related discipline. Professional recruitment certification (CIPD, AIRS, Linked In Recruiter Certification or equivalent) preferred. Experience8–12 years of progressive Talent Acquisition experience. Minimum 3–5 years leading recruitment teams within a complex multinational organisation. Experience recruiting across multiple international markets. Experience supporting Defence, Aerospace, Technology, Manufacturing, Engineering or highly regulated industries preferred. Demonstrated success in managing senior-level and specialist hiring programmes. Experience partnering with executive stakeholders and business leaders.<br>Technical Skills Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) Linked In Recruiter Talent Market Intelligence Platforms Recruitment Analytics and Reporting Executive Search Methodologies Workforce Planning Recruitment Process Design International Hiring & Mobility<br>Competencies Strategic Thinking Stakeholder Management Commercial Acumen Talent Advisory Influencing & Negotiation Data-Driven Decision Making Leadership & Coaching Change Management Customer Focus Continuous Improvement Cultural Awareness & Global Mindset<br>Why Join EDGE? This role offers the opportunity to influence talent strategy across a rapidly expanding international defence technology group. The successful candidate will play a critical role in shaping the future workforce of EDGE's international operations and Joint Ventures whilst partnering directly with senior leaders on some of the organisation's most strategically important growth initiatives.

Our Story<br><br>Alabbar Enterprises & ANOTHER is a UAE-based retail group that represents established brands like Candylicious, Ethan Allen, Yogurtland and Garrett Popcorn. It is also the parent company of multiple F&B concepts like Social House, Karak House, Angelina, Gia, Markette, Two Bistro, Caya, Parka, Krema, Carpo, Ganache Chocolatier, Parka Bakehouse, The Good Hood Kitchen and Klay by Karak under its umbrella.<br><br>An entity with lifestyle and retail endeavours and a passion for distinction - moments – growth.<br><br>Guided by our values and positivity, we bring prevailing international & homegrown brands, delivering the highest levels of retail excellence and experiences to our guests.<br><br>The backbone of our vision is to pursue opportunities to grow and expand our presence locally and internationally while adhering to our core values and bringing synonymous moments and experiences to life.<br><br>Job Summary<br><br>The Talent Acquisition Manager is responsible for developing and executing the overall talent acquisition strategy for the company and its multiple brands, ensuring the timely attraction, selection and onboarding of high-quality talent across corporate, retail, F&B and operational functions.<br><br>Job Responsibilities<br><br>The job holder is responsible and accountable for (but not limited to) the following:<br><br>Talent Acquisition Strategy<br><br>Develop and implement the overall Talent Acquisition strategy aligned with the company's business objectives and workforce requirements. Lead recruitment activities across all assigned brands, departments and locations, ensuring appropriate recruitment plans are in place for both corporate and operational hiring. Partner with senior management and hiring managers to understand current and future manpower requirements and develop effective recruitment plans. Provide market insights on talent availability, salary trends, sourcing channels and recruitment challenges. Develop and maintain talent pipelines for critical, recurring and hard-to-fill positions.<br><br>Recruitment Management<br><br>Manage the complete recruitment lifecycle from manpower requisition through sourcing, screening, interviewing, selection, offer and onboarding. Ensure vacancies are accurately raised, managed and closed through the company's ATS and recruitment systems. Establish clear recruitment priorities based on business requirements, urgency and approved manpower budgets. Monitor recruitment progress and ensure vacancies are filled within agreed timelines and recruitment SLAs. Review candidate profiles and ensure appropriate shortlisting against approved job requirements. Conduct interviews and assessments for managerial, specialist and critical positions where required. Ensure appropriate reference checks, documentation and pre-employment requirements are completed before onboarding.<br><br>Sourcing & Employer Branding<br><br>Develop and implement effective sourcing strategies using Linked In, job boards, recruitment agencies, employee referrals, social media, talent pools and direct sourcing. Build and maintain strong relationships with recruitment agencies, universities, colleges, vocational institutes and other talent partners. Identify new and innovative sourcing channels to improve the quality and diversity of the candidate pipeline. Support the development of the company's employer brand and recruitment marketing activities. Represent the company at career fairs, recruitment events, university engagements and other talent acquisition initiatives.<br><br>Stakeholder & Hiring Manager Management<br><br>Work closely with business leaders and hiring managers to define job requirements, candidate profiles and selection criteria. Advise hiring managers on recruitment market conditions, candidate availability and appropriate hiring strategies. Ensure timely feedback and decision-making throughout the recruitment process. Manage expectations regarding recruitment timelines, candidate availability and market challenges. Build strong working relationships with internal stakeholders to ensure recruitment remains aligned with business priorities.<br><br>Team Leadership<br><br>Lead, manage and develop the Talent Acquisition team, ensuring clear objectives, responsibilities and performance expectations. Allocate recruitment assignments and monitor individual and team performance against agreed targets. Coach recruiters on sourcing, screening, interviewing, candidate management and recruitment best practices. Conduct regular reviews of recruitment performance, workload and productivity. Ensure the team follows approved recruitment policies, SOPs, processes and documentation requirements.<br><br>ATS, Reporting & Recruitment Analytics<br><br>Ensure effective utilization of the ATS and other recruitment technology to maintain accurate and up-to-date recruitment data. Monitor recruitment KPIs including time-to-fill, time-to-hire, source effectiveness, offer acceptance, candidate satisfaction and hiring manager satisfaction. Prepare and present regular recruitment reports and dashboards to management. Analyze recruitment data and identify trends, gaps and opportunities for process improvement. Continuously evaluate recruitment technology, tools and platforms to improve efficiency and candidate experience.<br><br>Emiratization & National Talent<br><br>Develop and implement recruitment initiatives to support the company's Emiratization objectives. Build relationships with UAE national talent pools, universities, government initiatives and relevant recruitment partners. Monitor Emirati hiring progress and ensure recruitment activities support the company's compliance requirements and targets. Develop targeted sourcing and engagement strategies for UAE nationals across relevant functions.<br><br>Recruitment Process & Compliance<br><br>Ensure recruitment activities are conducted in line with company policies, approved procedures and applicable UAE employment regulations. Maintain consistent recruitment documentation and ensure candidate records are complete and accurate. Review and continuously improve recruitment SOPs, templates, forms and processes. Identify opportunities to automate and streamline recruitment, offer approval and onboarding processes. Ensure recruitment practices promote fairness, consistency, confidentiality and a positive candidate experience.<br><br>Budget & Vendor Management<br><br>Manage the Talent Acquisition budget and ensure recruitment expenditure remains within approved limits. Evaluate and manage recruitment agencies, job boards, sourcing platforms and other recruitment vendors. Negotiate commercial terms and monitor vendor performance and return on investment. Review recruitment subscriptions and sourcing channels periodically to ensure they remain effective and relevant.<br><br>Candidate Experience<br><br>Ensure candidates receive a professional, timely and consistent experience throughout the recruitment process. Monitor candidate feedback and satisfaction and implement improvements where required. Maintain regular communication with candidates throughout the hiring process. Ensure offers, joining formalities and onboarding coordination are completed accurately and within agreed timelines.<br><br>Continuous Improvement<br><br>Identify opportunities to improve recruitment efficiency, quality and speed through new processes, technology and sourcing strategies. Benchmark recruitment practices against market trends and leading organizations. Introduce innovative approaches to attract and retain high-quality talent. Lead recruitment projects and initiatives assigned by senior management.<br><br>Job Requirements<br><br>Hold a bachelor's degree in human resources, Business Administration, Psychology or a related field. At least 7 years' experience in Talent Acquisition / Recruitment, preferably within a fast-paced retail, F&B, hospitality environment. Strong knowledge of end-to-end recruitment practices and talent acquisition strategies. Experience managing recruitment teams and high-volume recruitment environments. Experience using ATS and recruitment technology platforms. Strong understanding of sourcing techniques and recruitment analytics. Knowledge of UAE employment and recruitment practices is preferred. Fluency in English. Arabic is an advantage. Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office. Experience with ATS / HRIS systems and recruitment platforms. Proficiency in Linked In Recruiter and other sourcing platforms is an advantage.<br><br>What We Offer<br><br>A supportive and friendly team. Career growth opportunities. Competitive salary and benefits.

About the Job<br>Our confidential client is seeking an experienced Head of Human Resources to lead and continuously develop the Human Resources function within a highly confidential and service-oriented environment.<br>The role provides end-to-end accountability across the employee lifecycle, including workforce planning, talent acquisition, onboarding, employment documentation, compensation and benefits, performance management, employee relations, learning and development, HR operations, governance, and compliance.<br>The successful candidate will act as a trusted HR adviser to senior leadership, ensuring that appropriate people policies, practices, systems, processes, and controls are in place to support the organisation and its employees.<br>This position requires a high level of judgement, discretion, confidentiality, responsiveness, and personal integrity, together with the ability to balance robust HR governance with a highly personalised and professional service.<br>Key Responsibilities:HR Strategy Translate organisational requirements into practical people plans and workforce priorities. Advise senior leadership on organisation structure, role design, workforce requirements, and people-related risks. Develop scalable HR practices appropriate to the organisation's size, culture, and future requirements. Lead the continuous improvement and development of the HR function.<br>HR Operations & Employee Lifecycle Oversee the complete employee lifecycle from joining through to separation. Ensure accurate employee records, leave administration, HR letters, contract changes, and personnel documentation. Establish and maintain appropriate HR systems, data, and reporting arrangements. Coordinate visa, medical insurance, and other employee administration with relevant internal or external providers.<br>HR Governance, Policy & Compliance Maintain and continuously improve the HR policy framework, employee handbook, SOPs, and employment documentation. Ensure HR practices are aligned with applicable employment legislation and regulatory requirements. Maintain appropriate HR approvals, records, controls, confidentiality protocols, and delegated authorities. Coordinate with legal advisers, government relations, and other professional advisers where specialist input is required.<br>Talent Acquisition & Onboarding Lead recruitment for vacant positions. Manage consistent selection, approval, reference/background checking, and offer processes. Manage employment offers, contracts, and onboarding to ensure a high-quality employee experience. Develop and maintain external recruitment partnerships.<br>Compensation, Benefits & Payroll Develop and maintain appropriate salary structures, allowances, benefits, and reward practices. Provide advice on individual compensation decisions and market positioning where appropriate. Oversee annual salary review and bonus processes where applicable. Ensure payroll inputs, employee changes, and end-of-service calculations are appropriately controlled and reviewed.<br>Performance & Talent Management Manage the performance management framework and performance cycle, ensuring clear objectives and accountability. Support leadership in performance assessment, development planning, and management of underperformance. Identify critical roles, succession considerations, and organisational capability requirements. Coordinate learning and development interventions based on organisational and individual needs.<br>Employee Relations & HR Advisory Act as the principal HR adviser to senior leadership and managers on sensitive employee matters. Manage employee relations cases fairly, consistently, confidentially, and in accordance with applicable requirements. Provide guidance on probation, attendance, conduct, grievance, disciplinary, termination, and separation matters. Support a professional, respectful, and service-oriented working environment.<br>HR Reporting & Risk Management Provide concise workforce reporting and management information to senior leadership, including headcount, recruitment, turnover, absence, compensation costs, and other relevant people metrics. Identify emerging people risks and recommend appropriate mitigating actions. Maintain appropriate audit trails and ensure sensitive employee information is protected.<br>Leadership & Stakeholder Management Build trusted relationships with senior leadership and key stakeholders. Manage HR employees and external HR providers to agreed standards. Work effectively with Finance, Legal, Administration, Government Relations, and other relevant functions. Represent the HR function with professionalism, discretion, and sound judgement at all times.<br>Qualifications & Experience Essential Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Psychology, or a related discipline.10+ years of progressive HR experience. Significant experience across a broad generalist HR remit. Strong HR operations experience, including payroll, HR data management, employee relations, and HR compliance. Demonstrated experience advising senior leaders and independently managing complex and sensitive people matters. Strong practical understanding of employment practices and employee lifecycle requirements. Recognised professional HR qualification or equivalent professional standing. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building capability. High level of confidentiality, discretion, judgement, and personal integrity. Preferred Previous experience as a Senior HR Manager, Head of HR, HR Director, or equivalent. Postgraduate qualification in HR, Business, or a related discipline. CIPD, SHRM, or comparable senior HR accreditation. Previous experience in Abu Dhabi. Experience within a Private Office, family office, government, investment, or similarly confidential environment. Experience managing a small high-performing HR team and/or specialist external HR providers. Experience working with outsourced HR service providers.<br>Knowledge & Skills HR Operations Talent Acquisition & Recruitment Employee Relations Compensation & Benefits Performance Management Learning & Development HR Policy & Governance Employment Practices Payroll & HR Administration Workforce Planning HR Reporting & Analytics Stakeholder Management Risk Management Confidentiality & Information Management Executive HR Advisory Key Competencies<br>The successful candidate will demonstrate:<br>Strategic HR leadership with strong operational capability. Excellent judgement when handling sensitive and confidential matters. Strong commercial and financial understanding, particularly in relation to workforce costs and compensation. Ability to develop and implement practical HR frameworks and processes. Strong written communication and documentation skills. Ability to translate workforce data into clear management insights. Strong influencing and stakeholder-management skills. Ability to work independently within a lean and agile environment. Flexibility to respond effectively when priorities change at short notice. Exceptional discretion and professional integrity. Role Context<br>This is a senior, hands-on HR leadership role within a lean and highly confidential environment.<br>The successful candidate will be expected to combine senior-level HR advice with practical delivery, taking ownership of day-to-day HR requirements while establishing and maintaining appropriate governance, systems, processes, and controls.<br>The role is primarily based in Abu Dhabi, with potential responsibility for employees or requirements in other jurisdictions where applicable.<br>Please ensure your CV clearly demonstrates:<br>Senior-level HR experience HR experience HR operations and employee lifecycle management Employee relations Recruitment and talent management HR policy and compliance Experience advising senior leadership<br>Due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Job Title: Synthetic Human Designer — AI Characters & Virtual Humans (1 Position)<br><br>About the Job<br><br>We are seeking a creative, interdisciplinary, and technically aware Synthetic Human Designer to design believable, expressive, and intelligent synthetic humans for AI-powered digital experiences. The successful candidate will work across visual appearance, digital identity, personality, behavior, movement, voice, emotion, and interaction to create synthetic humans that can communicate and behave coherently across different environments and contexts.<br><br>This is a hands-on role at the intersection of artificial intelligence, character design, digital humans, animation, storytelling, human behavior, real-time 3D, and human-AI interaction. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with AI specialists, character artists, 3D artists, animators, technical artists, writers, conversational designers, voice and performance teams, UX specialists, and developers to transform conceptual human characters into complete, interactive synthetic human experiences.<br><br>Responsibilities<br><br>Design synthetic humans from initial concept through visual, behavioral, interactive, and technical development.<br><br>Develop the overall design language of synthetic humans, including physical appearance, digital identity, personality, behavior, emotional characteristics, communication style, movement, voice, and presence.<br><br>Translate character concepts, narratives, functional requirements, cultural references, and user needs into coherent synthetic human designs.<br><br>Develop detailed character specifications covering identity, personality, background, motivations, values, goals, preferences, emotional range, behavioral patterns, and social characteristics.<br><br>Design realistic, stylized, or intentionally synthetic human appearances according to the creative and functional requirements of each project.<br><br>Collaborate with 3D artists to develop facial features, anatomy, body proportions, clothing, hair, materials, textures, and other visual elements.<br><br>Work with character and technical artists on facial rigs, blendshapes, body rigs, deformation systems, eye movement, lip synchronization, and expressive capabilities.<br><br>Design how synthetic humans communicate through facial expressions, gaze, posture, gestures, body language, movement, voice, and dialogue.<br><br>Collaborate with AI teams to connect visual character design with conversational intelligence, personality, memory, reasoning, behavior, and interaction.<br><br>Translate character concepts and behavioral intentions into practical AI requirements, prompts, system instructions, behavioral rules, examples, and evaluation criteria.<br><br>Design emotional and social behavior for synthetic humans across different situations, users, environments, and interaction contexts.<br><br>Define how synthetic humans respond to uncertainty, disagreement, conflict, unexpected events, emotional situations, misunderstandings, and changing circumstances.<br><br>Develop coherent relationships between personality, dialogue, facial expression, body language, voice, movement, and emotional state.<br><br>Collaborate with conversational designers and writers to ensure that dialogue and language consistently express the character's identity and personality.<br><br>Work with animation, motion capture, facial capture, and performance teams to develop believable human performance.<br><br>Coordinate with voice teams to establish voice characteristics, speech patterns, emotional delivery, tone, rhythm, and vocal identity.<br><br>Support integration of synthetic humans into real-time environments using platforms such as Unreal Engine, Unity, Meta Human, or comparable technologies.<br><br>Evaluate synthetic human behavior and performance for realism, coherence, responsiveness, emotional expression, continuity, and character consistency.<br><br>Identify gaps or inconsistencies between visual identity, personality, AI behavior, voice, animation, and interaction.<br><br>Participate in testing, role-play, scenario development, user research, and iterative character refinement.<br><br>Develop scenario libraries and edge cases to evaluate how synthetic humans behave across diverse interactions.<br><br>Establish design principles and evaluation criteria for believable synthetic human appearance, behavior, communication, emotional expression, and interaction.<br><br>Research emerging technologies in generative AI, digital humans, synthetic media, neural rendering, real-time character systems, conversational AI, performance capture, and intelligent avatars.<br><br>Explore new approaches to creating synthetic humans that can maintain persistent identities, relationships, memories, and evolving behavior over time.<br><br>Develop reusable design frameworks, specifications, documentation, and workflows for future synthetic human projects.<br><br>Work closely with multidisciplinary teams to ensure that creative, behavioral, technical, and user-experience requirements remain aligned throughout development.<br><br>Qualifications<br><br>Minimum BA/MA in Character Design, Animation, Digital Media, Computer Graphics, Interaction Design, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Game Design, Film, Visual Effects, Artificial Intelligence, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field.<br><br>At least 3–5 years of experience in character design, digital humans, animation, interactive media, game development, virtual production, AI experiences, or a related field.<br><br>Demonstrable experience designing characters, digital humans, avatars, virtual humans, interactive agents, or comparable digital entities.<br><br>Strong understanding of human anatomy, facial expression, body language, movement, gesture, gaze, posture, and non-verbal communication.<br><br>Strong understanding of character development, personality, human behavior, emotion, social interaction, and narrative design.<br><br>Ability to translate abstract concepts such as personality, identity, emotion, and human behavior into concrete visual, behavioral, and interaction design specifications.<br><br>Familiarity with artificial intelligence, generative AI, conversational AI, large language models (LLMs), AI agents, or intelligent character systems.<br><br>Understanding of how AI-generated dialogue, personality, memory, behavior, voice, facial expression, and body movement can work together as a unified character system.<br><br>Practical familiarity with digital human and real-time character technologies such as Unreal Engine, Unity, Meta Human, Maya, Blender, ZBrush, Houdini, Motion Builder, Substance 3D, or comparable tools.<br><br>Understanding of 3D character development, rigging, skinning, facial systems, blendshapes, animation, materials, and real-time rendering.<br><br>Familiarity with motion capture, facial capture, performance capture, voice performance, lip synchronization, and character animation.<br><br>Experience collaborating with AI engineers, technical artists, animators, writers, designers, developers, performers, and UX specialists.<br><br>Strong visual and conceptual thinking combined with excellent attention to behavioral and technical detail.<br><br>Ability to analyze character behavior and identify inconsistencies between appearance, personality, dialogue, emotion, movement, and interaction.<br><br>Strong communication and documentation skills, with the ability to create character specifications, design guidelines, behavioral frameworks, and production briefs.<br><br>Ability to research emerging technologies and incorporate relevant developments into character and synthetic human design.<br><br>Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary and rapidly evolving environments.<br><br>Experience with prototyping, testing, iteration, and user-centered evaluation of interactive characters or digital experiences.<br><br>Portfolio, showreel, or documented track record demonstrating relevant character, digital human, avatar, animation, AI, or interactive experience projects.<br><br>Fluency in English; additional languages are an asset.<br><br>What We Offer<br><br>The opportunity to design next-generation synthetic humans and AI-powered digital characters.<br><br>A highly interdisciplinary environment connecting artificial intelligence, character design, animation, storytelling, psychology, performance, real-time 3D, and human-AI interaction.<br><br>The opportunity to develop new approaches to creating believable, expressive, intelligent, and evolving synthetic humans.<br><br>Direct influence over the appearance, identity, personality, behavior, emotion, communication, and performance of digital humans.<br><br>The opportunity to explore emerging concepts of synthetic identity, artificial personality, digital presence, human-AI relationships, and intelligent characters.<br><br>Collaboration with creative and technical specialists working with advanced AI and immersive technologies.<br><br>The opportunity to experiment with emerging tools and production methods in generative AI, digital humans, real-time graphics, and interactive character systems.<br><br>Professional growth in an emerging field at the intersection of artificial intelligence, digital humans, synthetic media, and interactive experiences.<br><br>How to Apply<br><br>Please submit the following to farhang@parsikia.ir with subject line “Synthetic Human Designer — AI Characters & Virtual Humans”:<br><br>1.<br><br>CV (max 2 pages)<br><br>1.<br><br>Cover letter (1 page) describing relevant experience and why you are interested in synthetic humans and AI-powered characters<br><br>1.<br><br>Portfolio, showreel, or links to 3 relevant projects demonstrating character, digital human, avatar, animation, AI, or interactive experience design (PDF or URL)<br><br>1.<br><br>Two references (name, role, contact)<br><br>Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview and asked to complete a brief practical exercise involving the design of a synthetic human, including its visual identity, personality, behavioral framework, communication style, emotional characteristics, interaction scenarios, and proposed AI and performance requirements.<br><br>We welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and encourage cross-disciplinary practitioners with experience across artificial intelligence, character design, animation, psychology, storytelling, digital media, virtual production, performance, and emerging technologies to apply.

About Agoda<br><br>At Agoda, we bridge the world through travel. Our story began in 2005, when two lifelong friends and entrepreneurs, driven by their passion for travel, launched Agoda to make it easier for everyone to explore the world.<br><br>Today, we are part of Booking Holdings [NASDAQ: BKNG], with a diverse team of over 7,000 people from 90 countries, working together in offices around the globe. Every day, we connect people to destinations and experiences, with our great deals across our millions of hotels and holiday properties, flights, and experiences worldwide.<br><br>No two days are the same at Agoda. Data and technology are at the heart of our culture, fueling our curiosity and innovation. If you’re ready to begin your best journey and help build travel for the world, join us.<br><br>About The Team<br><br>The People Team at Agoda is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining exceptional talent from across the globe. We work to create an inclusive, high-performing, and engaging environment where employees can grow, contribute meaningfully, and do their best work. Through a strong focus on people experience, service quality, and business partnership, we help Agoda scale while preserving what makes our culture distinctive.<br><br>Within the People Team, the People Experience and Services function is responsible for designing and delivering critical people experiences, services, and operating foundations that support employees and managers across the employee lifecycle. This includes enabling smooth onboarding and mobility experiences, delivering effective workplace and office services, and ensuring employees have access to timely, trusted, and high-quality support when they need it.<br><br>At the center of this model sits People Services & Help Desk — Agoda’s front door for People support — supported by specialist service teams such as People Relations Services. Together, these teams play a critical role in how employees and managers experience the People function day to day: through clear guidance, responsive support, effective issue resolution, and trusted handling of sensitive people matters.<br><br>Opportunity<br><br>We are looking for an Associate Director, Head of People Services & Help Desk to lead Agoda’s employee-facing People service delivery model across People Help Desk / Tier 1 support, Tier 0 / self-service foundations, and Global People Relations Services.<br><br>This is a key leadership role within People Experience and Services, responsible for shaping how employees and managers access support across a wide range of People topics — from day-to-day HR questions and lifecycle support to more complex and sensitive employee matters requiring specialist intervention.<br><br>In this role, you will lead the teams responsible for:<br><br>People Help Desk / Tier 1 services Tier 0 / self-service and knowledge foundations Global People Relations Services, including case governance and specialist support for complex employee relations matters <br><br>You will own the effectiveness of Agoda’s People support model from the employee and manager perspective, ensuring it is clear, trusted, scalable, and increasingly insight-driven. This includes strengthening service standards, improving routing and handoffs across teams, enabling greater self-service, and ensuring sensitive employee matters are handled with appropriate quality, consistency, and governance.<br><br>This role is ideal for a leader who combines strong service delivery and operational leadership with sound judgment, systems thinking, and the ability to build a modern, scalable People support model in a global, fast-moving organization.<br><br>This position is based in Bangkok. Agoda provides relocation support for successful candidates who are not currently located in Bangkok. Please note that we are not open to remote work or the possibility of being based in other locations.<br><br>What You’ll Do<br><br>Lead Agoda’s People Services front door and employee support model<br><br>Lead Agoda’s employee-facing People Services model across Tier 1 Help Desk support, Tier 0 self-service, and the interface into specialist support teams. Define and evolve how employees and managers access support across People topics, ensuring a clear, seamless, and trusted experience. Establish strong service principles, operating rhythms, and leadership across the teams responsible for day-to-day People support and complex employee issue resolution. Ensure Agoda’s People support model scales effectively with organizational growth, complexity, and global reach. <br><br>Lead the People Services & Help Desk team<br><br>Lead, manage, and develop the People Services & Help Desk team to deliver high-quality, consistent, and empathetic Tier 1 support across core HR topics such as policies, processes, employee data, benefits, onboarding, leaves, mobility, and general employee lifecycle support. Set service standards, KPIs, quality expectations, and operating controls to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant case handling. Build a strong service culture with clear accountability for employee experience, right-first-time resolution, responsiveness, and professionalism. Oversee workforce planning, capacity management, and prioritization across service demand, seasonal peaks, and new People initiatives. <br><br>Lead Global People Relations Services<br><br>Lead the Global People Relations Services team, ensuring high-quality and well-governed support across complex employee matters such as performance concerns, misconduct, grievances, investigations, disciplinary actions, involuntary exits, and employee matters arising from organizational change. Ensure clear service ownership, escalation pathways, and governance across People Relations case handling. Partner closely with HR Business Partners, Legal, Compliance, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure people relations matters are handled fairly, consistently, pragmatically, and in line with internal policies and local legal requirements. Drive high standards in case management, documentation, risk identification, and decision quality across the People Relations team. Use case trends and themes to inform improvements in manager guidance, policy design, service processes, and broader practices. <br><br>Own the operating interfaces across Tier 1, People Relations, and specialist teams<br><br>Serve as the senior operational owner for how work flows between Help Desk / Tier 1, People Relations Services, and other Tier 2 / specialist teams across the People organization. Define and continuously improve routing logic, escalation models, intake criteria, handoffs, service ownership, and resolution pathways. Ensure employees and managers experience a joined-up service model even when multiple People teams are involved. Clarify roles and interfaces across Help Desk, People Relations, Payroll, Rewards, Mobility, People Partners, CoEs, and other specialist teams. <br><br>Build Tier 0 / self-service and knowledge management foundations<br><br>Develop and execute Agoda’s roadmap for Tier 0 / self-service, moving the organization toward more proactive, intuitive, and self-directed resolution of common People queries. Own and strengthen the People knowledge ecosystem, including FAQs, help content, decision trees, agent guidance, and employee-facing support materials. Partner with policy owners and People SMEs to simplify complex topics into clear, scalable, and user-friendly content. Drive case deflection, knowledge reuse, content governance, and self-service adoption through disciplined measurement and continuous improvement. <br><br>Enable digital, conversational, and AI-supported service delivery<br><br>Partner with Product, Tech, Systems, and Data teams to improve People support platforms, workflows, and user journeys across self-service and case management. Identify and help shape practical use cases for conversational and agentic AI within People Services, ensuring they enhance employee experience and complement human support. Provide leadership input into the design, testing, rollout, and continuous refinement of AI-enabled and digital service solutions. Ensure appropriate controls, privacy, escalation paths, and trust mechanisms are in place for all digital and AI-supported support channels. <br><br>Drive operational excellence and continuous improvement<br><br>Monitor and improve key service performance metrics across Help Desk and People Relations Services, such as case volume, first contact resolution, time to resolution, service quality, customer satisfaction, escalation rates, re-open rates, and self-service deflection. Lead ongoing improvements in workflows, playbooks, standard responses, training, quality assurance, and reporting. Partner with People Service Excellence and other stakeholders to simplify processes, remove friction, and improve end-to-end employee and manager experiences. Ensure effective controls, compliance, documentation standards, and data privacy practices are embedded across service operations. <br><br>Lead through insight, stakeholder partnership, and change<br><br>Act as the senior People Services contact for service performance, priorities, risks, and transformation opportunities. Provide regular insight and reporting to People leaders on service trends, root causes, organizational pain points, and improvement opportunities. Partner with Communications and relevant People teams to coordinate messaging around policy changes, process updates, and new tools or services. Support broader People transformation by bringing an employee-service lens to operating model design, simplification, and capability building across the function. <br><br>What You’ll Need To Succeed<br><br>Bachelor’s degree in business, Human Resources, Operations, Law, Psychology, or a related field; advanced degree is a plus. Typically, 10+ years of relevant experience across HR shared services, employee services, People operations, employee relations, HRBP, service delivery, or related functions, including significant leadership experience. Demonstrated experience leading managers and/or multiple service teams in a complex, matrixed, and fast-paced environment. Strong experience running a service or support function with clear accountability for quality, responsiveness, service design, and stakeholder experience. Strong understanding of multi-tier service delivery models, including Tier 0 / self-service, Tier 1 support, and specialist / Tier 2 case management. Meaningful exposure to employee relations or complex people issue resolution, with sound judgment on sensitive matters and a strong appreciation for governance, risk, and consistency. Strong skills in service design, operating model improvement, process improvement, and cross-functional workflow design. Experience with HR technology platforms and service tools such as HRIS, case management systems, knowledge bases, and digital support tools. Demonstrated ability to use data and analytics to monitor performance, identify themes and root causes, and drive prioritization and decision-making. Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and influence across leaders, specialist teams, and cross-functional partners. Strong people leadership capability, including coaching leaders and managers, building team capability, and creating a high-performance, service-oriented culture. Comfort operating in a global, evolving, and ambiguous environment, with a strong bias for execution, improvement, and scale. <br><br>It’s great if you also have<br><br>Experience in a global or regional HR shared services / People services environment. Experience leading both broad employee support teams and specialist employee relations or case management teams. Experience in knowledge management, service content strategy, and self-service adoption. Hands-on exposure to conversational AI, chatbots, virtual assistants, or workflow automation in HR or customer support environments. Experience improving employee experience through service redesign, process simplification, or digital product thinking. Experience in a high-growth tech, internet, or digital business. Familiarity with global organizations operating across multiple countries, cultures, and regulatory environments. <br><br>Why this role matters<br><br>This role is a unique opportunity to shape how Agoda employees and managers experience People support at scale. From everyday HR queries to more complex and sensitive employee matters, the teams in this scope play an important role in making sure our people feel supported, informed, and able to navigate key moments in their Agoda journey with confidence.<br><br>As Associate Director, Head of People Services & Help Desk, you will help build a more connected, scalable, and future-ready support model, improving service quality, strengthening self-service, and ensuring complex cases are handled with care and consistency. Your work will directly influence employee experience, manager effectiveness, and how the People function continues to evolve as Agoda grows globally.<br><br>#People Services #HRShared Services #Singapore #Singapore #London #England #Hong Kong #Hong Kong #Berlin #Germany #Paris #France #Tokyo #Japan #Shanghai #China #Beijing #China #Sydney #Australia #Kuala Lumpur #Malaysia #Bangkok #Thailand #Seoul #South Korea #Amsterdam #Netherlands #Dublin #Ireland #Barcelona #Spain #Madrid #Spain #Warsaw #Poland #Prague #Czech Republic #Budapest #Hungary #Dubai #United Arab Emirates #Bangalore #India #Bengaluru #India #Hyderabad #India #New Delhi #India #Delhi #India #Gurgaon #India #Gurugram #India #Noida #India #Mumbai #India #Pune #India #Chennai #India #Jakarta #Indonesia #Manila #Philippines #HoChi Minh City #Vietnam #Hanoi #Vietnam #Taipei #Taiwan #Shenzhen #China #Munich #Germany #Zurich #Switzerland<br><br>Please review our Hiring Process Guidelines before your interview — click here to learn how interviewing at Agoda works.<br><br>Discover More About Working At Agoda<br><br>Agoda Careers https://careersatagoda.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/agodacareers/Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/company/agoda You Tube https://www.youtube.com/agodalife<br><br>Equal Opportunity Employer <br><br>At Agoda, we pride ourselves on being a company represented by people of all different backgrounds and orientations. We prioritize attracting diverse talent and cultivating an inclusive environment that encourages collaboration and innovation. Employment at Agoda is based solely on a person’s merit and qualifications. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity regardless of sex, age, race, color, national origin, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, citizenship, veteran or military status, and other legally protected characteristics.<br><br>We will keep your application on file so that we can consider you for future vacancies and you can always ask to have your details removed from the file. For more details please read our privacy policy.<br><br>Disclaimer<br><br>We do not accept any terms or conditions, nor do we recognize any agency’s representation of a candidate, from unsolicited third-party or agency submissions. If we receive unsolicited or speculative CVs, we reserve the right to contact and hire the candidate directly without any obligation to pay a recruitment fee.

About Agoda<br><br>At Agoda, we bridge the world through travel. Our story began in 2005, when two lifelong friends and entrepreneurs, driven by their passion for travel, launched Agoda to make it easier for everyone to explore the world.<br><br>Today, we are part of Booking Holdings [NASDAQ: BKNG], with a diverse team of over 7,000 people from 90 countries, working together in offices around the globe. Every day, we connect people to destinations and experiences, with our great deals across our millions of hotels and holiday properties, flights, and experiences worldwide.<br><br>No two days are the same at Agoda. Data and technology are at the heart of our culture, fueling our curiosity and innovation. If you’re ready to begin your best journey and help build travel for the world, join us.<br><br>About The Team<br><br>The People Team at Agoda is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining exceptional talent from across the globe. We work to create an inclusive, high-performing, and engaging environment where employees can grow, contribute meaningfully, and do their best work. Through a strong focus on people experience, service quality, and business partnership, we help Agoda scale while preserving what makes our culture distinctive.<br><br>Within the People Team, the People Experience and Services function is responsible for designing and delivering critical people experiences, services, and operating foundations that support employees and managers across the employee lifecycle. This includes enabling smooth onboarding and mobility experiences, delivering effective workplace and office services, and ensuring employees have access to timely, trusted, and high-quality support when they need it.<br><br>At the center of this model sits People Services & Help Desk — Agoda’s front door for People support — supported by specialist service teams such as People Relations Services. Together, these teams play a critical role in how employees and managers experience the People function day to day: through clear guidance, responsive support, effective issue resolution, and trusted handling of sensitive people matters.<br><br>Opportunity<br><br>We are looking for an Associate Director, Head of People Services & Help Desk to lead Agoda’s employee-facing People service delivery model across People Help Desk / Tier 1 support, Tier 0 / self-service foundations, and Global People Relations Services.<br><br>This is a key leadership role within People Experience and Services, responsible for shaping how employees and managers access support across a wide range of People topics — from day-to-day HR questions and lifecycle support to more complex and sensitive employee matters requiring specialist intervention.<br><br>In this role, you will lead the teams responsible for:<br><br>People Help Desk / Tier 1 services Tier 0 / self-service and knowledge foundations Global People Relations Services, including case governance and specialist support for complex employee relations matters <br><br>You will own the effectiveness of Agoda’s People support model from the employee and manager perspective, ensuring it is clear, trusted, scalable, and increasingly insight-driven. This includes strengthening service standards, improving routing and handoffs across teams, enabling greater self-service, and ensuring sensitive employee matters are handled with appropriate quality, consistency, and governance.<br><br>This role is ideal for a leader who combines strong service delivery and operational leadership with sound judgment, systems thinking, and the ability to build a modern, scalable People support model in a global, fast-moving organization.<br><br>This position is based in Bangkok. Agoda provides relocation support for successful candidates who are not currently located in Bangkok. Please note that we are not open to remote work or the possibility of being based in other locations.<br><br>What You’ll Do<br><br>Lead Agoda’s People Services front door and employee support model<br><br>Lead Agoda’s employee-facing People Services model across Tier 1 Help Desk support, Tier 0 self-service, and the interface into specialist support teams. Define and evolve how employees and managers access support across People topics, ensuring a clear, seamless, and trusted experience. Establish strong service principles, operating rhythms, and leadership across the teams responsible for day-to-day People support and complex employee issue resolution. Ensure Agoda’s People support model scales effectively with organizational growth, complexity, and global reach. <br><br>Lead the People Services & Help Desk team<br><br>Lead, manage, and develop the People Services & Help Desk team to deliver high-quality, consistent, and empathetic Tier 1 support across core HR topics such as policies, processes, employee data, benefits, onboarding, leaves, mobility, and general employee lifecycle support. Set service standards, KPIs, quality expectations, and operating controls to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant case handling. Build a strong service culture with clear accountability for employee experience, right-first-time resolution, responsiveness, and professionalism. Oversee workforce planning, capacity management, and prioritization across service demand, seasonal peaks, and new People initiatives. <br><br>Lead Global People Relations Services<br><br>Lead the Global People Relations Services team, ensuring high-quality and well-governed support across complex employee matters such as performance concerns, misconduct, grievances, investigations, disciplinary actions, involuntary exits, and employee matters arising from organizational change. Ensure clear service ownership, escalation pathways, and governance across People Relations case handling. Partner closely with HR Business Partners, Legal, Compliance, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure people relations matters are handled fairly, consistently, pragmatically, and in line with internal policies and local legal requirements. Drive high standards in case management, documentation, risk identification, and decision quality across the People Relations team. Use case trends and themes to inform improvements in manager guidance, policy design, service processes, and broader practices. <br><br>Own the operating interfaces across Tier 1, People Relations, and specialist teams<br><br>Serve as the senior operational owner for how work flows between Help Desk / Tier 1, People Relations Services, and other Tier 2 / specialist teams across the People organization. Define and continuously improve routing logic, escalation models, intake criteria, handoffs, service ownership, and resolution pathways. Ensure employees and managers experience a joined-up service model even when multiple People teams are involved. Clarify roles and interfaces across Help Desk, People Relations, Payroll, Rewards, Mobility, People Partners, CoEs, and other specialist teams. <br><br>Build Tier 0 / self-service and knowledge management foundations<br><br>Develop and execute Agoda’s roadmap for Tier 0 / self-service, moving the organization toward more proactive, intuitive, and self-directed resolution of common People queries. Own and strengthen the People knowledge ecosystem, including FAQs, help content, decision trees, agent guidance, and employee-facing support materials. Partner with policy owners and People SMEs to simplify complex topics into clear, scalable, and user-friendly content. Drive case deflection, knowledge reuse, content governance, and self-service adoption through disciplined measurement and continuous improvement. <br><br>Enable digital, conversational, and AI-supported service delivery<br><br>Partner with Product, Tech, Systems, and Data teams to improve People support platforms, workflows, and user journeys across self-service and case management. Identify and help shape practical use cases for conversational and agentic AI within People Services, ensuring they enhance employee experience and complement human support. Provide leadership input into the design, testing, rollout, and continuous refinement of AI-enabled and digital service solutions. Ensure appropriate controls, privacy, escalation paths, and trust mechanisms are in place for all digital and AI-supported support channels. <br><br>Drive operational excellence and continuous improvement<br><br>Monitor and improve key service performance metrics across Help Desk and People Relations Services, such as case volume, first contact resolution, time to resolution, service quality, customer satisfaction, escalation rates, re-open rates, and self-service deflection. Lead ongoing improvements in workflows, playbooks, standard responses, training, quality assurance, and reporting. Partner with People Service Excellence and other stakeholders to simplify processes, remove friction, and improve end-to-end employee and manager experiences. Ensure effective controls, compliance, documentation standards, and data privacy practices are embedded across service operations. <br><br>Lead through insight, stakeholder partnership, and change<br><br>Act as the senior People Services contact for service performance, priorities, risks, and transformation opportunities. Provide regular insight and reporting to People leaders on service trends, root causes, organizational pain points, and improvement opportunities. Partner with Communications and relevant People teams to coordinate messaging around policy changes, process updates, and new tools or services. Support broader People transformation by bringing an employee-service lens to operating model design, simplification, and capability building across the function. <br><br>What You’ll Need To Succeed<br><br>Bachelor’s degree in business, Human Resources, Operations, Law, Psychology, or a related field; advanced degree is a plus. Typically, 10+ years of relevant experience across HR shared services, employee services, People operations, employee relations, HRBP, service delivery, or related functions, including significant leadership experience. Demonstrated experience leading managers and/or multiple service teams in a complex, matrixed, and fast-paced environment. Strong experience running a service or support function with clear accountability for quality, responsiveness, service design, and stakeholder experience. Strong understanding of multi-tier service delivery models, including Tier 0 / self-service, Tier 1 support, and specialist / Tier 2 case management. Meaningful exposure to employee relations or complex people issue resolution, with sound judgment on sensitive matters and a strong appreciation for governance, risk, and consistency. Strong skills in service design, operating model improvement, process improvement, and cross-functional workflow design. Experience with HR technology platforms and service tools such as HRIS, case management systems, knowledge bases, and digital support tools. Demonstrated ability to use data and analytics to monitor performance, identify themes and root causes, and drive prioritization and decision-making. Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and influence across leaders, specialist teams, and cross-functional partners. Strong people leadership capability, including coaching leaders and managers, building team capability, and creating a high-performance, service-oriented culture. Comfort operating in a global, evolving, and ambiguous environment, with a strong bias for execution, improvement, and scale. <br><br>It’s great if you also have<br><br>Experience in a global or regional HR shared services / People services environment. Experience leading both broad employee support teams and specialist employee relations or case management teams. Experience in knowledge management, service content strategy, and self-service adoption. Hands-on exposure to conversational AI, chatbots, virtual assistants, or workflow automation in HR or customer support environments. Experience improving employee experience through service redesign, process simplification, or digital product thinking. Experience in a high-growth tech, internet, or digital business. Familiarity with global organizations operating across multiple countries, cultures, and regulatory environments. <br><br>Why this role matters<br><br>This role is a unique opportunity to shape how Agoda employees and managers experience People support at scale. From everyday HR queries to more complex and sensitive employee matters, the teams in this scope play an important role in making sure our people feel supported, informed, and able to navigate key moments in their Agoda journey with confidence.<br><br>As Associate Director, Head of People Services & Help Desk, you will help build a more connected, scalable, and future-ready support model, improving service quality, strengthening self-service, and ensuring complex cases are handled with care and consistency. Your work will directly influence employee experience, manager effectiveness, and how the People function continues to evolve as Agoda grows globally.<br><br>#People Services #HRShared Services #Singapore #Singapore #London #England #Hong Kong #Hong Kong #Berlin #Germany #Paris #France #Tokyo #Japan #Shanghai #China #Beijing #China #Sydney #Australia #Kuala Lumpur #Malaysia #Bangkok #Thailand #Seoul #South Korea #Amsterdam #Netherlands #Dublin #Ireland #Barcelona #Spain #Madrid #Spain #Warsaw #Poland #Prague #Czech Republic #Budapest #Hungary #Dubai #United Arab Emirates #Bangalore #India #Bengaluru #India #Hyderabad #India #New Delhi #India #Delhi #India #Gurgaon #India #Gurugram #India #Noida #India #Mumbai #India #Pune #India #Chennai #India #Jakarta #Indonesia #Manila #Philippines #HoChi Minh City #Vietnam #Hanoi #Vietnam #Taipei #Taiwan #Shenzhen #China #Munich #Germany #Zurich #Switzerland<br><br>Please review our Hiring Process Guidelines before your interview — click here to learn how interviewing at Agoda works.<br><br>Discover More About Working At Agoda<br><br>Agoda Careers https://careersatagoda.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/agodacareers/Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/company/agoda You Tube https://www.youtube.com/agodalife<br><br>Equal Opportunity Employer <br><br>At Agoda, we pride ourselves on being a company represented by people of all different backgrounds and orientations. We prioritize attracting diverse talent and cultivating an inclusive environment that encourages collaboration and innovation. Employment at Agoda is based solely on a person’s merit and qualifications. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity regardless of sex, age, race, color, national origin, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, citizenship, veteran or military status, and other legally protected characteristics.<br><br>We will keep your application on file so that we can consider you for future vacancies and you can always ask to have your details removed from the file. For more details please read our privacy policy.<br><br>Disclaimer<br><br>We do not accept any terms or conditions, nor do we recognize any agency’s representation of a candidate, from unsolicited third-party or agency submissions. If we receive unsolicited or speculative CVs, we reserve the right to contact and hire the candidate directly without any obligation to pay a recruitment fee.

About Agoda<br><br>At Agoda, we bridge the world through travel. Our story began in 2005, when two lifelong friends and entrepreneurs, driven by their passion for travel, launched Agoda to make it easier for everyone to explore the world.<br><br>Today, we are part of Booking Holdings [NASDAQ: BKNG], with a diverse team of over 7,000 people from 90 countries, working together in offices around the globe. Every day, we connect people to destinations and experiences, with our great deals across our millions of hotels and holiday properties, flights, and experiences worldwide.<br><br>No two days are the same at Agoda. Data and technology are at the heart of our culture, fueling our curiosity and innovation. If you’re ready to begin your best journey and help build travel for the world, join us.<br><br>About The Team<br><br>The People Team at Agoda is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining exceptional talent from across the globe. We work to create an inclusive, high-performing, and engaging environment where employees can grow, contribute meaningfully, and do their best work. Through a strong focus on people experience, service quality, and business partnership, we help Agoda scale while preserving what makes our culture distinctive.<br><br>Within the People Team, the People Experience and Services function is responsible for designing and delivering critical people experiences, services, and operating foundations that support employees and managers across the employee lifecycle. This includes enabling smooth onboarding and mobility experiences, delivering effective workplace and office services, and ensuring employees have access to timely, trusted, and high-quality support when they need it.<br><br>At the center of this model sits People Services & Help Desk — Agoda’s front door for People support — supported by specialist service teams such as People Relations Services. Together, these teams play a critical role in how employees and managers experience the People function day to day: through clear guidance, responsive support, effective issue resolution, and trusted handling of sensitive people matters.<br><br>Opportunity<br><br>We are looking for an Associate Director, Head of People Services & Help Desk to lead Agoda’s employee-facing People service delivery model across People Help Desk / Tier 1 support, Tier 0 / self-service foundations, and Global People Relations Services.<br><br>This is a key leadership role within People Experience and Services, responsible for shaping how employees and managers access support across a wide range of People topics — from day-to-day HR questions and lifecycle support to more complex and sensitive employee matters requiring specialist intervention.<br><br>In this role, you will lead the teams responsible for:<br><br>People Help Desk / Tier 1 services Tier 0 / self-service and knowledge foundations Global People Relations Services, including case governance and specialist support for complex employee relations matters <br><br>You will own the effectiveness of Agoda’s People support model from the employee and manager perspective, ensuring it is clear, trusted, scalable, and increasingly insight-driven. This includes strengthening service standards, improving routing and handoffs across teams, enabling greater self-service, and ensuring sensitive employee matters are handled with appropriate quality, consistency, and governance.<br><br>This role is ideal for a leader who combines strong service delivery and operational leadership with sound judgment, systems thinking, and the ability to build a modern, scalable People support model in a global, fast-moving organization.<br><br>This position is based in Bangkok. Agoda provides relocation support for successful candidates who are not currently located in Bangkok. Please note that we are not open to remote work or the possibility of being based in other locations.<br><br>What You’ll Do<br><br>Lead Agoda’s People Services front door and employee support model<br><br>Lead Agoda’s employee-facing People Services model across Tier 1 Help Desk support, Tier 0 self-service, and the interface into specialist support teams. Define and evolve how employees and managers access support across People topics, ensuring a clear, seamless, and trusted experience. Establish strong service principles, operating rhythms, and leadership across the teams responsible for day-to-day People support and complex employee issue resolution. Ensure Agoda’s People support model scales effectively with organizational growth, complexity, and global reach. <br><br>Lead the People Services & Help Desk team<br><br>Lead, manage, and develop the People Services & Help Desk team to deliver high-quality, consistent, and empathetic Tier 1 support across core HR topics such as policies, processes, employee data, benefits, onboarding, leaves, mobility, and general employee lifecycle support. Set service standards, KPIs, quality expectations, and operating controls to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant case handling. Build a strong service culture with clear accountability for employee experience, right-first-time resolution, responsiveness, and professionalism. Oversee workforce planning, capacity management, and prioritization across service demand, seasonal peaks, and new People initiatives. <br><br>Lead Global People Relations Services<br><br>Lead the Global People Relations Services team, ensuring high-quality and well-governed support across complex employee matters such as performance concerns, misconduct, grievances, investigations, disciplinary actions, involuntary exits, and employee matters arising from organizational change. Ensure clear service ownership, escalation pathways, and governance across People Relations case handling. Partner closely with HR Business Partners, Legal, Compliance, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure people relations matters are handled fairly, consistently, pragmatically, and in line with internal policies and local legal requirements. Drive high standards in case management, documentation, risk identification, and decision quality across the People Relations team. Use case trends and themes to inform improvements in manager guidance, policy design, service processes, and broader practices. <br><br>Own the operating interfaces across Tier 1, People Relations, and specialist teams<br><br>Serve as the senior operational owner for how work flows between Help Desk / Tier 1, People Relations Services, and other Tier 2 / specialist teams across the People organization. Define and continuously improve routing logic, escalation models, intake criteria, handoffs, service ownership, and resolution pathways. Ensure employees and managers experience a joined-up service model even when multiple People teams are involved. Clarify roles and interfaces across Help Desk, People Relations, Payroll, Rewards, Mobility, People Partners, CoEs, and other specialist teams. <br><br>Build Tier 0 / self-service and knowledge management foundations<br><br>Develop and execute Agoda’s roadmap for Tier 0 / self-service, moving the organization toward more proactive, intuitive, and self-directed resolution of common People queries. Own and strengthen the People knowledge ecosystem, including FAQs, help content, decision trees, agent guidance, and employee-facing support materials. Partner with policy owners and People SMEs to simplify complex topics into clear, scalable, and user-friendly content. Drive case deflection, knowledge reuse, content governance, and self-service adoption through disciplined measurement and continuous improvement. <br><br>Enable digital, conversational, and AI-supported service delivery<br><br>Partner with Product, Tech, Systems, and Data teams to improve People support platforms, workflows, and user journeys across self-service and case management. Identify and help shape practical use cases for conversational and agentic AI within People Services, ensuring they enhance employee experience and complement human support. Provide leadership input into the design, testing, rollout, and continuous refinement of AI-enabled and digital service solutions. Ensure appropriate controls, privacy, escalation paths, and trust mechanisms are in place for all digital and AI-supported support channels. <br><br>Drive operational excellence and continuous improvement<br><br>Monitor and improve key service performance metrics across Help Desk and People Relations Services, such as case volume, first contact resolution, time to resolution, service quality, customer satisfaction, escalation rates, re-open rates, and self-service deflection. Lead ongoing improvements in workflows, playbooks, standard responses, training, quality assurance, and reporting. Partner with People Service Excellence and other stakeholders to simplify processes, remove friction, and improve end-to-end employee and manager experiences. Ensure effective controls, compliance, documentation standards, and data privacy practices are embedded across service operations. <br><br>Lead through insight, stakeholder partnership, and change<br><br>Act as the senior People Services contact for service performance, priorities, risks, and transformation opportunities. Provide regular insight and reporting to People leaders on service trends, root causes, organizational pain points, and improvement opportunities. Partner with Communications and relevant People teams to coordinate messaging around policy changes, process updates, and new tools or services. Support broader People transformation by bringing an employee-service lens to operating model design, simplification, and capability building across the function. <br><br>What You’ll Need To Succeed<br><br>Bachelor’s degree in business, Human Resources, Operations, Law, Psychology, or a related field; advanced degree is a plus. Typically, 10+ years of relevant experience across HR shared services, employee services, People operations, employee relations, HRBP, service delivery, or related functions, including significant leadership experience. Demonstrated experience leading managers and/or multiple service teams in a complex, matrixed, and fast-paced environment. Strong experience running a service or support function with clear accountability for quality, responsiveness, service design, and stakeholder experience. Strong understanding of multi-tier service delivery models, including Tier 0 / self-service, Tier 1 support, and specialist / Tier 2 case management. Meaningful exposure to employee relations or complex people issue resolution, with sound judgment on sensitive matters and a strong appreciation for governance, risk, and consistency. Strong skills in service design, operating model improvement, process improvement, and cross-functional workflow design. Experience with HR technology platforms and service tools such as HRIS, case management systems, knowledge bases, and digital support tools. Demonstrated ability to use data and analytics to monitor performance, identify themes and root causes, and drive prioritization and decision-making. Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and influence across leaders, specialist teams, and cross-functional partners. Strong people leadership capability, including coaching leaders and managers, building team capability, and creating a high-performance, service-oriented culture. Comfort operating in a global, evolving, and ambiguous environment, with a strong bias for execution, improvement, and scale. <br><br>It’s great if you also have<br><br>Experience in a global or regional HR shared services / People services environment. Experience leading both broad employee support teams and specialist employee relations or case management teams. Experience in knowledge management, service content strategy, and self-service adoption. Hands-on exposure to conversational AI, chatbots, virtual assistants, or workflow automation in HR or customer support environments. Experience improving employee experience through service redesign, process simplification, or digital product thinking. Experience in a high-growth tech, internet, or digital business. Familiarity with global organizations operating across multiple countries, cultures, and regulatory environments. <br><br>Why this role matters<br><br>This role is a unique opportunity to shape how Agoda employees and managers experience People support at scale. From everyday HR queries to more complex and sensitive employee matters, the teams in this scope play an important role in making sure our people feel supported, informed, and able to navigate key moments in their Agoda journey with confidence.<br><br>As Associate Director, Head of People Services & Help Desk, you will help build a more connected, scalable, and future-ready support model, improving service quality, strengthening self-service, and ensuring complex cases are handled with care and consistency. Your work will directly influence employee experience, manager effectiveness, and how the People function continues to evolve as Agoda grows globally.<br><br>#People Services #HRShared Services #Singapore #Singapore #London #England #Hong Kong #Hong Kong #Berlin #Germany #Paris #France #Tokyo #Japan #Shanghai #China #Beijing #China #Sydney #Australia #Kuala Lumpur #Malaysia #Bangkok #Thailand #Seoul #South Korea #Amsterdam #Netherlands #Dublin #Ireland #Barcelona #Spain #Madrid #Spain #Warsaw #Poland #Prague #Czech Republic #Budapest #Hungary #Dubai #United Arab Emirates #Bangalore #India #Bengaluru #India #Hyderabad #India #New Delhi #India #Delhi #India #Gurgaon #India #Gurugram #India #Noida #India #Mumbai #India #Pune #India #Chennai #India #Jakarta #Indonesia #Manila #Philippines #HoChi Minh City #Vietnam #Hanoi #Vietnam #Taipei #Taiwan #Shenzhen #China #Munich #Germany #Zurich #Switzerland<br><br>Please review our Hiring Process Guidelines before your interview — click here to learn how interviewing at Agoda works.<br><br>Discover More About Working At Agoda<br><br>Agoda Careers https://careersatagoda.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/agodacareers/Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/company/agoda You Tube https://www.youtube.com/agodalife<br><br>Equal Opportunity Employer <br><br>At Agoda, we pride ourselves on being a company represented by people of all different backgrounds and orientations. We prioritize attracting diverse talent and cultivating an inclusive environment that encourages collaboration and innovation. Employment at Agoda is based solely on a person’s merit and qualifications. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity regardless of sex, age, race, color, national origin, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, citizenship, veteran or military status, and other legally protected characteristics.<br><br>We will keep your application on file so that we can consider you for future vacancies and you can always ask to have your details removed from the file. For more details please read our privacy policy.<br><br>Disclaimer<br><br>We do not accept any terms or conditions, nor do we recognize any agency’s representation of a candidate, from unsolicited third-party or agency submissions. If we receive unsolicited or speculative CVs, we reserve the right to contact and hire the candidate directly without any obligation to pay a recruitment fee.