Vice President HR

Client of James Douglas Middle East

Our client has restructured HR around a clear principle: every function should have HR that is embedded in the business, accountable for outcomes, and empowered to make people decisions without constant escalation. 5 Senior HR Leads sit within the business, each operating as a mini-CHRO for their function and supported by a Talent Partner who drives execution. The VP, Human Resources leads this group.

This is not a coordination or policy-driven role. It is accountable for whether HR for Business delivers in practice across hiring quality, performance outcomes, retention, and the overall career progression of a 1,000+ employee base across functions.

The VP, Human Resources operates alongside two key pillars. The Centre of Excellence defines frameworks, compensation structures, performance systems, and operating standards. The Global HR & Admin Operations Hub ensures consistency, compliance, and strong local execution across offices. This role sits at the intersection, leveraging what the CoE builds, feeding back business needs, and ensuring the embedded HR team translates strategy into execution at the function level.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead the HR for Business team, managing, coaching, and developing Senior HR Leads while holding accountability for the performance of their Talent Partners. Set the standard for what strong, embedded HR looks like and build a pipeline for future HR leadership.
• Set the people agenda across business functions. Partner with Heads of Department and HR Leads to translate growth plans into clear workforce strategies covering headcount, structure, capability, and key talent moves. Work closely with central teams on manpower planning and budgeting.
• Own organisation design as a continuous process. Work with business leaders to ensure teams are structured for execution with the right spans, layers, and role clarity, regularly assessing whether structure is enabling or constraining performance.
• Drive hiring quality across functions. Ensure consistency, speed, and strong decision-making standards across all hiring, with HR Leads maintaining a high bar on talent and building a compelling employer proposition at the function level.
• Ensure performance management works in practice. Oversee the full performance cycle including calibrations, differentiation, performance improvement plans, promotions, and succession planning. Act early on signals related to performance, engagement, and high-potential talent.
• Maintain internal equity and career visibility. Ensure compensation decisions are consistent and defensible across functions, while creating clear and actionable career pathways through structured development and progression planning.
• Oversee employee relations at scale. Ensure consistency and quality in handling investigations, grievances, disciplinary actions, and exits, with HR Leads managing execution and this role setting standards and escalation thresholds.
• Strengthen employer brand and retention from within. Partner with business leaders to shape function-level narratives that attract the right talent, and use data-driven insights to proactively manage engagement and retention.

Work Structure:

• This is a full-time, office-based role.
• The role will require occasional travel across locations, depending on business needs.