Human Resources Director

About us

dmg events is an international exhibitions and publishing company. We attract more than 425,000 visitors to our global portfolio of 80 exhibitions each year. Through our global events, our aim is simple. We want to accelerate business through face-to-face events, which is why we work so hard to bring people together, creating opportunities for them to network, learn and do business. dmg events is part of the Daily Mail Group Trust (DMGT). DMGT Manages a diverse, multinational portfolio of companies with total revenues of £2bn, that provide businesses and consumers with compelling information, analysis, insight, events, news, and entertainment.

Job Purpose: The Human Resources Director - MEAA is responsible for developing and executing the overall people strategy to support the division's business objectives. As a strategic business partner, the HR Director - MEAA will lead all aspects of human capital management, including talent acquisition, divisional development, employee engagement, performance management, learning & development, rewards, culture, and HR operations. Operating within a dynamic and fast-paced events business, this role will ensure the division attracts, develops, and retains high-performing talent while fostering an agile, collaborative, and high-performance culture.

Key Accountabilities:
Strategic HR Leadership

• Develop and implement the organization's HR strategy aligned with business goals and growth plans.
• Act as a trusted advisor to the executive leadership team on all people-related matters.
• Drive organizational design and workforce planning to support evolving business needs.
• Lead change management initiatives during business transformation and growth.
• Develop succession planning and leadership development strategies.

Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning

• Develop talent acquisition strategies to attract high-quality professionals across event operations, commercial, creative, production, and corporate functions.
• Build strong employer branding initiatives to position the organization as an employer of choice.
• Partner with business leaders on manpower planning and hiring forecasts.
• Improve recruitment processes, quality of hire, and candidate experience.
• Build talent pipelines for critical and niche event-related roles.

Performance & Talent Management

• Lead the organization's performance management framework.
• Drive goal setting, performance reviews, calibration, and talent assessments.
• Identify high-potential employees and develop succession plans.
• Design career progression frameworks and internal mobility programs.
• Coach senior leaders on performance and people management.

Learning & Leadership Development

• Develop learning strategies aligned with business capability requirements.
• Build leadership development programs for managers and future leaders.
• Strengthen functional and behavioural competencies across the organization.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning and professional development.

Employee Experience & Culture

• Champion a high-performance, inclusive, and values-driven culture.
• Lead employee engagement initiatives and action planning.
• Strengthen employee communication and feedback mechanisms.
• Drive diversity, equity, inclusion, and well-being initiatives.
• Enhance employee retention through meaningful engagement programs.

Compensation & Benefits

• Oversee compensation, benefits, and recognition strategies.
• Ensure market competitiveness through regular benchmarking.
• Manage annual salary reviews, bonus cycles, and incentive programs.
• Maintain internal equity and pay governance.

HR Operations & Compliance

• Ensure HR policies and procedures remain compliant with applicable labour laws.
• Oversee employee lifecycle processes from onboarding through offboarding.
• Drive HR process improvements and digital transformation initiatives.
• Ensure effective HR governance, documentation, and reporting.
• Manage HR systems and workforce analytics.

Employee Relations

• Build trusted relationships across all levels of the organization.
• Resolve complex employee relations matters fairly and effectively.
• Guide leaders on disciplinary processes and conflict resolution.
• Promote a positive workplace built on trust, transparency, and accountability.

HR Analytics & Business Insights

• Develop meaningful HR dashboards and executive reporting.
• Use data to inform strategic workforce decisions.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop the HR team.
• Foster a collaborative, service-oriented HR function.
• Build HR capabilities that support business growth and operational excellence.
• Promote innovation and continuous improvement within HR.

Qualifications, experience & skills:

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology, or related field.
• Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration (MBA), or equivalent preferred.
• Professional HR certifications (SHRM-SCP, CIPD, SPHR, CHRP, or equivalent) are an advantage.

Minimum Experience:

• 15+ years of progressive HR experience.
• Minimum 7–10 years in senior HR leadership roles, managing and leading a team.
• Experience supporting high-growth, project-based, or service-driven organizations.
• Prior experience within events, entertainment, hospitality, media, experiential marketing, or similar industries is highly desirable.
• Proven experience partnering with executive leadership on organizational strategy.
• Experience partnering with senior leadership teams and acting as a strategic business partner.
• Strong exposure to multi-country HR management across the Middle East.
• Deep understanding of UAE labour laws, Middle East employment regulations, and regional HR practices.

Technical Competencies:

• Strategic HR Management
• Organizational Design
• Talent Management
• Workforce Planning
• Leadership Development
• Compensation & Benefits
• HR Analytics
• Employment Law
• Change Management
• HR Technology and Digital Transformation

Leadership Competencies:

• Strategic thinking
• Executive presence
• Influencing and stakeholder management
• Business acumen
• Decision-making
• Coaching and mentoring
• Emotional intelligence
• Conflict resolution
• Change leadership
• Innovation mindset
• Results orientation

"Please take the time to read the job description, you must meet all the criteria set out above for your application to be considered. We do check all applications, and suitable candidates will be contacted within 5 days. If you are not contacted by us within 5 working days, please consider your application unsuccessful at this time."

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