Labor Relations Manager - MEP

Role overview

This position sits within the MEA Labor Relations function and supports the wider MEA HR organization. The role requires strong disciplinary judgment, the ability to provide practical advisory input, and the confidence to influence decisions across the region. Success in this job depends on clear communication, diplomatic stakeholder management, a solid grasp of local labor legislation, and the ability to handle multiple priorities independently while delivering accurate and timely outcomes.

The coverage area for this role includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Pakistan.

What you will be handling

You will support labor and employee relations activities, guide negotiations, manage disputes, advise on local labor law matters, and partner with HR, legal, and risk teams to protect the organization’s interests and ensure compliance.

Labor, union, and collective negotiations

• Put the employee relations approach into action to reduce the impact of individual complaints and collective labor disputes.
• Coordinate employee and labor relations initiatives so that they remain aligned with internal policies and operating practices.
• Represent the company in union contract discussions and make sure any extra financial requests or incentives are properly budgeted.
• Work with managers, employees, and representatives to look into grievances, resolve issues, and build prevention strategies that support a stable workplace.
• Ensure all employment relationships comply with collective agreements, individual contracts, local laws, regulations, and company standards.
• Review bargaining patterns, legal requirements, and market practices to understand their effect on the business, including benchmarking against comparable organizations and reviewing incentives tied to bargaining agreements.
• Represent management in negotiations and dispute resolution with employees, unions, employer groups, government bodies, labor authorities, and similar entities.

Employment litigation

• Support Employment Legal and CHRO leaders with employment litigation matters and related processes.

Regulatory advisory and local labor law

• Partner with CHROs, Employment Legal, ICRM, and Country Legal teams when responding to labor regulators or authorities on employment issues.
• Interpret internal and external legal guidance and translate labor law or regulatory updates into workplace changes.
• Track labor law changes and brief management on what they mean for the business.
• Assist CHROs during labor department audits and inquiries.
• Support handbook updates and policy communication.
• Advise on HR topics governed by local law, including hiring, work shifts, overtime, premium pay, exemption status under wage and hour rules, DIRA and VIC, health and safety, terminations, performance, mobility, cross-border transfers, local legal entities, and work visas or permits.

Individual and collective dismissals

• Take part in negotiations connected to individual and collective dismissal processes, including redundancy calculations, tax considerations, and case preparation such as dismissal letters, separation agreements, and employee communications, in coordination with Employment Legal.
• Work with Employment Legal, Country Legal, Employee Relations, HRAs, and CHROs on involuntary termination cases that require additional support.

Oversight and reporting

• Prepare information and inputs for senior escalation meetings and governance forums.

Policy and regulation

• Assess whether policies and regulations apply under labor law and coordinate implementation across countries with Employment Law, Employee Relations, other centers of excellence, and HR delivery teams.
• Advise the policy lead on Employee Handbook updates, ensuring changes reflect labor law amendments and are filed with the Labor Board together with the union where required.
• Support the rollout of new policies.

Risk and controls

• Identify controls that help reduce risk and use root-cause analysis to prevent repeat issues.
• Partner with HR Controls, ICRM, and Risk teams to support CHROs in issue management, progress tracking, and escalation of concerns.
• Evaluate business decisions with appropriate attention to risk, reputation, legal compliance, ethical conduct, and transparent reporting of control issues, while driving accountability across teams.

Additional responsibilities

• Participate in monthly committee interactions with bank associations and regulators.
• Provide consultation support on data privacy matters.
• Help implement the “How we Work” strategy in each country as applicable.
• Offer ad hoc support to CHROs on a range of in-country HR generalist tasks.
• Collaborate with other Labor Relations Managers on pan-MEA projects and initiatives.

Experience and education

The role requires 6 to 8 years of professional experience. Prior HR experience in a Business Partner, Labor Relations, or Employee Relations capacity is preferred. Arabic language skills are mandatory.

A bachelor’s or university degree is required, and a master’s degree is preferred.

Additional notes

This summary reflects the main duties associated with the position, but additional job-related responsibilities may be assigned when needed.

This role is part of the Human Resources function, specifically within the Employee Relations family. It is a full-time position.

Equal opportunity statement

The employer is an equal opportunity organization. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic. Reasonable accommodation is available for candidates with disabilities who need help using the application tools or accessing a career opportunity.