HR Operations Manager

On-site | Abu Dhabi

AppliedAI is a pioneering AI technology company headquartered in Abu Dhabi, committed to innovation and excellence in artificial intelligence solutions across regulated industries such as healthcare, insurance, government, and financial services.

As our HR Operations Manager you'll lead the People Operations function for a fast-growing technology company, overseeing HR processes across the full employee lifecycle from onboarding through offboarding. The role owns the operational foundations required to support the company's growth and scale, leads a small HR operations team, and oversees the company's payroll processing.

This role suits someone who has operated in a fast-paced, changing environment, understands what "good" HR operations look like at scale, and can bring order, clarity, and structure without over-engineering.

Key Responsibilities:

HR Operations Leadership

Own end-to-end HR operations across the employee lifecycle, including onboarding, contracts, probation tracking, employee changes, leave, and exits
Lead and develop a small HR operations team, setting priorities, reviewing work, and building capability
Ensure HR activities are delivered accurately, on time, and consistently, even in high-volume or changing conditions
Act as the escalation point for complex or sensitive HR operational matters raised by managers and employees

Payroll Oversight

Oversee the company payroll process, managing the team member responsible for payroll processing and ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timeliness
Act as the point of accountability for payroll governance, audits, and issue resolution, without directly processing payroll
Ensure payroll processes are well documented and resilient to team changes

Automation & Process Improvement

Identify opportunities to introduce automation and efficiencies across HR operations, from manual data entry to workflow handoffs
Evaluate and implement HR systems, tools, and process changes that reduce manual effort and improve accuracy
Apply experience from fast-paced or scaling environments to identify what needs to be put in place (processes, templates, trackers, SOPs)
Move HR operations from ad hoc to repeatable and scalable without slowing the business down

Policies, Processes & Structure

Own the implementation and day-to-day governance of People policies
Document and standardise HR processes so they are easy for managers and the team to follow
Ensure policies and processes are applied consistently across teams and, where relevant, across jurisdictions

UAE & Global Context

Apply strong working knowledge of UAE labour law to HR operations and ensure ongoing compliance
Oversee visa and employment documentation processes
Operate confidently within a global People team, supporting multiple jurisdictions

Systems, Data & Reporting

Own HR systems and trackers, ensuring data accuracy, visibility, and control across the function
Oversee HR reporting and audits, providing accurate and timely data to leadership
Keep HR operations organised, structured, and dependable as the team and company scale

Key Requirements:

6-8+ years' experience in HR Operations, including prior experience managing or leading a team
Experience working in a fast-paced, high-growth, or changing environment, ideally in technology
Experience overseeing or managing a payroll function (direct payroll processing experience not required)
Practical understanding of what HR foundations are required to scale (process, documentation, data discipline, automation)
Experience working within the UAE employment context
Strong organisation, prioritisation, and communication skills
Comfortable operating at both a hands-on and strategic level

Preferred Experience:

Experience in tech, professional services, or scaling organisations
Experience leading HR systems implementations or operational improvement initiatives
Experience supporting a regional or global workforce
Experience managing payroll vendors or payroll system providers

Behaviours & Attributes:

Structured but pragmatic: brings order without bureaucracy
Proactive: anticipates operational needs as the business grows
Dependable: trusted to keep HR operations running smoothly and lead others in doing the same
Clear communicator: explains processes simply and confidently to managers, employees, and leadership
Ownership-oriented: takes responsibility for outcomes, including those delivered through others

Benefits: