Application Open:
Full-Time
Job Purpose:
The Head of Talent Management is responsible for developing and executing MBZUAI’s comprehensive talent development strategy to support the university’s strategic objectives. In this pivotal role, the incumbent will operationalize talent management initiatives, including performance management, succession planning, Emiratization, learning and development programs as well as culture and wellbeing strategies, to cultivate a high-performing, future-ready, and engaged workforce. Leveraging data-driven insights, the incumbent will identify skill gaps, design targeted training solutions, and implement effective performance management processes to enable employees to reach their full potential. Collaborating closely with key stakeholders across the university, the Head of Talent Management will serve as a strategic partner in shaping human capital strategies that attract, retain, and develop top talent aligned with MBZUAI’s mission and vision. Ultimately, these efforts will contribute to building a diverse, engaged, and agile workforce that drives the university’s academic and research excellence.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategy:
- Work closely with the Director of Human Resources and Faculty Affairs to develop and execute a talent development strategy that aligns with and supports MBZUAI’s strategic objectives.
- Ensure the culture, wellbeing, and employee engagement strategies are designed to create a positive, inclusive, and empowering work environment that enables MBZUAI to attract, retain, and develop a high-performing, future-ready workforce.
Operational Planning:
- Operationalize MBZUAI’s talent development strategy, creating and overseeing the implementation of plans and actions that achieve its strategic talent Management objectives.
Succession Planning:
- Work closely with line and senior managers to identify leadership and business-critical positions that require succession planning to ensure MBZUAI’s strategic priorities and operations remain continuous in the event of key employee departures.
- Link MBZUAI strategic and operational requirements to performance evaluations, competency assessments, skills gap analyses, manager opinion, and other valid sources of employee data to build a sustainable and credible talent mapping process that provides career pathing for future leaders and supports MBZUAI’s succession management strategy.
- Utilize talent mapping to identify high-potential candidates to enrol in MBZUAI’s succession development program.
- Create and administer a cyclical review of MBZUAI job descriptions to ensure they remain relevant to the needs of the university and reflect evolutions in job and skills requirements.
- Create and administer a succession development program that provides targeted training, coaching, mentoring, job shadowing (internally and externally), secondments, and other opportunities for selected employees to develop the abilities to succeed role-holders of identified leadership and business-critical positions.
Emiratization:
- Create and administer talent development programs for Emirati citizen employees, including a range of initiatives such as targeted training, coaching, mentoring, job shadowing, job rotations, and job exchanges that assist MBZUAI to attract and retain Emirati employees, and enable them to utilize their positions at MBZUAI to be a driving force of the UAE’s economic development.
Performance Management:
- Oversee the implementation of MBZUAI’s performance management system, ensuring performance management requirements are carried out on time and to standard by line managers in accordance with MBZUAI policies and procedures.
- Provide expert advice and training to line managers and position holders to facilitate the setting of relevant, achievable, specific, and measurable objectives within the performance management system.
- Provide expert advice and training to line managers in managing under-performing employees, and creating and monitoring performance improvement plans.
- Provide expert advice and training to line managers in implementing and executing disciplinary procedures when employee performance does not improve following the implementation of performance improvement plans.
- Provide expert guidance and training to managers and employees in developing Individual Development Plans (IDPs) that are linked to employees’ job descriptions and individual objectives, and that acknowledge their reasonable short and long-term career goals.
- Create and oversee a system of rewards and celebrations such as “employee of the month” that acknowledges employees for exceptional performance and has a positive impact on employees’ motivation to perform well.
- Cyclically analyze data arising from the performance management system across multiple facets, and provide reports to senior management including statistics and data visualizations identifying trends and issues that indicate success, and areas for systemic, departmental, or individual improvement.
Learning and Development:
- Analyze current and future job roles, tasks, and competencies to determine training or coaching that will support employees in developing the skills required to meet MBZUAI’s needs including its strategic and operational objectives.
- Conduct additional learning needs analyses utilizing methods such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, and data from the performance management system, and identify skills gaps and performance deficiencies that can be remediated through training or coaching interventions.
- Identify, design, and procure effective training programs and courses, and create an annual training program to meet the identified training needs of MBZUAI, ensuring a variety of instructional methodologies and delivery formats including online and digital formats are used that meet the learning needs of employees.
- Ensure training delivered to MBZUAI employees is level-appropriate and incorporates adult learning principles and instructional design best practices that enhance learner engagement and training effectiveness.
- Oversee the enrollment of employees onto MBZUAI training, ensuring training employees receive is targeted to their job requirements, learning and performance development needs, and MBZUAI’s strategic and operational priorities.
- Oversee the coordination of training logistics, including scheduling, venue booking, and attendee management.
- Develop and implement training evaluation methods that meaningfully assess the effectiveness of training initiatives for individual employee learning, development, and the attainment of organizational objectives.
- Analyze data arising from training evaluation and provide reports to senior management including statistics and data visualizations identifying the impact of training interventions, and recommending improvements to programs or processes to improve outcomes and enhance return on investment.
Culture, Wellbeing and Employee Engagement:
- Champion, and continuously monitor and measure MBZUAI’s organisational culture, implementing actions designed to create a positive and inclusive environment that aligns with MBZUAI’s values and goals.
- Develop policies and programs; and deliver training, events, and activities that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the MBZUAI community, including management training that assists managers to adapt leadership styles to effectively manage multicultural teams.
- Develop and publicize a calendar of activities that promote employee physical and mental well-being such as mindfulness training, nutrition workshops, and fitness challenges.
Vendor Selection and Management:
- Develop requests for proposals and establish selection criteria for the award of training contracts to external vendors in accordance with MBZUAI’s procurement guidelines and all legal and regulatory requirements.
- Manage external training providers and consultants, ensuring they deliver against contracted deliverables.
Other Duties:
- Perform all other duties as reasonably directed by the line manager that are commensurate with these functional objectives.
Academic Qualifications:
- A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in human resources management, business administration, or other relevant discipline; a postgraduate qualification is preferred.
Professional Experience:
Essential
- Minimum 8-10 years of experience in progressive talent management and human resources roles.
- At least 5 years experience in a learning and development or talent management role.
- At least two years’ prior experience managing and mentoring employees in a human resources environment.
- Demonstrated experience working with Abu Dhabi government entities in a similar role, with a deep understanding of DGE regulations and requirements, particularly in the areas of Emiratization and talent management.
- The incumbent will need to ensure all talent management strategies, initiatives, and processes are aligned with DGE guidelines and support the Emiratization objectives set forth by the Abu Dhabi government.
- Track record of implementing effective employee engagement programs, such as communication campaigns, recognition schemes, and team-building activities, to drive high levels of employee motivation, collaboration, and commitment.
- Evidence of the ability to motivate and inspire team members, and foster a high-energy, innovative team dynamic.
- Demonstrated skills in developing and implementing management and leadership development programs in a complex organization.
- Demonstrated experience having implemented a talent mapping strategy in a complex organization and creating and delivering successful succession planning initiatives that protect an organization from risk.
- Demonstrated skills in learning needs analysis, training design, syllabi development, training delivery, and evaluation including incorporating advanced instructional methods and digital training into programs and courses.
- Demonstrated ability to influence and gain the trust of senior management across an organization.
- Superior communication skills including skills in coaching, conflict resolution, negotiation, and presentation skills.
- Experience giving direction to consultants and training providers, and managing contracts.
- Proficiency in quantitative and qualitative data analysis, analytics, and reporting.
- Proven record of managing complex projects, carrying out work requiring attention to detail, meeting deadlines, and achieving results.
- Experience managing a budget in accordance with organization policies and procedures.
- Fluent in English (written and spoken) and Proficiency in Arabic preferred.
Preferred
- Experience successfully working in the UAE.
- Experience creating successful initiatives that promote Emiritization.
- Professional credentialing in human resources management, training and development, coaching, or other relevant areas of expertise.
