HR Business Partner (Middle East/Asia Pacific)

About the Role
The HRBP (Middle East/Asia Pacific) will act as a strategic advisor and primary liaison between company leadership and the HR Department. This position focuses on collaborating with leaders and senior line managers based in Dubai and Singapore to ensure that HR activities align with and support their operational needs, ultimately translating business strategy into workforce plans, talent strategies, and organizational designs.

Key Responsibilities

• Workforce Planning:

  • Partner with senior leaders to forecast talent needs based on long-term business goals and departmental growth targets.
  • Help define position requirements, organizational design adjustments, and core competencies necessary for future success.
  • Support leaders in identifying development needs and skill gaps for re-skilling and up-skilling efforts.

• Recruitment:

  • Serve as the first line in the recruitment process to ensure candidates possess the behavioural competencies that align with the company's purpose.
  • Act as a strategic advisor during key leadership hiring, interview panels, and onboarding for senior team members.
  • Collaborate with hiring managers on hiring strategies, including proactive sourcing for anticipated future needs, and coach them on assessing behavioural competencies.

• Learning and Development:

  • Assist leaders in conducting skill gap analyses and evaluating departmental requirements to identify performance shortcomings.
  • Work with leaders to create targeted professional development, coaching, and leadership training programs.
  • Advise line managers on supporting employee career paths, performance calibration, and continuous growth.
  • Oversee training allocations, manage external learning partners, and track ROI for development programs.
  • Foster a culture of continuous learning, employee engagement, and high performance.

• Employee Relations:

  • Guide line managers in managing basic conflicts, performance issues, and team communications.
  • May directly resolve workplace conflicts and grievances, mediating disputes while advising on disciplinary actions and policies.

• Talent Management / Succession Planning:

  • Utilize data-driven tools to identify high-potential employees and create individual development plans.
  • Assess readiness against critical leadership roles and recommend development interventions like rotational assignments and mentoring.
  • Assist managers in strategizing around team capability, retirement timelines, and building a deep bench strength.
  • Monitor pipeline readiness, review employee growth plans, and report insights.

• Leadership Development:

  • Provide coaching to enhance leadership skills among local line managers in performance management and everyday people practices.
  • Evaluate gaps in current leadership capabilities against future business needs and assess the ROI of leadership development programs.

• Change Management:

  • Equip leaders with tools to communicate strategy, minimize resistance, and sustain morale during organizational changes.
  • Partner with business leaders in redesigning teams and realigning structures.

• Performance Management:

  • Train and guide line managers in conducting effective feedback sessions and managing sensitive performance discussions.
  • Offer advice on high-risk performance issues while ensuring compliance with employment laws.
  • Support the creation of individual development plans and facilitate calibration meetings.

• Team Leadership and Coaching:

  • Provide leadership and coaching to direct reports, establishing clear performance expectations and managing team performance.

Personal Skills and Behaviors Required for Success in the Role

• Ability to consult and influence without formal authority.
• Strong relationship management and interpersonal skills.
• Strategic thinking and critical problem-solving abilities.
• Resilience and expertise in change management.

Skills and Experience Necessary for Success in the Role

• 7-10 years of progressive HR experience, including over 3 years at the HR business partner or HR manager level.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (MBA or Master's degree preferred).
• Proven track record in managing multi-region or company-wide populations.
• Direct experience in coaching managers/leaders and mentoring junior HR teams.
• CIPD (or equivalent) Accredited to Level 7 Advanced Diploma.
• Preferably has experience in an energy trading environment.