About this role Senior Group HR Leader Location: Doha, Qatar Industry: Diversified Business Group Reporting To: Group Chief Executive Officer About the Role A diversified and growing business group in Qatar is looking to appoint a senior Group HR leader to oversee and strengthen its people, HR governance, employee services, compensation and benefits, and government-related HR operations across multiple business units. This is a strategic leadership position suited to an HR professional who has operated in a multi-business or multi-entity environment and can combine strong strategic thinking with hands-on understanding of HR operations, local regulatory requirements, and government processes. The successful candidate will work closely with the Group CEO and senior business leadership to build a more integrated and professional HR platform, support organizational growth, strengthen talent and leadership capabilities, and ensure robust HR governance across the organization. Experience within FMCG/consumer-facing businesses is strongly preferred, while exposure to sectors such as hospitality, retail, property, or other diversified businesses would be an advantage. Key Areas of Responsibility 1. Group HR Strategy * Develop and execute a Group-level people strategy aligned with business priorities and future growth plans. * Establish consistent HR frameworks, policies and processes across different businesses while allowing for operational differences between entities. * Serve as a trusted HR advisor to the Group CEO and senior business leadership. * Support organizational design, manpower planning, succession planning and leadership development. * Introduce appropriate HR metrics, dashboards and management reporting. * Drive greater consistency, professionalism and accountability across the Group's HR practices. * Ensure HR initiatives contribute directly to business performance and organizational effectiveness. 2. Talent & Organizational Development * Develop workforce planning and talent strategies across the Group. * Oversee hiring strategies for senior, specialist and business-critical positions. * Strengthen succession planning and internal talent development. * Build sustainable talent pipelines through local and international recruitment. * Support leadership development and management capability-building initiatives. * Advise senior management on organizational structures, key appointments and workforce requirements. * Develop initiatives to improve employee engagement, retention and career progression. 3. Compensation, Benefits & Rewards * Lead the development and ongoing review of Group-wide compensation structures. * Establish appropriate salary bands, grades and reward frameworks. * Conduct market benchmarking across Qatar and relevant GCC markets. * Develop annual salary review and incentive processes. * Review senior management and executive compensation in partnership with leadership. * Ensure remuneration practices maintain appropriate levels of market competitiveness and internal equity. * Oversee policies relating to allowances, benefits, insurance, end-of-service provisions and other employee benefits. 4. Performance & Employee Development * Introduce or enhance a structured performance management framework. * Establish measurable objectives and KPIs across functions and business units. * Support leadership and management development programmes. * Identify high-potential employees and develop appropriate career pathways. * Promote a culture focused on accountability, performance and continuous improvement. * Ensure learning and development initiatives are aligned with actual business requirements. 5. Qatar HR & Regulatory Compliance * Provide leadership and oversight of employment-related regulatory compliance across the Group. * Ensure appropriate compliance with applicable labour, immigration and residency requirements. * Oversee work permits, visas, employee documentation and related government approvals. * Monitor relevant regulatory developments and advise leadership on their potential impact. * Ensure timely renewal of licences, registrations, permits and other applicable documentation. * Establish appropriate compliance monitoring, reporting and escalation mechanisms. * Maintain accurate records and documentation to support internal and external audits. 6. Government Relations & PRO * Oversee the Group's PRO and government relations activities. * Build an efficient and structured government services function supporting multiple business entities. * Ensure smooth processing of visas, work permits, residency documentation and other government requirements. * Maintain effective working relationships with relevant government authorities. * Ensure business units receive timely and consistent government-related support. * Establish systems for tracking renewals, documentation and regulatory deadlines. * Manage external PRO/service providers where applicable and monitor service quality. * Identify opportunities to simplify, centralize and digitize government-related processes. 7. HR Systems, Policies & Analytics * Establish and maintain a comprehensive HR policy and governance framework. * Review existing HR processes and identify opportunities for improvement. * Lead the effective use and enhancement of HR technology and HRIS platforms. * Develop meaningful HR analytics and management reporting. * Provide regular reporting on workforce size, recruitment, turnover, compensation, absenteeism, performance and other relevant metrics. * Strengthen HR controls, documentation and process governance. * Support wider technology, ERP and business transformation initiatives where HR is involved. 8. Employee Relations * Provide senior-level guidance on complex employee relations matters. * Ensure disciplinary and grievance processes are handled fairly, consistently and in accordance with applicable regulations. * Advise senior management on sensitive people-related issues. * Proactively manage employment-related risks. * Promote a professional, respectful and performance-oriented workplace culture. 9. HR Team Leadership * Lead and develop the Group HR team and associated employee services functions. * Establish clear objectives, KPIs and service standards. * Determine which HR activities should be centralized at Group level and which should remain within individual businesses. * Build a responsive, commercially focused and service-oriented HR function. * Develop the capability of the HR team and strengthen succession within the function. Candidate Requirements Essential Experience * Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Management or a related discipline. * 10–15+ years of progressive HR experience, including substantial exposure to senior HR leadership. * Strong experience within FMCG, consumer goods, retail or a similarly operationally intensive industry. * GCC/Middle East experience is essential, with Qatar experience highly desirable. * Strong understanding of GCC employment, immigration and government-related HR requirements. * Demonstrated experience managing compensation and benefits across a sizeable or multi-entity organization. * Experience overseeing PRO, government relations and employee documentation functions. * Proven track record of establishing or improving HR policies, processes, systems and governance. * Strong exposure to organizational development, workforce planning and talent management. * Experience working directly with CEOs, business owners, senior executives and government stakeholders. * Strong commercial orientation with the ability to connect HR initiatives to business objectives. * Fluency in both Arabic and English is essential. Desirable Background Candidates with some of the following exposure will be particularly well suited: * Hospitality, hotels or leisure businesses. * Real estate or property businesses. * Diversified or multi-business groups. * Family-owned organizations. * Organizations operating across multiple legal entities. * HRIS/ERP implementation or transformation projects. * Organizational restructuring, business transformation or rapid-growth environments. Key Attributes The ideal candidate will be: * A strategic yet hands-on HR leader. * Commercially minded and business-oriented. * Comfortable operating with owners, CEOs and senior management. * Strong in stakeholder management and influencing. * Knowledgeable about GCC employment and government processes. * Capable of bringing structure and consistency to a growing organization. * Comfortable managing both strategic HR initiatives and operational matters. * A strong people leader with high levels of integrity, discretion and professionalism. This is a senior leadership opportunity for an HR professional looking to take ownership of the people agenda across a diversified organization in Qatar.