Zayed University, Abu Dhabi Hiring for Manager, Organizational Development and Rewards at Abu Dhabi Full Time

Job Summary

Works with the HC leadership and Sr. Management to spearhead the design and development of a comprehensive strategy regarding employee initiatives aimed at improving people and organizational practices at the university.

Leads the Organizational Development and Rewards Unit activities and team, managing projects and developing innovative strategic initiatives related to the implementation of best-practice HR programs, practices and policies including: performance management; organizational planning and design, organizational development initiatives, employee and leadership development awards and recognition programs, reporting and data analytics, process reengineering, extension and optimization of Oracle HRMS and its reporting capabilities.

Key Accountablities

Spearheads HC strategic planning, program development and delivery with the HC leadership team to ensure programs and services are focused, cohesive and align with the overall organizational vision and mission.

• Designs develops and implements programs that support ZU become a great place to work and a premier higher education institution in the region.
• Provides leadership to design, develop and implement innovative workplace initiatives that contribute to increased organizational effectiveness and employee engagement.
• Support to other HR program areas for strategic initiatives and projects.
• Development of HR policy and procedures, and major reviews of existing policy, procedures and business processes to support strategic initiatives.
• Builds and develops strategic partnerships with ZU management and external HC community to support and influence HC short and long-term business goals and strategies.
• Designs and develops a comprehensive strategy regarding employee initiatives aimed at improving people and organizational practices at the university.
• Serves as project leader across the University for various New Initiatives and ensures sustainability of current OD&R programs. Provides senior level consultancy services to the leadership and the employee community to ensure that initiatives incorporate best practices and suit the organizational culture.
• Works as a project leader on various ZU initiatives such as community building activities, awards programs, Emiratization initiatives and organizational development programs to ensure the organization is equipped, engaged and embracing good people practices.
• Spearheads work teams to implement various HC initiatives as needed. Provides direction and on-going support and mentoring for team members.
• Leads manages and directs the activities and functions of the team through effective coaching, management, hiring and performance management.
• Provides oversight to programs developed by the OD&R teams and recommends and/or implements new OD initiatives and programs that meet the unique community needs to support employee engagement and organizational strategies.

Reward Management

Provides leadership, program management and high-level expertise to HR and the University in matters pertaining to:
1. Compensation Management
2. Classification & Job Evaluation
3. Position Descriptions Management
4. Organizational Design, Organizational Effectiveness & Change Management

• Spearheads design and implementation of new salary ranges to ensure university staff salaries are market competitive and in line with university’s vision.
• Conducts compensation assessments for senior Staff and Academic Administrators ensuring internal and external equity. Provides oversight to the Compensation function and reviews Compensation Assessment conducted for new employees upon recruitment and existing employees at contract renewal.
• Ensures compensation policies, procedures and principles are applied in a consistent, equitable and objective in line with university’s compensation philosophy. Develops new guidelines and provides inputs to policy design work related to Compensation and benefits.
• Utilizes a variety of market compensation sources to benchmark key positions and ensure the compensation programs remain competitive and cost effective.
• Serves as a senior business advisor to ZU leadership and employees on matters related to compensation and rewards programs, while maintaining tact and confidentiality of information.
• Provides oversight to the evaluation of position descriptions using the Hay Job Evaluation Methodology to ensure grades are assessed in a fair and equitable fashion across the organization. Provides senior level advice to leaders and employees on classification procedures, policies, processes and initiatives.

Organization Development and Change Management

• Ensures on-going improvement and implementation of best practice human capital and organizational strategies appropriate for ZU’s environment.
• Manages, integrates and harmonizes a variety of new initiatives, programs and strategies across ZU for consistent and unified service delivery.
• Provides direction to the organization on leading-edge workplace initiatives, practices and services that meet the unique needs of the organization.
• Proactively seeks and tracks information about HC best practices and trends to support the design, evaluation, and enhancement of innovative and high-impact workplace initiatives at the university. Shares and communicates information with key stakeholders within HC and senior management to ensure commitment to the program’s design and its alignment with the vision of the university.
• Adapts and develops new solutions and new ways of doing things through analysis, creative thinking, and knowledge extension.
• Provides senior business advice to HC leaders and management regarding OD related issues related to employee engagement, people development, performance management, communications, change management, awards, and such while working within the framework of ZU policies.
• Spearheads implementation and analysis of employee surveys to obtain employees feedback in a variety of areas. Develop new programs and initiatives to continuously improve upon the organizational strengths and work towards the areas of development based on employee-data. Shares feedback and recommendations to HC leaders. Identifies and implements action plans for continuous improvement.
• Works as needed with HC Leaders and OD&R team to advise and support communication of policies and programs to the HC team and the ZU employee community through vehicles such as the HC Newsletter, Inside ZU, HR Intranet, and other electronic media.
• Manages change through active communication and networking across the organization. Leads comprehensive communication strategy through both verbal and non-verbal modes.
• Seeks and develops opportunities to network with internal employees and leaders (through focus groups, meetings, informal meetings, etc.) to seek feedback and inputs on their perception and understanding of HC department services. Provide appropriate recommendations to HC department.

Technology, Process Review, Reporting and Data Analytics

• Design s new reports and conducts advanced data analysis to fulfill the reporting needs of the HC Director and senior management. This includes regular reports on Emiratization counts and percentages, employment profile, nationality spread across departments and colleges, years of service profile and other employment data.
• Designs develops and tests complex HR reports in close collaboration with IT and leaders while analyzing and documenting user needs, and related processes.
• Advocates encourages and supports the usage of IT for optimization and effectiveness of a variety of HR strategic initiatives and programs, such as transitioning to a near-digital HR office for personal information files and documents using MS SharePoint.
• Designs optimized process maps and modify related key templates to incorporate the optimization, and communicate the same to employee community through intranet or delivering training sessions.
• Leads Oracle HRMS optimization and enhancement, HR information management & systems and technology strategy, reporting & operations.
• Provides leadership to the on-going development of systems and processes, policies and programs to provide effective and timely delivery of highly effective HR programs & services.

Degree of Independence/Complexity of Environment

• Highly ambiguous, constantly changing environment with a diverse network of key stakeholders and policymakers.
• Must be able to deal with simultaneously occurring crisis which may compete for time.
• At times the rules are fluid and the environment may best be described as ambiguous.
• Planning, organizing, directing and innovating skills required with a strategic horizon and functional diversity.
• Integration of diverse services and functions with inherent conflict.

Education and Experience Requirements

Should possess a minimum of 10 years professional human resources experience combined with proven leadership and management success. And a Master’s degree in a related field from an accredited institution; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.