Human Resources Director

HR Director Company: CNTXT AI Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE Employment Type: Full-time, On-site Department: People & Culture / Human Resources About CNTXT AI CNTXT AI is an AI and data company building enterprise-grade solutions designed for real-world impact across the region. The company operates across data services, custom AI solutions, and AI products, with a strong focus on secure, sovereign and regionally relevant technology. Role Overview We are looking for an experienced HR Director to lead CNTXT AI’s people strategy and build a high-performance organization capable of supporting rapid growth. The HR Director will be responsible for the full employee lifecycle, including workforce planning, talent acquisition, organizational development, performance management, compensation and benefits, employee engagement, HR operations, and compliance. This is a strategic and hands-on leadership role requiring someone comfortable operating in a fast-moving technology environment while building scalable HR processes and a strong company culture. Key Responsibilities People & HR Strategy • Develop and execute the overall HR and people strategy aligned with CNTXT AI’s business and growth objectives. • Partner closely with the CEO and senior leadership team on organizational design, workforce planning and talent strategy. • Build scalable HR policies, processes and systems to support continued business growth. • Provide leadership with data-driven insights on workforce trends, retention, performance and organizational effectiveness. Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning • Own the overall talent acquisition strategy across technical, product, commercial, operations and corporate functions. • Build strong pipelines for AI, engineering, data, product and other highly specialized talent. • Establish structured hiring processes, interview frameworks and workforce planning methodologies. • Strengthen employer branding and CNTXT AI’s positioning as an employer of choice in the regional technology and AI ecosystem. • Manage relationships with recruitment agencies and external talent partners where required. Performance & Talent Management • Design and lead company-wide performance management frameworks. • Establish clear goal-setting, performance evaluation and promotion processes. • Develop succession plans for key leadership and critical roles. • Identify high-potential employees and establish career development pathways. • Partner with managers to improve leadership capability and team performance. Organization & Culture • Build and maintain a high-performance, accountable and collaborative culture. • Lead employee engagement and retention initiatives. • Support organizational restructuring and change-management initiatives where required. • Develop leadership development and employee learning programs. • Ensure company values are embedded throughout the employee lifecycle. Compensation & Benefits • Develop competitive compensation, bonus and benefits frameworks. • Conduct market benchmarking to ensure CNTXT AI remains competitive for regional and international talent. • Support executive compensation and incentive planning. • Establish consistent salary structures and promotion guidelines. HR Operations & Compliance • Oversee HR operations, employee records, contracts, onboarding, offboarding, payroll coordination and benefits administration. • Ensure compliance with UAE Labour Law and applicable employment regulations. • Support Emiratisation and other relevant UAE workforce initiatives. • Establish strong HR governance, policies and controls. • Manage employee relations and sensitive HR matters professionally and confidentially. Requirements • Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Psychology or a related discipline. • 10+ years of progressive HR experience, including significant experience in senior HR leadership roles. • Previous experience as an HR Director, Head of HR, People Director or similar leadership position. • Strong experience working within the UAE/GCC, with solid knowledge of UAE employment regulations. • Demonstrated experience scaling teams within technology, AI, SaaS, digital or other fast-growth organizations. • Strong experience across talent acquisition, performance management, compensation, organizational development and HR operations. • Experience hiring highly specialized technical and leadership talent. • Strong commercial and business understanding. • Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills. • Ability to operate strategically while remaining hands-on when required. Preferred • Experience within an AI, technology, SaaS or deep-tech organization. • Experience supporting organizations through rapid scaling or transformation. • Experience developing Emiratisation strategies. • Professional HR certification such as CIPD, SHRM or equivalent. • Arabic language skills are advantageous. What Success Looks Like The successful HR Director will build a scalable people organization that allows CNTXT AI to attract exceptional talent, retain high performers, develop strong leaders and maintain a high-performance culture as the company continues to grow. Show more Show less