Assistant Human Resources - Middle East

Our People team is responsible for managing and enhancing all aspects of human resources and employee experience. Our team oversees talent acquisition, including recruiting, interviewing and onboarding new hires, ensuring that the Firm attracts and retains top legal talent and business services professionals. We develop and implement HR policies, manage employee relations, and administer compensation and benefits programs to ensure a fair and supportive work environment. Additionally, the People team focuses on training, professional development, work allocation, mobility and fostering a positive workplace culture. We also handle performance management, employee engagement, and compliance with labor laws and regulations. Through our comprehensive HR strategies and initiatives, the People team ensures that the Firm’s workforce around the world is motivated, skilled and mobilized to deliver on the Firm’s objectives.

As a core member of the small Middle East People Team, you are tasked with helping White & Case translate our business strategy into talent imperatives that deliver on our strategic vision of profitable growth, engaged people and outstanding client relationships.

Working across all six Middle East offices, the role holder will provide operational support on day to day people matters, be responsible for coordinating key human resources processes and supporting the HR Team in the successful delivery of all stages of the employee lifecycle. The role holder may also be expected to work with the wider EMEA HR team to help drive forward the global and regional people agenda through participating in HR projects and programs where applicable.

Key Responsibilities

HR Operations

• Maintain the relevant People data sources, including career trackers, headcount reports and fortnightly people movement tracker.
• Creation and maintenance of personnel files.
• Review monthly audit reports and take action where necessary.
• Work with Middle East HR Team and the Payroll team to ensure all relevant forms/changes are processed each month as required for the timely submission of payroll and DEWS.
• Support local aspects of assignments and transfers, liaising with the Global Mobility team and local operations and IT teams as required.
• Support HR aspects of client secondments, including providing employment costs, submitting business cases, and working with HROD and supervising partners to ensure correct paperwork is in place with the client and the employee, including for extensions.
• Management of HR Absence Tracking system (currently Kronos, later Workday) including regular reporting and working with HR Advisor/Specialist/Manager to flag any issues with sickness or insufficient use of annual leave for action or escalation.
• Prepare Leave of Absence schedules as required and ensure all longer LOAs are entered into the People Database and documented with the individual where required (and for KSA relevant actions taken for GOSI and WPS).
• Act as main point of contact for all day-to-day HR queries, responding as appropriate or seeking involvement from another member of the HR team as required.
• Work closely with HR Operations Delivery (HROD) to ensure accuracy and efficiency in all operational processes, monitoring quality of work and providing feedback where necessary.
• Build and develop relationships with other Business Support functions, identifying process improvements and efficiencies with other HR team members.
• Provide support on the major annual people processes including performance reviews, salary and bonus processes, liaising with the relevant HROD teams where appropriate.
• Support Middle East HR team with various administration as needed, including preparation of documentation and correspondence on the range of HR services.
  
  

Onboarding

• Manage the onboarding process from end to end, ensuring a seamless experience for our New Joiners and the teams they are joining.
• Ensure seamless handoff from the Recruitment team following candidate acceptance and lead the onboarding process, making use of MyPortal to track progress and liaise with HROD team as appropriate.
• Work closely with the mobility team and PRO, assisting with joiner relocations, visa applications, and any other joining documentation or process.
• Coordinate the Middle East induction, ensuring materials are up to date and relevant, and that sessions take place as scheduled or are followed up later.
• Track all probations in the Middle East, including conducting first stage probation reviews where required, and following up on any potential issues with the responsible HR member.
• Gather new joiner feedback, proposing process efficiencies where appropriate.
  
  

Offboarding

• Manage the offboarding process from end to end, ensuring a seamless experience for the leavers and the teams they are departing.
• Prepare End of Service schedules (including EOSG calculations) and leaver letters for departing employees.
• Conduct exit interviews where required, and support other HR team members with collation and reporting of exit feedback.
  
  

Early Careers and Recruitment

• Oversee Work Experience placements / Internships in respective groups, including all aspects of on and off-boarding.
• Provide overflow support across the full range of recruitment activities as may be required from time to time.
• Manage the Early Careers inbox and respond to all queries, liaising with Early Careers Manager as appropriate.
• Undertake initial screening of Early Careers applications.
• Support organization of and attend in-office and on-campus recruitment events, including assessment centres, careers fairs and other presentations.
• Support organization of and attend events connected with the Early Careers Vacation Schemes.
  
  

Qualifications

• Professional services experience; experience in a global law firm advantageous but not required.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships at all levels with a strong client focus.
• Excellent attention to detail, with the ability to question constructively existing procedures and consider alternatives.
• Team player, enhancing the reputation of and contributing to the success of the broader People team.
• High levels of integrity, sensitivity and confidentiality.
• Excellent technical skills and ability to learn new systems (knowledge of Workday advantageous).
• Self-motivated, with excellent time management and prioritization skills, able to meet deadlines under pressure.
  
  

Location and Reporting

• This is role is based in the UAE.
• This role reports to the HR Manager, Middle East
  
  

This role reports to

Head of HR, Middle East

The Firm may modify and amend any job description at any time in its sole discretion. Nothing herein creates a contract of employment or otherwise modifies the at-will nature of employment.

The above is only a general description of the essential duties associated with this position and does not represent an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all duties.

Note to Recruitment Agencies

Our internal Recruitment team manages all aspects of lateral hiring. All agencies must have signed terms of business—specific to the relevant office—before submitting any candidates. CVs or applications sent directly to White & Case partners or employees will also not be considered formal introductions. If you have questions, please contact the relevant Recruitment team. We work with our preferred suppliers when engaging agencies.

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