Senior Manager - Talent Acquisition

The overall purpose of the role is to ensure that the bank has in place a long-term strategic approach to sourcing, attracting, and hiring qualified candidates whilst positioning the bank as a best employer within the industry and the community. The role holder is responsible for ensuring the Bank has implementable sourcing strategies, such as employer branding initiatives, end-to-end hiring processes to ensure a positive experience for candidates, and that the hiring managers are well versed in best practice interviewing and hiring techniques leading to objective assessments and best fit employee onboarding. Working with the wider HR team, the hiring managers, the HODs, and external recruitment agencies along with key universities and institutes as the subject matter expert in all aspects of Talent Acquisition to ensure that the bank is an employer of choice.

Job Purpose

The overall purpose of the role is to ensure that the bank has in place a long-term strategic approach to sourcing, attracting, and hiring qualified candidates whilst positioning the bank as a best employer within the industry and the community. The role holder is responsible for ensuring the Bank has implementable sourcing strategies, such as employer branding initiatives, end-to-end hiring processes to ensure a positive experience for candidates, and that the hiring managers are well versed in best practice interviewing and hiring techniques leading to objective assessments and best fit employee onboarding. Working with the wider HR team, the hiring managers, the HODs, and external recruitment agencies along with key universities and institutes as the subject matter expert in all aspects of Talent Acquisition to ensure that the bank is an employer of choice.

Key Accountabilities

1. Strategic Framework for Talent Acquisition: Works with the Bank's stakeholders to develop and update the talent acquisition strategy and subsequent action plans. Design and implement a comprehensive talent acquisition strategy that aligns with the bank's business goals and workforce planning needs. Develop an approach to attract diverse, skilled talent across various levels and functions, particularly for roles critical to banking (e.g., compliance, risk, technology). Collaborates with Department heads and the HR team to determine role criticality criteria. Ensure recruitment practices promote diversity and inclusion, in alignment with UAE regulations and the bank's values. Develop initiatives to attract UAE Nationals in support of Emiratization goals, including targeted programs and partnerships. Develops Talent Acquisition service level agreements within the bank and with the sourcing agencies and assessment partners. Understands external trends and risks in the labour market and talent acquisition practices to advise the Bank's leadership on talent acquisition strategies. Supports the HR team in understanding the current employee population and identifying gaps from the future required workforce. Analyses Talent Acquisition costs and execution times whilst adhering to the approved business requirements and approved/budgeted roles. Provides recommendations on improving the efficiency and cost structure for Talent Acquisitions solutions and approach. Streamline recruitment processes to improve time-to-fill, reduce cost-per-hire, and enhance candidate experience. Implement technology solutions and AI-driven tools, to enhance recruitment efficiency and data tracking. Actively supports broader HR department efforts.
2. Sourcing & Shortlisting Approach: Supports hiring managers in the development of job descriptions and ensuring adherence to the bank's JD's guidelines. Reviews the JDs and provides feedback to the hiring managers before finalizing with the HR team the corresponding target grade and possible compensation range. Advises on the different sourcing channels and ensures that the bank is using a balanced approach across all the channels. Develops strong relationships with recruitment agencies to ensure NBF roles are sourced with best fit candidates within short time periods. Utilizes different channels to ensure that the job posts receive the best applicants. Develops and maintains best fit internal sourcing schemes such as employee referral schemes. Reviews and filters applications to ensure the most suitable candidates are shortlisted for interviews. Utilizes tech-enabled solutions to support with the short-listing of best matched candidates. Supports with the bank market analysis and benchmarking exercise to compare NBF's compensation and benefits packages against industry standards.
3. Community Outreach & Employer Branding: Oversee employer branding initiatives to position the bank as an employer of choice within the UAE and regional banking industry. Ensures that the Bank has in place a comprehensive community outreach strategy targeting universities, institutes, and other key potential talent sources. Develops relationships with key institutions based in the Fujairah region that would support the sourcing of key local talent. Plays an active role in positioning the NBF brand through some of its key stakeholders at universities and other social and intellectual events and competitions. Builds long-lasting strategic relationships with community partners to prioritize the sourcing needs of the bank. Responsible for organizing and attending job fairs and recruitment events. Assesses market and industry trends in community outreach initiatives and provides recommendations for the bank in this regard.
4. Interviewing & Hiring Approach: Develops and maintains key interviewing tools and forms to ensure that a standardized and objective interviewing approach is in place at the bank. Ensures that hiring managers have the right skills to conduct interviews and objectively assess candidates. Provides trainings to hiring managers and keeps them updated on effective and best practice interviewing techniques and overall recruitment practices. Develops strong relationships with specialized assessment centres and ensures the alignment of the assessment tools to the bank's recruitment approach. Scans the market for best practices within recruitment, introduces best practice interviewing and assessment tools. Conducts interviews directly or with Hiring Managers and/or HODs. Collects and collates interview forms and assessment reports. Conducts additional assessments (psychometrics, assessment centres, etc.) when needed. Discusses with Hiring managers their selection and constructively challenges possible mis-matched hiring recommendations. Conducts relevant external regulatory checks on candidates to confirm possible employability. Leads negotiations with shortlisted final candidates and provides offer letters with the coordination of key internal stakeholders. Coordinates with the HR Shared Services team for the onboarding process post the successful acceptance of the offer by the candidate. Utilizes Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to measure the progress of applicants within the recruitment phases and makes informed decisions on the process. Determines and implements metrics and data analytics to assess and monitor the effectiveness of talent acquisition across all departments.
5. Policies and Systems: Manage adherence to privacy and confidentiality regulations in candidate data handling, including ensuring compliance with GDPR and UAE data privacy laws. Ensure that all aspects of talent acquisition are accurately reflected in the Bank's HR policies, practices, and other contractual documents. Regularly review the Bank's Talent Acquisition policies and recommend any changes or improvements required. Guide and act as a functional and technical expert on talent acquisition modules of the HR system. Recommend system changes and best practices to ensure that the Bank uses the full functionality of the SAP system in the areas of talent acquisition. Ensures tech-enabled recruitment solutions are in adherence with the bank's technology standards.
6. Advisory & Communication: Partner with business unit leaders and HR business partners to understand hiring needs and proactively address staffing requirements. Communicate with senior management and provide insights on market trends, hiring challenges, and talent strategies to support business growth. Provides expert advice to the hiring managers, heads of department, HRBPs, and HR Head of Department and wider leadership team on Talent Acquisition activities and strategies to ensure they meet current and future business requirements. Provides guidance to hiring managers on job description development and providing recommendations on finalized job descriptions. Ensures compliance with regulatory requirements and industry best practices in relation to talent acquisition without any discrimination. Ensures that the talent acquisition practices across the bank adhere to NBF's fair and transparent equal opportunity standards and is focused on diversity and inclusiveness to ensure best fit employability. Influences the design of the pay and benefits frameworks to ensure that they are competitive with the market and that the design supports in the positioning of the bank as a best employer. Plans and delivers webinars, roadshows to all hiring managers on best practices in recruitment and interviewing skills. Ensure that the internal referral schemes are communicated to management & employees.

Job Context

The incumbent is responsible for networking to build knowledge of best practice within the region and globally, and identifying, developing, and maintaining a network of external partners in Talent Acquisition and community outreach. Maintain in-depth knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements (UAE Labour Law plus DIFC / DFSA regulations), reducing legal risks and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Education

Bachelor Degree in HR, Business Administration or other relevant discipline.

Experience and Skills

Qualifications & Experience: A bachelor's degree in HR Management or similar. Professionally qualified in HR e.g. CIPD/SHRM/SAP certification. Minimum of 7-10 years Talent Acquisition Professional experience. Thorough understanding of Recruitment Processes and Talent Acquisition practices. Familiarity and good working knowledge of ATS (Applicant Tracking Software), preferably SAP SF recruitment module. Good understanding of UAE labor law. Good knowledge about the industry and the roles within the bank. Understanding of the UAE labour market and sources of talent for Banking roles. Preferred fluency in both Arabic and English. Proven track record in delivering results through team-based working.

Personal Attributes: Understanding of cultural differences and shifting demographics. Change management skills and the ability to lead & facilitate change. Strong Interpersonal and communication skills. Strong Analytical and Reporting skills. Effective decision-making skills. Demonstrated project management skills and management skills. Work independently in pressurized environment to manage varying needs and prioritizing to ensure best business results. Ability to build and maintain relationships with all levels of internal and external stakeholders. Ability to organise, analyse, interpret and disseminate information through various mediums.

Technical Competencies

HR Insights, Strategy and Policy Formulation- Human Resources- Advanced Performance Management & Rewards-Human Resources- Basic Employee Engagement and Relations- Human Resources- Advanced Business Partnership & Workforce Management-Human Resources- Advanced HR Service Delivery - Human Resources- Basic Organisational Design and Development- Human Resources- Proficient.

Behavioural Competencies

Change and Innovation - Advanced Empowering and developing self and others - Advanced Delivering Value - Advanced Communication - Advanced Working and collaborating with others - Advanced Vision and Strategy - Advanced Results Orientation - Advanced Evaluating and Solving Challenges - Advanced.