Job description

Opening a new luxury hotel from scratch means building an entire HR function before a single guest arrives, and that's the core of this Director of Human Resources role. Reporting into the General Manager and Executive Committee, you'll align HR strategy with business objectives while keeping the property compliant with local regulation. The pre-opening HR master plan, countdown schedules and critical path activities all fall under this role, alongside the HR operating budget, pre-opening payroll budget, manning guide and benefits strategy. Standard operating procedures, the employee handbook and HR systems such as HRIS and time and attendance need to be established in line with corporate and local standards, and employee housing, transportation, cafeteria setup and welfare facilities all need coordinating before staff arrive. Recruitment runs on a global and regional scale, sourcing high caliber luxury hospitality talent through career fairs and digital sourcing campaigns, with pre-employment processes covering background checks, medical clearances and offer issuance. Government Relations and the Public Relations Officer sit under this role too, managing work visas, residency permits and LMRA processes while maintaining Bahrainisation quotas under Bahrain Labour Law. Learning, development and culture round out the mandate, from brand immersion and luxury service standards training through to onboarding waves of new hires ahead of opening. You'll also design salary scales and benefits for the Bahrain market, build grievance and performance appraisal frameworks, and keep engagement high through a high stress pre-opening phase.