HR Manager (People & Culture) — Arabic & English
Hands-on HR Manager to build culture & engagement across 18+ outlets, own employer branding on LinkedIn, and lead UAE compliance + Emiratization. Arabic & English required.
Job Description
About Joud Coffee
Joud Coffee is a homegrown Abu Dhabi brand built on generosity, craft, and real hospitality. We’ve grown fast—and now we’re focused on the next phase: stronger culture, higher engagement, better leadership, and consistent guest experience across every outlet.
The role (read this carefully)
We’re hiring an HR Manager (People & Culture) who is a builder and a floor operator—not a policy-only, behind-the-desk HR person. You will spend real time in outlets, coaching managers, listening to teams, and turning culture into daily behaviors.
You will also own Employer Branding & Talent Attraction, including building our LinkedIn presence to attract top talent. And you must be strong on UAE labour compliance and have hands-on Emiratization experience.
Arabic & English fluency is required (spoken and written).
What you’ll own
1) Culture & Engagement (your #1 mission)
Translate our values into clear frontline behaviors (how we speak, serve, lead, and solve problems)
Build practical culture routines: recognition, manager coaching, “wins of the week,” team rituals
Run engagement systems that lead to action: listening sessions, pulse checks, feedback loops, action plans
Protect a “no ego / high ownership” environment—resolve conflicts early and keep standards high
2) Field HR — be on the floor, not behind the desk
Build a structured outlet visit cadence (weekly/bi-weekly) with check-ins
Coach outlet leaders on people topics: attendance, attitude, teamwork, service behavior, discipline, escalations
Train managers on tough conversations + documentation (firm, fair, consistent)
Detect issues early (culture drift, burnout, poor leadership) and fix them with real interventions
3) Hiring & workforce growth (multi-site)
Own recruitment end-to-end: role scorecards, structured interviews, selection standards, offers, onboarding
Build workforce plans with Ops: staffing models by outlet/format and peak season planning
Raise hiring quality and retention through better screening, onboarding, and manager capability
Build referral programs and partnerships to keep the pipeline warm
4) Employer Branding & LinkedIn (you own it)
Build and manage our LinkedIn company page (setup/refresh, access control, brand consistency)
Create an employer brand content plan: team stories, promotions, training, culture moments, behind-the-scenes
Run hiring campaigns and build a talent community (followers → applicants → hires)
Track simple results: follower growth, engagement, applicant quality, conversion rates
Coordinate with Marketing for brand guidelines—but HR owns the talent narrative
5) Emiratization (must-have experience)
Lead Emiratization planning and execution: sourcing, hiring, onboarding, retention, development pathways
Build relationships and pipelines for Emirati talent (universities, programs, local networks)
Manage relevant reporting/requirements and ensure ongoing compliance with Emiratization initiatives
Design career paths and support plans to help Emirati employees succeed and grow in operations and HQ roles
6) UAE Labour Law & HR compliance (must-have)
Ensure strong compliance with UAE labour law and MOHRE-related processes
Own contracts, policies, employee relations, investigations, disciplinary actions and terminations (proper process + documentation)
Coordinate visa/work permit administration with PRO / government portals where relevant
Maintain accurate employee records and HR reporting (headcount, turnover, attendance, leave, etc.)
Requirements (must-have)Fluent Arabic & English (spoken + written)
5–8+ years HR experience, ideally in hospitality/retail with multiple locations
Strong UAE labour law knowledge + hands-on HR compliance experience (ER, documentation, terminations, contracts)
Proven Emiratization experience (implementation, hiring pipelines, onboarding/retention, reporting/requirements)
Experience building employer branding / talent attraction, including LinkedIn company page + hiring campaigns
Field/operator mindset: you enjoy being in outlets and solving real people problems
High integrity, calm under pressure, strong judgment and confidentiality
Nice to haveExperience in a fast-scaling, founder-led brand
Built onboarding/training systems for frontline teams
HRIS/LMS exposure (training platforms a plus)
Location & work styleAbu Dhabi-based. Regular travel to outlets is essential (this is part of the job, not optional).
How to apply
Send your CV and a short note answering:
What did you personally do to improve culture/engagement in a frontline business?
Share one Emiratization initiative you led and the outcome.
What LinkedIn/employer brand work did you own and what results did you achieve?
- Locations
- Abu Dhabi
About Joud Coffee
Joud Coffee (“Joud”) was founded in 2015 with the mission of introducing speciality coffee to Abu Dhabi.
After opening our first cafe in the Al Bateen, we have expanded to neighbourhoods across the city where each location offers a uniquely designed space for our community to gather and experience our delicious food, pastry, and coffee offerings.
We are proud to roast our beans in small batches at our roasting facility in Abu Dhabi, sourcing them through ethical and sustainable direct trade partnerships that connect us to coffee growers and traders around the globe.
Today, Joud has its presence in more than 11 locations and continues to grow within the region.
Already working at Joud Coffee?
Let’s recruit together and find your next colleague.