Manager - Talent Development & Employee Engagement

Talent Development and Employee Engagement Manager

Location: Dubai

Department: Human Resources

Employment Type: Full-Time

Experience: 8-10 Years

Position Overview:

We are looking for a dynamic, innovative, and people-focused Talent Development and Employee Engagement Manager to lead learning, capability development, employee engagement, and culture-building initiatives across the organization. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in manufacturing, engineering, industrial, or EPC environments and possess strong communication skills in English and Hindi. This role will be instrumental in strengthening organizational culture, enhancing employee experience, developing leadership capability, and driving employee engagement initiatives across diverse workforce groups.

Key Responsibilities:Learning and Talent Development:

• Develop and implement the annual Learning and Development strategy aligned with business objectives.

• Conduct Training Needs Analysis (TNA) and identify competency gaps across departments.

• Design and implement technical, behavioral, managerial, and leadership development programs.

• Establish competency frameworks and career development pathways.

• Drive succession planning and high-potential talent development programs.

• Develop Individual Development Plans (IDPs) for employees and future leaders.

• Evaluate training effectiveness and measure ROI.

• Manage external training providers, consultants, and learning partners.

Employee Engagement and Culture Building:

• Create and execute an annual employee engagement calendar.

• Design innovative employee engagement programs and workplace initiatives.

• Lead employee wellness, recognition, rewards, and retention programs.

• Organize employee events, town halls, cultural celebrations, and team-building activities.

• Conduct employee satisfaction and engagement surveys and drive action plans.

• Promote a positive, inclusive, and high-performance work culture.

• Strengthen employee relations through regular communication and employee connect programs.

Leadership Development and Organizational Effectiveness:

• Design and deliver leadership development interventions.

• Support organizational development and change management initiatives.

• Partner with department heads to build leadership pipelines.

• Facilitate talent review discussions and succession planning exercises.

• Drive initiatives to improve productivity, collaboration, and workforce capability.

• Support performance management and employee development processes.

Internal Communication and Employer Branding:

• Develop engagement content and internal communication campaigns.

• Promote company culture through structured employee communication initiatives.

• Manage HR newsletters, employee recognition communications, and engagement updates.

• Collaborate with Talent Acquisition on employer branding activities.

• Support HR events, leadership interactions, and employee forums.

HR Analytics and Reporting:

• Track training effectiveness, participation, and development metrics.

• Analyze employee engagement, retention, and attrition trends.

• Prepare dashboards and HR reports for management review.

• Provide data-driven recommendations to improve workforce productivity and employee experience.

Required Skills and Competencies:Functional Expertise:

• Learning and Development (L&D)

• Talent Management

• Employee Engagement

• Leadership Development

• Organizational Development (OD)

• Succession Planning

• Competency Mapping

• Change Management

• Performance Management

• Employee Experience Programs

Technical Skills:

• HRMS Platforms

• Learning Management Systems (LMS)

• Microsoft 365 Suite

• Advanced Excel and PowerPoint

• HR Analytics and Dashboarding

• Employee Engagement Tools

Behavioral Competencies:

• Excellent communication and presentation skills.

• Fluent in English and Hindi.

• Strong stakeholder management and influencing ability.

• Creative and innovative mindset.

• High emotional intelligence.

• Strong facilitation and training delivery capabilities.

• Project management and organizational skills.

• Ability to work effectively with multicultural and multi-location teams.

Education and Qualifications:

• MBA / PGDM in Human Resources or related discipline.

• Bachelor's Degree from a recognized university.

• Professional certifications in L&D, Talent Management, SHRM, CIPD, HRCI, Coaching, or Organizational Development will be an added advantage.

Preferred Experience:

• 8-10 years of HR experience with a strong focus on Talent Development, Learning and Development, and Employee Engagement.

• Experience in Manufacturing, Engineering, Industrial, Steel, EPC, or Heavy Engineering sectors.

• Experience managing engagement initiatives for both blue-collar and white-collar employees.

• Exposure to multicultural work environments in the UAE or GCC region preferred.

• Proven experience in driving culture transformation and employee experience initiatives.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• Employee Engagement Score

• Training Effectiveness and ROI

• Training Hours per Employee

• Leadership Development Program Success Rate

• Employee Retention Rate

• Internal Promotion Ratio

• Succession Coverage for Critical Positions

• Participation Rate in Engagement Programs

• Employee Satisfaction Score

• Completion of Annual Learning and Development Plan