Lead - HR Operations

Role purpose

The Lead – HR Operations owns the end-to-end employee lifecycle operations for Styli: onboarding, payroll inputs, visas and immigration, HRIS data, policies and exits. The role makes sure every employee touchpoint is accurate, compliant with GCC, India and China labour law, and delivered on time. It will also set up Styli's HR shared services model and lead the implementation of a single global HRIS, building scalable, automated processes for a growing, multi-country workforce. It combines strategic ownership of the HR operating model with accountability for day-to-day service quality, data integrity and process governance.

Key responsibilities

Employee lifecycle management

• Own onboarding end to end: offer documentation, pre-joining checks, background verification, day-one readiness and induction.
• Manage employee movements: confirmations, transfers, promotions, salary revisions, role changes and contract renewals.
• Run offboarding: resignation processing, exit interviews, clearances, full and final settlements and end-of-service gratuity calculations.
• Issue employee letters and certificates (employment, salary, experience) accurately and within agreed turnaround times.

Payroll and compensation operations

• Prepare and validate monthly payroll inputs (joiners, leavers, variable pay, deductions, leave, overtime) for GCC, India and China payrolls.
• Partner with Finance and payroll vendors to ensure 100% accurate, on-time salary processing, including WPS compliance in the UAE, Mudad/GOSI in KSA, and social insurance and housing fund contributions in China.
• Administer benefits: medical insurance enrolments and claims, air tickets, allowances, and annual benefit renewals.

Visa, immigration and government relations

• Oversee employment visas, Emirates ID, labour cards, Iqama, dependent visas and renewals across GCC countries.
• Manage work permits and residence permits for expatriate staff in China, and immigration support for business travel between hubs.
• Coordinate with PROs and government portals (MOHRE, GDRFA, Qiwa, Muqeem) to keep all employee documentation current and compliant.
• Track document expiries and maintain zero-lapse compliance.

HR shared services setup

• Design and set up a global HR shared services centre: operating model, location, tiered service structure (Tier 0 self-service to Tier 2 specialists) and team structure.
• Own the HR operations strategy and operating model, including tiered support, turnaround times and service-quality standards.
• Define the service catalogue, SLAs, process maps and SOPs for all transactional HR services across countries.
• Standardise and harmonise HR processes across GCC, India and China while respecting local legal requirements.
• Implement a case-management and employee helpdesk tool, knowledge base and query routing.
• Build the business case, transition plan and change-management approach, and migrate country HR activities into the shared services model in phases.

Global HRIS implementation

• Lead end-to-end selection and implementation of a single global HRIS (e.g. SAP SuccessFactors, Workday, Oracle HCM or Darwinbox): requirements, vendor evaluation, design, build, testing and go-live.
• Act as HR project lead with IT, Finance and the implementation partner; own the project plan, budget, risks and steering-committee reporting.
• Lead data cleansing and migration from legacy systems and spreadsheets across all countries.
• Configure core HR, payroll integration, time and attendance, leave and employee self-service, with country-specific localisation (including China data-residency and PIPL requirements).
• Drive user training, adoption and post-go-live stabilisation, and set up HRIS governance and a continuous-improvement roadmap.

HRIS, data and reporting

• Own HRIS data accuracy, workflows, access controls and ongoing enhancements once live.
• Partner with IT and vendors on system upgrades, integrations and new module rollouts.
• Publish monthly HR dashboards: headcount, attrition, joiners and leavers, cost, visa status and compliance metrics.
• Deliver operational analytics and insights to HR leadership to support decision-making.
• Maintain confidential, audit-ready employee records and personnel files.

Policy, compliance and governance

• Draft, update and roll out HR policies, SOPs and the employee handbook in line with UAE, KSA, India and China labour law, including China's Labour Contract Law and local hukou and social insurance rules.
• Lead internal and external HR audits and close findings within agreed timelines.
• Establish process governance, controls and audit-readiness across all HR operations.
• Ensure compliance with Emiratisation/Saudization targets, data-privacy rules and statutory filings.
• Govern employee records, documentation and data-privacy standards, and ensure HR policies are applied consistently.

Process excellence and team leadership

• Identify manual processes and drive automation, self-service and SLA-based service delivery.
• Lead HR digital transformation and process re-engineering initiatives to improve efficiency and employee experience.
• Lead, coach and set goals for the HR Operations team (currently two direct reports); manage workload and escalations.
• Act as the first point of escalation for employee queries and resolve them within agreed SLAs.
• Partner with HRBPs, Talent Acquisition, Finance, Legal and IT on cross-functional HR projects.
• Manage third-party vendors and service providers (background verification, benefits administration, HR technology).

Requirements

Experience and education

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business Administration or a related field; MBA/PG in HR preferred.
• 8–12 years of HR experience, with at least 5 years in HR operations and 3+ years leading a team.
• Hands-on experience running HR operations across multiple countries; GCC experience is essential and exposure to India and China is a strong advantage.
• Proven track record of setting up or scaling an HR shared services centre.
• Experience managing vendors and large-scale HR transformation initiatives.
• Led at least one end-to-end HRIS implementation across multiple countries, from selection to go-live.
• Background in e-commerce, retail, tech or another fast-paced, high-growth environment preferred.
• Professional certification (CIPD Level 5+, SHRM-CP/SCP) is an advantage.

Skills and knowledge

• Strong working knowledge of UAE and KSA labour law, WPS, gratuity, visa and immigration processes; working knowledge of China and India employment regulations.
• Sound knowledge of statutory compliance and data-privacy regulations across GCC, India and China.
• Solid project management and change-management skills; PMP or similar is a plus.
• Proven experience with an HRIS and payroll systems; advanced Excel and HR reporting skills.
• Track record of process improvement and automation in HR service delivery.
• High attention to detail, accuracy and absolute discretion with confidential data.
• Calm under pressure, able to manage competing deadlines and a high volume of transactions.

Key competencies

Operational excellence and process orientation, systems and data fluency, service mindset, stakeholder management, team leadership, problem-solving under pressure, and the ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.

Equal opportunity

At Styli, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where every employee feels valued, respected, and empowered. As an equal opportunities employer, we celebrate the unique backgrounds, perspectives, and talents of our team members. We believe that a diverse workforce drives innovation and enhances our ability to serve our customers effectively. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected status. At Styli, we are dedicated to creating an environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.