Manager - Rewards and Workforce Operations

• Own the consolidated workforce budget control framework; track approved manpower, people costs, actuals, forecasts, variances and corrective actions by facility, cluster and job family in partnership with Finance and HRBPs. • Maintain group wide position management governance using Position Classification Numbers (PCNs); oversee creation, approval, activation, vacancy tracking, closure and reconciliation of budgeted and unbudgeted positions. • Lead budgeting, workforce planning and phasing of existing employees, joiners, leavers, replacements and approved pipeline; reconcile recruitment plans, onboarding dates and expected payroll impact with budget and forecast assumptions. • Manage annual salary planning, increment and adjustment cycles, and the Annual Review Cycle (ARC) budget including allocation, utilization, approval controls, scenario modelling and financial impact reporting. • Analyze payroll and people cost trends with Finance and stakeholders; explain drivers such as staffing mix, vacancies, increments, allowances, overtime and incentive expenditure. • Administer and continuously improve group wide performance management processes including goal setting, review cycles, calibration support, reporting, governance and linkage to recognition and reward decisions. • Design and evaluate affordable employee recognition initiatives and support financially sustainable clinical and nonclinical incentive or bonus schemes including eligibility, performance metrics, cost simulations, controls and evaluation. • Oversee job evaluation, grading, salary structures, market benchmarking, pay equity and grade linked benefits; review business unit practices for policy consistency and commercial constraints. • Develop frameworks for inter business unit transfers across job families, grades, allowances and benefits ensuring alignment of employee terms, approvals and budgets. • Maintain and periodically review reward, grading, mobility and workforce policies; track UAE federal and emirate-specific employment requirements and coordinate with Legal/Compliance. • Deliver management dashboards and periodic reporting on attrition, headcount, recruitment progress, vacancy ageing, position utilization, workforce movements, reward spending and forecast vs budget. • Improve data quality and reporting controls across HRIS, position management, payroll and planning systems; drive Excel/Power BI automation and responsible AI enabled process improvements with data confidentiality safeguards. • Prepare concise, financially grounded business cases, executive presentations and recommendations for HR and business leadership; challenge unsupported requests and identify sustainable alternatives. • Lead, coach and develop 3 direct reports; allocate responsibilities, maintain service standards and collaborate with the broader Rewards & HR Operations network across NMC entities. • Support organizational restructuring, new facilities and service changes through position, grade, workforce and cost impact assessment. • Master’s degree or MBA preferred; CCP/GRP or equivalent rewards qualification advantageous. • Advanced Microsoft Excel skills for complex models, reconciliations, scenario analysis and financial forecasting. • Strong PowerPoint and executive storytelling skills. • Strong commercial and financial acumen including manpower budgets, cost to company, variance analysis, financial controls and ROI assessments. • Practical knowledge of compensation, job grading, grade based benefits, workforce planning, PCN/position controls, performance management and incentives. • Proficiency in HRIS and workforce systems (Oracle preferred), Power BI and data visualization; interest in automation and responsible AI. • Working knowledge of UAE employment legislation and emirate specific requirements. • Confident, assertive communicator with strong business judgment, stakeholder influence, analytical rigor and attention to detail. • Effective people manager capable of developing a small specialist team and coordinating delivery through a broad matrix network. • Experience in a large multisite or multi entity UAE organization; healthcare sector experience strongly preferred. • Experience in management consulting or rewards advisory desirable; proven partnership with Finance and senior business stakeholders preferred.