Recruitment and Payroll Officer

**Job Summary** The Recruitment and Payroll Officer is responsible for managing the dual operational portfolios of talent acquisition logistics and employee compensation processing at Gulf University. On the recruitment front, this role coordinates vacancy tracking, candidate sourcing, screening, and onboarding pipelines for both academic faculty and administrative personnel. Concurrently, the position executes monthly payroll calculations, records variations, administers social insurance alignments (GOSI), and ensures the flawless, timely disbursement of salaries. The role operates under strict adherence to the Kingdom of Bahrain’s Labor Law, LMRA frameworks, and HEC auditing standards. **Key Responsibilities** **1\. Talent Acquisition \& Recruitment Logistics** * Manage the execution of end\-to\-end recruitment workflows for local and international hires (academic faculty, researchers, and administrative support staff). * Post job openings across authorized channels, screen incoming resumes against institutional and HEC credential parameters, and maintain an active candidate tracking database. * Coordinate interview panels, prepare candidate assessment dossiers for College Deans and Department Heads, and issue timely feedback letters. * Liaise directly with the Public Relations Officer (PRO) to coordinate visa eligibility, work permit processing, and documentation clearance via the Labor Market Regulatory Authority (**LMRA**). * Facilitate the pre\-employment credential verification and equivalence checks required by the Higher Education Council (HEC) and BQA. * Coordinate the transactional onboarding mechanics, ensuring contracts, bank setups, and IT profiles are finalized for new hires prior to their start dates. **2\. Payroll Administration \& Compensation Operations** * Manage the monthly end\-to\-end processing of the university payroll, ensuring zero errors and punctual distribution via the Wage Protection System (WPS). * Collect, verify, and input regular monthly payroll variations including overtime hours, shift differentials, unpaid leaves, absences, and deduction adjustments. * Review, calculate, and update social insurance records via the General Organisation for Social Insurance (**GOSI**) portal, tracking adjustments for joiners, leavers, and salary changes. * Calculate and process end\-of\-service benefits (EOSB), final settlements, indemnity accruals, and annual flight ticket encashments in accordance with Bahrain Labor Law. * Distribute electronic monthly payslips and serve as the central point of contact for staff and faculty inquiries regarding pay, allowances, tax compliance (where applicable), and deductions. * Reconcile monthly payroll registers against internal HRIS records and collaborate with the Finance Department to investigate and resolve any transactional variances. **3\. Data Integrity, Compliance \& Reporting** * Maintain accurate, fully updated digital records of compensation data, banking details, GOSI declarations, and signed employment contracts. * Generate monthly payroll expenditure reports, vacancy fulfillment logs, and specialized recruitment analytics for the HR Manager and executive leadership. * Track national **Bahrainization** percentages within payroll structures and assist in drafting wage subsidy documentations for **Tamkeen**\-supported programs. * Ensure absolute compliance with the Kingdom of Bahrain's Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) regarding the processing of sensitive financial and personal data. **Job Requirements \& Qualifications** **Academic Background** * **Minimum:** Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management, Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a closely related field. **Professional Certifications** * Certifications such as **Certified Payroll Professional (CPP)**, **CIPD** certification, or equivalent foundational HR credentials are a distinct advantage. **Experience** * A minimum of **3 to 4 years** of dedicated, hands\-on experience handling combined recruitment and payroll/compensation duties. * **Industry Context:** Direct experience operating within a higher education institution or a heavily regulated multi\-national service provider in Bahrain is highly preferred. **Key Skills \& Knowledge Areas** * Strong practical understanding of the **Bahrain Labor Law for the Private Sector**, LMRA portal machinations, and GOSI rules. * Advanced operational proficiency with Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUPs, pivot tables, advanced formulas) and structured Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) / ERP payroll modules. * High level of numerical accuracy, sharp attention to detail, and a structured approach to solving payroll discrepancies. * **Language Fluency:** Professional written and verbal communication competencies in both **English and Arabic** are mandatory. Job Types: Full\-time, Contract Work Location: In person