Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), NYU Abu Dhabi

Position Summary

New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) is partnering with Korn Ferry to conduct this search. To ensure a confidential and equitable process, all application materials must be submitted directly through Korn Ferry. Candidate information will be handled with the utmost discretion. Applications should include a curriculum vitae and a letter describing the candidate’s interest in the role and relevant experience. All communications will be held in strict confidence. For further information and to apply, please contact Korn Ferry at: [email protected]. Korn Ferry welcomes confidential inquiries, nominations and applications.

 

Applications are welcome from all qualified candidates. In line with UAE regulations, Emirati candidates are encouraged to apply.

 

The NYU Abu Dhabi Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) is a transformative senior leader responsible for guiding a high-performing, data-driven human resources team within a complex organization, within New York University, one of the world's most globally diverse research universities. Operating at the crossroads of academic excellence, cultural intelligence, and innovation, the CHRO collaborates with institutional leaders to build a future-ready workforce and deliver human-centered HR services across a multifaceted, multicultural campus.

 

The role is responsible for enhancing workforce stability, employee engagement, talent development, retention, and HR operations to support the organization’s mission and operational goals.

 

While reporting to both the VP and Global CHRO based in New York and the Chief Operating Officer in Abu Dhabi, the position is also accountable to NYU Abu Dhabi senior leadership.

 

Candidates should possess significant senior human resources leadership experience within a complex, multi-stakeholder organization together with a demonstrated record of developing and implementing people strategies that support institutional performance, growth and organizational excellence. Experience in higher education, academic medicine or another knowledge-intensive environment is desirable. The successful candidate will bring strategic perspective, operational credibility, sound judgment, exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to build trusted relationships with senior academic and administrative leaders in an internationally connected institution.

 

Principal Duties:

• Strategic HR Leadership and Global Alignment
  • Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to the Vice Chancellor, Chief Operation Officer, Provost, and the senior leadership team on all people-related matters affecting NYUAD's mission.Act as NYUAD's primary liaison to NYU's global HR function; implement global HR policies, processes, and technology locally and contribute to their development where the Abu Dhabi context warrants it.
• HR Team Leadership & Budget Management
  • Select, develop, and inspire a high-performing HR team; set clear goals, provide coaching, and foster a culture of excellence and continuous improvement within the function.
  • Develop and manage the HR department's operating budget; oversee vendor relationships and HR technology investments for value and performance
• Talent Acquisition and Recruitment
  • Lead a proactive, globally competitive talent acquisition strategy that attracts exceptional academic and professional staff and administrators.
  • Ensure fair and inclusive hiring practices.
• Immigration & Visa Services
  • Lead and manage NYUAD's immigration and visa services function, ensuring timely, compliant, and high-quality support to employees and students relocating to or within the UAE.
  • Develop a proactive immigration compliance program, tracking regulatory changes and preparing the institution accordingly.
• Compensation and Benefits
  • Design and steward a competitive, equitable total rewards framework — covering base compensation, benefits, allowances, housing, and non-monetary recognition
  • Lead periodic compensation benchmarking and equity audits; surface and remediate pay gaps in collaboration with finance and legal counsel.
  • Develop innovative benefits offerings that reflect the diverse needs of an internationally mobile workforce, including wellbeing, family support, and mental health provisions.
  • Ensure all compensation and benefits programs comply with NYUAD policy, UAE labor law, and any applicable NYU global standards.

• Workforce Planning, Analytics & Digital HR Transformation

  • Oversee NYUAD's workforce analytics capability, transforming HR data into actionable analytics for the leadership team.

  • Monitor the digital transformation of HR systems and processes — including HRIS optimization, automation of administrative workflows, and adoption of applicable tools for talent management.

  • Monitor HR service metrics, dashboards, and KPIs; present insights and recommendations to the COO and senior leadership on a regular cadence.

  • Manage meaningful workforce planning and position management processes contributing to NYUAD's annual and multi-year budget process.

• Employee Relations and Compliance

  • Provide expert direction on complex employee relations matters, including disciplinary proceedings and performance management.

  • Ensure full compliance with UAE labor law and requirements.

  • Partner with legal counsel and compliance teams on applicable initiatives.

  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of governmental developments in the UAE and their implications for employment practices; proactively update policy accordingly.

• HR Business Partner Leadership & Field Integration

  • Directly lead and develop the HR Business Partner (HRBP) function.

  • Ensure HRBPs are actively engaged with operations and addressing issues in real time.

  • Strengthen partnership and collaboration between HR and leadership.

Qualifications

Required Education

Bachelor's degree required.

Chartered or certified HR credentials (e.g. CIPD, SHRM-SCP, SPHR) highly desirable.

Preferred Education: Master's degree in Human Resources Management, Organizational Psychology, Business Administration, or a related field strongly preferred.

Required Experience: 10+ years of progressive senior HR leadership experience, with at least 5 years at a CHRO, VP HR, or equivalent level in a complex, multi-stakeholder organization.Demonstrated experience leading HR in a multicultural, internationally diverse environment.Proven track record of developing and executing enterprise-wide HR strategies that have measurably improved organizational performance, culture, or talent outcomes.Significant experience managing HR operations at scale, including talent acquisition, compensation, employee relations, HRIS, and L&D.

Preferred Experience: HR leadership experience within higher education, academic medical centers, or similarly complex knowledge organizations.Experience working within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) or broader Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region.Experience leading Emiratizations or national talent development programs.Exposure to large-scale HRIS implementation or digital transformation of HR functions.Experience with dual/matrix reporting structures in global organizations

 

Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:Demonstrated ability to translate emerging trends into actionable, mission-aligned HR strategy.Demonstrated ability to operate with deep respect and fluency across diverse national, professional, and academic cultures; models inclusive leadership.Facility with leveraging data, workforce intelligence, and predictive modeling to drive evidence-based decisions and counsel leadership.Capability to build organizational agility and readiness; lead complex change with clarity, empathy, and stakeholder confidence.Outstanding professionalism and ethics, including the ability to earn trust and exert influence at all levels of the organization (boards, leadership teams, regulators, and employees) and apply the highest standards of confidentiality, fairness, and ethical conduct; models psychological safety for the HR function.Proven ability to champion talent development, including succession planning and the long-term career growth of employees at all levels.Ability to assess interdependencies across the organization and design HR solutions that scale and integrate across a complex institutional system.Drive HR digital transformation with judgment and care.Demonstrated empathy, self-awareness, and sound judgment in navigating sensitive and complex people situations.

Additional Information

NYU Abu Dhabi is a degree-granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program in the Arts, Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Engineering. NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai, form the backbone of NYU’s global network university, an interconnected network of portal campuses and academic centers across six continents that enable seamless international mobility of students and faculty in their pursuit of academic and scholarly activity. This global university represents a transformative shift in higher education, one in which the intellectual and creative endeavors of academia are shaped and examined through an international and multicultural perspective. As a major intellectual hub at the crossroads of the Arab world, NYUAD serves as a center for scholarly thought, advanced research, knowledge creation, and sharing, through its academic, research, and creative activities.

 

In compliance with NYC's Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is USD $300,000 to USD $350,000. New York University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. This pay range represents base pay only and excludes any additional items such as incentives, bonuses, clinical compensation, or other items.