Manager, Compensation & Benefits MEA

Job description

Position Summary

This position supports the Senior Director Compensation & Benefits in providing great rewards to our Team Members across Middle East & Africa (MEA) managing specific reward programmes and activities for hotels and corporate offices in the region and delivering value for investment.

Key Responsibilities

What will I be doing?

This Manager, Compensation & Benefits position includes the following responsibilities:

Manage the annual merit review and bonus calculation process for MEA hotel operations (over 120 hotels). This includes developing tools and resources, managing project plans, communications and approvals, and consolidating stakeholder feedback to identify future improvements. Develop and maintain competitive compensation structures for specific corporate departments to attract and retain talent and/or support organisational restructures, aligning with business objectives. Review and enhance regional benefits programmes (e.g. accommodation allowances, flight benefits, mental wellbeing resources), considering benchmarking data, market trends, budget guidelines and feedback from key stakeholders, presenting a clear business case for recommended changes. Create comprehensive annual plans to activate Thrive at Hilton across MEA, incorporating physical and mental wellbeing, continuous learning, cultural understanding and community engagement to provide an environment where all Team Members can thrive. Manage the Thrive programme for UAE corporate offices, partnering with HR operations, functional leaders and Team Member Resource Groups to offer engaging initiatives and communications throughout the year. Advise hotel HR teams and regional project groups on total reward considerations for local programmes (e.g. Arabian Peninsula part-time employment, standalone insurance plans), ensuring alignment with Hilton s team member value proposition, compliance with local laws and regulations, and optimal return on investment. Manage hotel industry benchmarking processes, including project coordination across participating countries, data validation and customised reporting based on business requirements. Educate local HR teams on effective use of market data. Manage the local implementation of regional and global reward programmes (e.g. hotel operations bonus plans, Crisis Concierge), providing guidance and timely information to hotel HR, Finance and Operations teams. Participate in reward or cross-functional projects (e.g. Women s Health, EAP expansion), either as project manager or a member of the project team. Improve team member understanding and appreciation of benefits by developing effective, clear and engaging communications in collaboration with global reward and regional HR teams.

What are we looking for?

To be successful in this position, you will have:

Experience in a reward role or in a generalist HR role with responsibility for compensation and/or benefits, and with multi-country responsibilities
A good understanding of typical compensation and benefits programmes and local market trends in the MEA region, including salary and allowance structures, employee benefits, insurance plans, wellbeing initiatives and international assignments. Experience working in the Middle East would be a significant advantage
Good project management skills, able to plan and prioritise activities and work effectively with others to complete objectives, often within short deadlines.
Strong analytical skills, with exceptional accuracy, attention to detail and knowledge of business mathematics
Excellent verbal and written communication skills to deliver the right message for the right audience, from team member communications to management briefings to external partner meetings
Experience in developing and delivering senior leadership presentations, using appropriate data and analysis to support a compelling business case in a professional, user-friendly format
Experience in working and building effective relationships in a multi-cultural environment, across countries and at all levels of the business
Ability to remain calm under pressure and work efficiently in a rapidly changing environment with minimal guidance
Excellent MS Office skills, including advanced Excel knowledge. Basic Power BI would be an advantage.
Fluent written and spoken English is essential. Fluent written and spoken Arabic would be an advantage.