Overview

Saudization Manager Jobs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at Confidential

Title: Saudization Manager

Company: Confidential

Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Job Purpose

Lead the company-wide Saudization strategy for a workforce of 9,000+ employees across major infrastructure and construction projects. Own the Nitaqat compliance position, design and execute national talent attraction and localization plans, maximize utilization of government support programs, and provide the executive leadership with accurate, decision-ready reporting on Saudization performance, risks, and cost impact.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Saudization Strategy & Nitaqat Compliance

  • Develop and own the company's Saudization roadmap, aligned with Nitaqat requirements, client contractual commitments, and business growth plans.
  • Monitor the Nitaqat band position continuously across all entities and activities; maintain a defined safety buffer above the required threshold at all times.
  • Model the Saudization impact of workforce decisions (project mobilizations, expat transfers, outsourced manpower conversion) before execution, and advise leadership on the compliant path.
  • Track regulatory changes (MHRSD decisions, nationalized professions, Nitaqat recalibrations) and translate them into action plans with clear owners and deadlines.

2. Localization & Replacement Planning

  • Design role-level localization plans for Saudization-priority and nationalized professions across head office and project sites.
  • Build structured replacement (Ihlal) programs, converting expat-held positions into Saudi-held roles with realistic timelines and readiness criteria.
  • Partner with Talent Acquisition on Saudi sourcing strategy: government platforms (Jadarat/Taqat), universities, technical colleges, HRDF channels, and direct pipelines.

3. Government Support Programs

  • Own the full portfolio of government incentive programs — HRDF wage support, Tamheer, Tawteen, and related initiatives — from eligibility screening through claims and reconciliation.
  • Maximize financial recovery from support programs and report recovered value as a quantified contribution to hiring cost reduction.
  • Manage the company's standing and files with HRDF, MHRSD, Qiwa, and Taqat platforms.

4. Workforce Cost & Outsourced Manpower Optimization

  • Support the business case for reducing reliance on outsourced/manpower-company sponsorship by linking Saudization gains to the phased transfer of expat workers to direct company sponsorship.
  • Maintain a cost model comparing outsourced manpower total cost vs. direct sponsorship, quantifying annual savings enabled by Saudization performance.

5. Executive Reporting & Analytics

  • Produce monthly Saudization reporting for VP HR / CHRO / CEO: headline ratio, movement, gap to target, Saudis required, project-level and department-level views, and risk flags.
  • Maintain Saudization dashboards (Excel / Power BI) with reliable, reconciled data across GOSI, Qiwa, and internal HR systems.
  • Provide project-level Saudization compliance reporting against client contractual commitments (government and semi-government clients).

6. Retention & Sustainability of Saudi Talent

  • Analyze Saudi attrition drivers and lead retention initiatives in coordination with HR Operations and department heads — Saudization gains must be sustained, not just achieved.
  • Develop career pathing and development frameworks for Saudi employees in coordination with L&D, including graduate and Tamheer-to-hire conversion tracks.

7. Stakeholder Management

  • Act as the company's focal point with MHRSD, HRDF, and related government bodies on all nationalization matters.
  • Advise Project Directors and bid/proposal teams on Saudization commitments in tenders and contracts before submission.
  • Coach hiring managers on Saudization-priority roles, realistic market expectations, and compliant hiring practices.

Qualifications & Experience

  • Saudi national (mandatory).
  • Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; HR certification (CIPD, SHRM, aHRMI) is an advantage.
  • 8–10 years of progressive experience in Saudization/nationalization, workforce planning, or HR, with at least 3 years in a supervisory or managerial capacity.
  • Construction, contracting, or other labor-intensive sector background strongly preferred.
  • Demonstrated hands-on expertise with Nitaqat, Qiwa, GOSI, Taqat/Jadarat, and HRDF programs — practitioner-level, not theoretical.
  • Track record of measurably improving Saudization performance in a large organization.

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