ROLE OVERVIEWThe Talent & Training Development Manager is a Group-level role responsible for designing and driving Brand Aid's people development strategy across all 8 countries and 1,000+ employees. This position owns the full talent development lifecycle — from talent identification and succession planning to training needs assessment, programme design, and capability building — ensuring Brand Aid builds a high-performing, future-ready workforce aligned to the Group's strategic growth agenda. The role partners closely with Country HR Managers and department heads to embed a learning culture and deliver measurable impact across all business units. GROUP COVERAGEUAE - Egypt - Iraq - Lebanon - Jordan - Saudi Arabia - Qatar - Kuwait
Department: Human Resources – Group Scope: Group-wide · 8 Countries Industry: Marketing, Advertising & Production
RESPONSIBILITIES IN DETAILTalent Development Strategy & Framework Design and implement a Group-wide talent development strategy aligned to Brand Aid's business objectives Build and maintain competency frameworks and career pathways across all functions and levels Establish a Group L&D policy governing standards, processes, and quality across all 8 countries Develop and manage the annual L&D budget with Country HR Managers and department heads
Succession Planning & Talent Pipeline•Design and drive the Group succession planning process for critical and leadership-level roles•Maintain talent pools and readiness assessments for key positions across all 8 countries•Partner with Country HR Managers to identify high-potential employees and build development roadmaps•Facilitate talent review meetings with senior leadership and present succession dashboards
Training Needs Assessment & Programme Design•Conduct structured Training Needs Assessments (TNAs) across all countries, functions, and levels•Identify skill gaps and translate them into actionable individual and team development plans•Design, source, and deploy training programmes — functional, leadership, soft skills, and compliance•Manage external training vendors, e-learning platforms, and certification partner relationships
Performance Enablement & L&D Analytics•Partner with Country HR teams to embed performance management into individual development plans•Support the rollout and ongoing effectiveness of the Group KPI and OKR frameworks•Build manager capability through coaching toolkits and leadership development programmes•Track L&D metrics — completion rates, skill acquisition, ROI — and report to CHRO quarterly
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS•Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology, or related field; Master's or HR certification (CIPD, SHRM, CPTD) is a strong advantage•7–10 years of progressive HR experience, with at least 4 years in L&D, talent development, or organisational development•Proven experience designing and implementing Group or multi-country talent development strategies•Strong background in Training Needs Assessment, competency frameworks, and learning programme design•Demonstrated experience in succession planning and high-potential talent management•Excellent command of English (written and spoken); Arabic is an advantage
KEY SKILLS & COMPETENCIES•Learning & Development design and facilitation•Talent management and succession planning•Instructional design and LMS management•Multi-country stakeholder management and influence•Data-driven L&D reporting and ROI analysis•Strong presentation and communication skills
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE•Experience in a multi-country or Group HR structure, preferably in the MENA region•Prior L&D experience within a marketing, advertising, media, or creative agency environment•Hands-on experience implementing a Brand Academy, internal university, or internship-to-hire programme•Familiarity with e-learning platforms and LMS tools (Talent LMS, Moodle, Cornerstone, or equivalent)•Experience rolling out OKR or KPI-linked performance development frameworks at organisational level•Track record of working directly with C-suite leaders on talent strategy and workforce planning
WHAT SETS THE IDEAL CANDIDATE APARTThe ideal candidate is not only an L&D expert but a strategic HR partner who translates business goals into people capability. They combine analytical rigour with a hands-on approach, can build from scratch in a fast-paced multi-country environment, and are passionate about building cultures where people grow.