Interim HR Partner - Capability & Change

Job Summary

Zurich Middle East is part of Zurich Insurance Group, one of the world’s largest and most experienced insurers. Our mission is to help our local community understand and protect themselves from risk both locally and globally.  

As our Middle East (M.E) business grows from strength to strength, with continued growth plans and ambition, we continue to grow and evolve how we engage and manage our people.

With a new leader and a refreshed strategy, our HR team is entering an exciting phase of transformation and growth. 

We’re seeking an experienced Interim HR Partner to join us for 6-9 months and play a key role in shaping the future of HR in the Middle East.  This role is ideal for someone who brings Financial Services experience — ideally within insurance — and enjoys balancing strategic partnering with practical, hands-on delivery. You’ll work closely with people managers and HR colleagues to enhance capability, simplify processes, and embed initiatives that make a lasting impact.

Job Accountabilities

What you'll do: 

• Partner with people managers to enable effective leadership, employee engagement, and performance outcomes.
• Coach and support people managers to strengthen leadership confidence, consistency, and people management capability.
• Collaborate with HR colleagues to elevate HR team capability, strengthening advisory skills, business insight, and delivery across the function.
• Lead and embed initiatives that enhance the employee experience, including process improvement and automation to drive efficiency and ease of use.
• Support organisational design, workforce planning, and capability development to ensure the right structures and skills for the future.
• Support transformation projects and culture initiatives that reinforce a high-performance, values-led culture.
• Provide high-quality HR consultancy and advisory during a period of transformation and growth.
• Design and deliver team development projects, including upskilling and capability building.
• Deliver key strategic HR priorities for the ME business.
• Analyze HR trends and data to identify areas for improvement, design action plans, and manage HR project delivery from start to finish.
• Partner with Centers of Excellence (CoEs) to execute talent management strategies, performance management, and high-potential employee development programs.
• Communicate the impact of HR initiatives effectively to drive business results.
• Implement HR policies and programs, ensuring compliance and alignment with Zurich’s values and business needs.

Job Qualifications

What we're looking for: 

• Relevant degree or equivalent professional certification and experience — we value depth of expertise and practical impact as much as formal qualifications.
• Experience in the Middle East is essential, along with strong cultural awareness and the ability to understand and adapt to regional nuances in style and behavior.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in Financial Services, ideally within insurance.
• At least 15 years in progressively senior HR roles, including business partnering, capability building, and organization development.
• Proven ability to work at pace in dynamic, change-focused environments.
• Strategic thinker who can see the big picture and deliver practical, implementable solutions.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, working closely with leaders.
• Ability to deliver through others, even without direct line management responsibility.
• Professional HR or coaching qualifications (e.g. CIPD, Coaching, Organisational Development, or similar) are highly desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in HR process automation, simplification, and improvement.
• Proven track record in coaching and developing people managers and/or HR professionals.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Collaborative, pragmatic, and commercially focused — able to deliver results through influence.
• Commitment to Zurich’s values: optimism, caring, reliability, togetherness, forward-thinking.

Functional Skills:

• Strong foundation in core HR functional: performance management, project management, compensation management, diversity and inclusion, and enhancing the employee experience.
• Executive coaching, and leadership enablement for people managers.
• HR capability enhancement and continuous improvement.
• Workforce planning, job architecture, and organizational design.
• Talent, performance, and culture delivery.
• HR analytics, data insights, and process automation.
• Change and project management.
• Succession planning and talent management.

Cross – Functional Skills: 

• Business acumen, consulting expertise, and data literacy.
• Effective communication skills, ability to influence and stakeholder management experience.
• Strategic thinking, agility, and adaptability, helping Zurich navigate change and achieve results.

What's in it for you

• Opportunity to make a real impact during a pivotal time for our HR team.
• Shape and embed best-practice HR partnering during a pivotal phase of growth.
• Contribute to a collaborative, forward-looking HR team focused on learning and evolution.
• Work in a purpose-driven organisation committed to caring, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
• Be part of a caring, collaborative team committed to building a brighter future together.