Immigration & Government Relations and HR Specialist

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Job Description:

DePuy Synthes is recruiting for a Immigration & Government Relations and HR Specialist, located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Responsible for managing immigration, foreign workforce administration, and government compliance activities, ensuring full compliance with Saudi labor and immigration regulations. The role also provides hands-on HR support across talent management, employee engagement, Saudization, HR operations, and change initiatives, partnering closely with business leaders and key stakeholders.

Immigration & Government Relations Responsibilities

Immigration & Foreign Workforce Management

• Manage end-to-end immigration processes, including work permits, Iqamas, and sponsorship transfers of foreign employees.
• Ensure compliant employment contracts and continuous work authorization for foreign employees.
• Coordinate with government authorities on immigration approvals, renewals, and regulatory requirements.

International Recruitment & Work Visa Processing

• Manage the immigration process for foreign hires recruited from outside Saudi Arabia.
• Coordinate work visa applications and ensure alignment of visa categories with employees' educational qualifications and regulatory requirements.
• Prepare employment contracts and obtain required attestations from the Chamber of Commerce and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Process electronic authorizations and supporting documentation required for overseas recruitment.
• Liaise with government entities and external agencies to facilitate successful visa issuance and onboarding of foreign employees.

Sponsorship Transfer Management

• Manage sponsorship transfer (Kafala transfer) processes for foreign employees.
• Submit sponsorship transfer requests through relevant government systems.
• Coordinate with employees, current sponsors, and government authorities to obtain all required approvals.
• Monitor cases through completion and ensure all associated fees and regulatory requirements are fulfilled.

Government Platforms & Regulatory Compliance

• Manage government HR and immigration platforms (e.g., QIWA, GOSI, MHRSD systems).
• Ensure compliance with workforce, immigration, and licensing requirements.
• Complete required submissions, renewals, and regulatory reporting on time.

Employee Mobility & Travel Authorization

• Process and issue exit, re-entry, and related travel permits for employees as required.
• Monitor validity of travel permissions and immigration documents.
• Support employees and business stakeholders with immigration-related guidance regarding travel and work authorization requirements.

Document Attestation & Government Liaison

• Coordinate attestation and legalization of employment and immigration-related documents through the Chamber of Commerce and other relevant authorities.
• Maintain relationships with government agencies and represent the company in immigration-related matters.
• Ensure all immigration files, supporting documentation, and records are accurate, complete, and audit ready.

Business License & Regulatory Support

• Support the renewal and maintenance of government registrations and licenses that impact foreign workforce sponsorship and immigration eligibility, including:
  • Ministry of Investment licenses
  • Commercial registration renewals
  • Other government approvals required to maintain sponsorship capabilities

Compliance Monitoring & Risk Management

• Monitor changes in Saudi immigration and labor regulations and assess impact on company operations.
• Ensure all immigration activities are completed within regulatory timelines to avoid penalties, fines, or interruption of business operations.
• Maintain accurate records of employee immigration status and government filings.
• Support audits, inspections, and compliance reviews related to immigration and workforce authorization.

HR Specialist Responsibilities

HR Business Support and Stakeholder Partnership

• Support the HR Lead in delivering the people agenda for Saudi Arabia, ensuring alignment with business priorities and HR ways of working.
• Provide practical HR guidance to managers and employees on routine people matters, escalating complex or sensitive cases to the HR Lead as appropriate.

HR Operations and Employee Lifecycle

• Support key employee lifecycle processes, including onboarding, job changes, documentation, exits, and employee data updates.
• Support HR reporting, audit readiness, employee documentation, and data quality across relevant HR systems and local records.
• Coordinate with payroll, benefits, medical insurance, government relations, and other support functions to ensure a positive employee experience.
• Apply HR policies consistently and help ensure alignment with Saudi labor law, internal compliance standards, and company values.
• Manage all involuntary terminations effectively and their exit management

Local HR Requirements / Employee Relations

• Support the monitoring and follow-up of Saudization priorities, including workforce data, action tracking, and compliance-related reporting.
• Work with relevant internal and external partners on Saudi government platforms and employment requirements and related systems where applicable.
• Stay informed of relevant Saudi HR, labor, and compliance updates and highlight potential implications to the HR Lead.
• Manage the end-to-end support for employee relations matters including complete exit management for voluntary and involuntary terminations.
• Guide the resolution of sophisticated employee relations matters, including grievances, investigations, disciplinary issues, and workplace concerns.

Key Deliverables

• Manage work permits, visas, residency permits, and sponsorship transfers.
• Ensure compliance with Saudi immigration, labor, and government regulations.
• Process exit/re-entry visas and travel authorizations in a timely manner.
• Maintain company eligibility to sponsor foreign workers.
• Provide day-to-day HR support across key people processes.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders and external authorities.
• Demonstrate strong execution, organization, and attention to detail.
• Support Saudization, employee experience, and business priorities.
• Proactively identify and resolve risks, issues, and opportunities.

Requirements

• 4–6 years of progressive experience Immigration & Government Relations and HR Specialist, preferably in Saudi Arabia and within a multinational or matrix organization.
• Strong hands-on knowledge of HR operations, employee lifecycle processes, HR policies, and employee relations practices.
• Good understanding of Saudi labor law, Saudi government platforms, Saudization requirements, and local HR compliance expectations.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, coaching, and collaboration skills
• Practical, solution-oriented mindset with strong follow-through, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a confidential matter.
• Fluency in Arabic and English.
• Saudi national, based in Riyadh.

Preferred Skills:

Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Employee Relations, HR Operational Planning and Organizing, Investigation Techniques, Problem Solving, Process Oriented, Talent Management

Johnson & Johnson announced plans to separate our Orthopaedics business to establish a standalone orthopaedics company, operating as DePuy Synthes. The process of the planned separation is anticipated to be completed within 18 to 24 months, subject to legal requirements, including consultation with works councils and other employee representative bodies, as may be required, regulatory approvals and other customary conditions and approvals. Should you accept this position, it is anticipated that, following conclusion of the transaction, you would be an employee of DePuy Synthes and your employment would be governed by DePuy Synthes employment processes, programs, policies, and benefit plans. In that case, details of any planned changes would be provided to you by DePuy Synthes at an appropriate time and subject to any necessary consultation processes. 

 Johnson & Johnson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. 

Johnson & Johnson is committed to providing an interview process that is inclusive of our applicants’ needs. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation, external applicants please contact us via https://www.jnj.com/contact-us/careers, internal employees contact AskGS to be directed to your accommodation resource. 

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