MEA HR Generalist

ABOUT US Harmattan AI is a next-generation defense prime building autonomous and scalable defense systems. Following the close of a $200M Series B, valuing the company at $1.4 billion, we are expanding our teams and capabilities to deliver mission-critical systems to allied forces. Our work is guided by clear values: building technologies with real-world impact, pursuing excellence in everything we do, setting ambitious goals, and taking on the hardest technical challenges. We operate in a demanding environment where rigor, ownership, and execution are expected. ABOUT THE ROLE What we need in the region is someone who knows how HR actually works in the MEA region and who can make our standards land locally without us learning it the hard way.   RESPONSIBILITIES LOCAL COMPLIANCE & EMPLOYMENT LAW - Own compliance with the Labour Code across MEA region and the employee lifecycle: contract types and durations, trial periods, working time, leave, termination, and severance. - Make sure our group employment contracts, internal work rules, and HR policies are correctly adapted to local requirements — and flag where they cannot be applied as written. - Manage the relationship with the labour inspectorate and other local authorities; handle filings, registrations, and inspections. - Own employee representation obligations as headcount grows: elections, meetings, and day-to-day relations with staff representatives. - Keep leadership ahead of regulatory change affecting our population in Morocco and, the wider MEA region. PAYROLL & SOCIAL DECLARATIONS - Own the monthly payroll cycle with our local provider: prepare and validate variable inputs (absences, overtime, bonuses, new hires, leavers) and cross-check payslips before each close. - Ensure correct and timely social and tax declarations - Manage mandatory and supplementary benefits locally, including medical cover and pension arrangements. HR OPERATIONS & PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION - Manage individual employee situations end-to-end: disciplinary procedures, conflict resolution, and sensitive cases, applying the correct local procedure. - Handle personnel administration: contracts, amendments, employee files, employment certificates, and HR documentation for the region. - Run absence and leave management in HiBob, and keep regional records accurate in the HRIS. - Own work authorization for foreign nationals joining in the region: employment authorizations, residence formalities, and the associated filings. ONBOARDING, OFFBOARDING & MOBILITY - Run onboarding for the region using our existing framework, adapted to local practice; ensure each new joiner has a structured, warm, and efficient integration from day one. - Coordinate relocation and mobility between our France, Switzerland, Morocco, and US entities. - Handle offboarding with clarity, correct local formalities, and proper handover of information. MANAGER & EMPLOYEE PARTNERSHIP - Act as the single HR point of contact for the region: a visible, accessible, and trusted presence in the office every day. - Support regional leadership and line managers with concrete, operational HR answers grounded in what is actually possible under local law. - Contribute to a healthy working environment by addressing employee concerns promptly and pragmatically. - Partner with the Paris HR team so regional practice stays aligned with group policy while remaining locally compliant. REQUIREMENTS - 5+ years of proven experience in an HR Generalist or HRBP role in Morocco. - Deep, practical command of the Moroccan Labour Code - Hands-on ownership of payroll and social declarations with a local provider. - Established relationships with local authorities, counsel, and providers, and the judgment to know when to use them. - Experience handling work authorization and residence formalities for foreign nationals across the region. - Demonstrated ability to operate as the sole HR in a location — autonomous, structured, and reliable. - Comfortable working to group standards set elsewhere, and confident in pushing back when local law requires it. - Experience in a fast-growing or newly established entity; exposure to HR practice elsewhere in MEA is a plus. - Strong prioritisation skills: able to manage high volume and competing demands in a fast-paced environment. - Pragmatic business partner mindset: works with the business to find solutions, not obstacles. - Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion. - Full professional fluency in French and English (written and verbal); Arabic is a plus. We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems at Harmattan AI.