Advisory Consultant

Important Notice: This is not an advertisement for a specific open vacancy or full-time employment. Foreground is building a curated network of independent advisory consultants to engage on a project-by-project basis as mandates arise across our client portfolio. Approved network members will be contacted directly when a relevant project is activated.

About Foreground

Foreground is a people and organizational advisory firm headquartered in the UAE serving clients across the GCC and MENA region. We operate across three integrated practice areas: Advisory covering HR strategy and organizational design; Learning covering leadership development and capability building; and Talent covering executive search and embedded recruitment.

Our clients include organizations navigating transformation growth and the evolving demands of a region reshaping itself at pace. We bring senior expertise regional depth and a pragmatic lens to every engagement.

The Network Opportunity

Foreground maintains a vetted network of independent advisory consultants who are engaged on a project basis when client mandates align with their area of expertise. Network membership is not employment. It is a professional partnership that gives consultants priority access to Foregrounds client pipeline while allowing them to maintain their own practices and client relationships.

When a project within your area of expertise is activated we will reach out to you directly to discuss scope timeline and commercial terms. Engagement is always subject to mutual agreement.

Role Overview

• Role Title: Advisory Consultant (Network Contractor)
• Practice Area: Advisory
• Engagement Type: Independent Contractor Project-Based
• Work Model: On-site Remote or Hybrid depending on client requirements
• Geography: UAE Saudi Arabia and broader GCC and MENA markets
• Engagement Duration: Variable aligned to project scope typically 4 to 16 weeks
• Language: English required. Arabic highly valued.

Scope of Advisory Work

Advisory consultants within our network are engaged across a range of people and organizational mandates. Typical project scopes include:

• HR strategy development including function design capability gap analysis and HR operating model design
• Organizational design and restructuring covering spans and layers role architecture and governance frameworks
• Workforce planning and talent analytics including headcount modeling and succession readiness assessments
• HR policy and framework development aligned to UAE Labor Law and regional regulatory environments
• Performance management system design and implementation support
• Employee engagement strategy including culture assessments and employer brand diagnostics
• Change management advisory and organizational transformation support
• Compensation and benefits benchmarking job evaluation and reward framework design
• HR due diligence in support of mergers acquisitions and carve-outs
• Emiratisation and nationalization strategy including talent pipeline and integration planning

What We Look For

We are selective about who joins our network. We look for professionals who combine depth of expertise with the maturity to operate with minimal oversight in client-facing environments.

• A minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in HR advisory organizational effectiveness or people consulting
• Demonstrated exposure to GCC or MENA client environments with an understanding of regional regulatory cultural and organizational contexts
• A track record of leading or significantly contributing to client-facing advisory engagements not purely internal or operational HR roles
• Ability to translate strategic intent into actionable frameworks tools and implementation roadmaps
• Strong stakeholder engagement capability including experience presenting to C-suite and board-level audiences
• Commercial awareness and the ability to scope price and deliver within agreed parameters as an independent professional
• Fluency in English. Arabic language proficiency is a significant advantage for regional engagements.
• Active professional credentials are an advantage including CIPD SHRM HRCI GPHR or equivalent

What Foreground Offers Network Members

• Priority briefing on relevant projects within our pipeline before they are offered externally
• A clear and transparent contracting process with professionally drafte