Manager Early Career

About the Role

Qiddiya Investment Company is seeking a Manager - Early Career to lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the organization’s Early Career strategy and programs. This full-time role, based in Riyadh Province, specifically Riyadh, focuses on creating structured development pathways to attract, develop, and retain high-potential early-career talent. The Manager will oversee graduate, internship, and other early-career development initiatives from program design through completion.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the Early Career strategy in alignment with overall Talent Management and workforce strategies.
• Design structured graduate, internship, trainee, and other early-career development programs, defining program journeys including onboarding, rotations, formal learning, experiential development, mentoring, assessments, and career progression.
• Manage early-career programs end-to-end, from workforce requirements and participant selection through development and graduation, ensuring smooth transitions into permanent roles where applicable.
• Establish appropriate assessment methodologies to evaluate participant capability, performance, potential, and development, facilitating talent and progress reviews.
• Partner closely with HR Business Partners and business leaders to understand future talent and capability requirements, building strong relationships with managers hosting early-career talent.
• Create a consistent and engaging employee experience throughout the early-career journey, organizing development events, networking opportunities, and community-building activities.
• Define and monitor KPIs for all Early Career programs, tracking participant performance, retention, engagement, program completion, placement, and progression.
• Maintain appropriate governance, documentation, and controls across Early Career programs, managing program calendars, budgets, suppliers, and resources.

Stakeholder Collaboration and Program Effectiveness

The Manager will work closely with business leaders, HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, and external partners to ensure programs build the capabilities and future talent pipelines required by the organization. This includes collaborating on attraction, assessment, and selection strategies, and managing relationships with universities and external providers. The role also involves analyzing program data and participant feedback to identify trends, recommend improvements, and measure program effectiveness to demonstrate its contribution to the organization's future talent pipeline.

Qualifications and Experience

• A minimum of 8 to 10 years of relevant experience in early career program design and management.
• Demonstrated ability to lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of early career strategies and programs.
• Experience in establishing clear program governance, standards, policies, and operating procedures.
• Proficiency in establishing appropriate assessment methodologies and facilitating talent reviews.
• Strong background in stakeholder management and business partnership, including collaboration with HR Business Partners, business leaders, and external partners.

Skills and Competencies

• Ability to develop and implement comprehensive early career strategies.
• Strong program management skills, including end-to-end oversight of development initiatives.
• Analytical skills to define and monitor KPIs, track performance, and analyze program data.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for effective stakeholder engagement and participant support.
• Capability to create engaging participant experiences and manage program-related issues.
• Knowledge of emerging practices in graduate development, skills-based talent management, and AI-enabled learning.

Work Environment

This is a full-time position based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, requiring close collaboration with various internal departments and external partners to achieve organizational talent objectives.