Founding HR Lead

About the role

Kanidata is seeking a founding HR Lead to build and own the people function from the ground up. Reporting directly to the founding team, you will shape recruitment, payroll, compliance and culture as the company scales across the Middle East.

Key responsibilities

• Own end‑to‑end recruitment for technical and non‑technical positions, from sourcing to onboarding.
• Run payroll and manage compensation administration accurately and on time.
• Maintain HR policies, contracts and compliance documentation in line with local regulations.
• Handle employee relations, performance processes and off‑boarding.
• Develop and continuously improve onboarding experiences.
• Maintain accurate employee records and HR data.
• Identify, implement and adopt HR tools and systems.
• Support organisational planning as the company grows.
• Work six days a week.

Required profile

• 3–5+ years of HR experience, covering generalist duties, recruitment and payroll.
• Strong communicator in English; Arabic and/or Kurdish a significant plus.
• Comfortable building HR processes from scratch without an existing team.
• Organised, discreet and able to manage sensitive information professionally.
• Experience in a startup or fast‑moving environment is a plus.

Required skills

• Hands‑on experience with HR software platforms such as Zoho People, SAP SuccessFactors or BambooHR.

What we offer

• Base salary ranging from $600 to $1,000 (USD or IQD), paid in USD.
• Potential bonuses and a range of additional perks.
• Clear growth path – the role can evolve into Head of HR with broader responsibilities.