Gunel Asgarova
Baku,BA
Summary
CIPD Level 7-accredited L&D professional with 7+ years building strategic talent development systems across oil & gas, sovereign wealth management, government IT, and marine logistics sectors. Proven expertise in designing end-to-end L&D ecosystems—from competency frameworks and TNA to performance integration and Power BI analytics—that drive measurable business impact. Seeking a mid-level Learning & Development Manager, Talent Development Manager, or HR Business Partner role in the UAE where I can leverage my consulting mindset, data-driven approach, and cross-functional HR capabilities to drive organizational performance and build sustainable talent pipelines within ambitious, growth-oriented organizations.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior HR Specialist
State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan
04.2024 - Current
- Developed competency-based L&D governance framework for Azerbaijan's sovereign wealth fund SOFAZ ($73.5+ billion AUM), aligning leadership development, potential assessment, TNA, and PDPs for 140+ employees across investment and operations.
- Designed leadership development streams (adaptive leadership, coaching) and embedded development plans into KPI framework (10% weighting from 2025), driving measurable accountability for leadership growth.
- Created Power BI dashboards for L&D planning and reporting, translating learning and performance data into actionable insights on behavioral application and leadership investment ROI.
- Established strategic partnerships (Franklin Covey, Franklin Templeton Academy), expanding scalable programs and piloting asset-management curriculum for high-potential talents.
- Conducted benchmarking with World Bank, IFC, and EBRD (London) to integrate international L&D best practices and inform SOFAZ's learning strategy evolution.
Lead HR Specialist
State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan
05.2022 - 04.2024
- Supported SOFAZ's transition from operational to strategic HR during restructuring, contributing to HR framework localization and launch of first Performance Management process with EY Kazakhstan for 140+ staff.
- Designed competency-based L&D system linking performance reviews, competency assessments, TNA, and PDPs (70-20-10 model) with talent segmentation, supporting high-potential identification and internal mobility.
- Managed leadership development initiatives, coordinating 15+ high-potential leaders through global executive programs (Harvard, LBS, INSEAD) and activated leadership culture transformation via Franklin Covey framework.
Lead HR Specialist
Port of Baku
08.2021 - 05.2022
- Managed end-to-end recruitment for Azerbaijan's largest commercial port (15M+ tons cargo annually, 500+ workforce), coordinating 40+ hiring processes and developing standardized job descriptions and competency models for 30+ roles (white/blue-collar).
- Established foundational HR policies (Recruitment, Onboarding, L&D) aligned with ISO 9001 standards, supporting knowledge management for 500+ employees.
Human Resources Specialist
Innovation and Digital Development Agency (EGOV)
02.2021 - 07.2021
- Enhanced Talent Acquisition for Azerbaijan's digital transformation agency (serving 50+ public entities), recruiting 25+ critical IT roles across 11 divisions and revamping job descriptions for specialized positions (cloud engineers, cybersecurity specialists, software developers).
Learning and Development Specialist
SOCAR-AQS Limited Liability Company
09.2017 - 11.2020
- Conducted Training Needs Analysis for drilling operations supporting 400+ offshore and 100+ onshore workforce across 2 offshore platforms in Caspian Sea, aligning mandatory, technical, and HSE training with oil & gas regulatory requirements.
- Coordinated onboarding ("Green Hat"), drilling competency, and safety training; managed L&D operations (vendor management, logistics, SAP records) for 200+ employees.
- Accelerated Competency Assurance Program, achieving 50% assessment completion for ~120 offshore employees within 6 weeks, supporting gap analysis and development interventions aligned with IADC Well Control Accreditation and HSE standards.
Education
Master of Arts - Human Resources and Consulting
Lancaster University
United Kingdom01.2020
Bachelor of Arts - Translation (English - Azerbaijani)
Azerbaijan University of Languages
Baku, Azerbaijan01.2016
Skills
- Talent management
- Leadership Development
- Talent Assessment
- Performance Improvement
- Training Needs Analysis
- Competency Framework Design
- Learning Impact Measurement
- Performance integration
- HR Analytics
- L&D metrics
- Career mobility
- Coaching
Certification
- CIPD Level 7 Diploma
- CPTD (Certified Professional in Talent Development), In Progress, ATD
- Certified Talent Acquisition Specialist, AIHR, 2021
References
Available upon request.
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 12/02/94
- Nationality: Azerbaijani
- Visa Status: Available on employment visa
Professional Development
- ATD Annual Conference, New Orleans, 2024
- ATD Annual Conference, Washington, 2025
- 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Franklin Covey, Istanbul, 2023
- CIPD Annual Conference, Manchester, 2019, 2023
- Talent Management Reloaded, Berlin, 2023
Timeline
Senior HR Specialist
State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan
04.2024 - Current
Lead HR Specialist
State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan
05.2022 - 04.2024
Lead HR Specialist
Port of Baku
08.2021 - 05.2022
Human Resources Specialist
Innovation and Digital Development Agency (EGOV)
02.2021 - 07.2021
Learning and Development Specialist
SOCAR-AQS Limited Liability Company
09.2017 - 11.2020
Master of Arts - Human Resources and Consulting
Lancaster University
Bachelor of Arts - Translation (English - Azerbaijani)
Azerbaijan University of Languages