Senior Manager, HR Services

Senior Manager, HR Services

Position Title: Senior Manager, HR Services

Grade: MRC 9

Reports to: Director, HR Services, APEC excluding South Asia

Location: Tokyo

Role purpose

The Senior Manager, HR Services serves as the operational HR leader for the countries and offices within scope. The role is accountable for delivering high-quality, compliant and consistent HR services while acting as a trusted advisor to regional and market leaders on workforce priorities, business performance, leadership effectiveness and organizational health. The role bridges strategic business partnering and hands-on HR execution, ensuring HR solutions are pragmatic, commercially aligned and responsive to local market requirements. Partnering with market leaders, APEC HR Services, Compensation and Benefits, Payroll, Finance, Legal, external providers and regional stakeholders, the role supports markets through periods of transition and contributes to regional HR projects, process improvement and service consistency.

Key responsibilities

HR Leadership and Business Partnership

• Act as the primary Above Property HR Services partner for leaders within their scope of responsibility, providing practical advice on workforce priorities, people matters and organizational requirements.

• Build trusted relationships with regional and market stakeholders, translating business needs into clear and workable HR actions.

• Guide workforce planning, organizational change, role requirements, talent needs and leadership priorities within the assigned markets.

• Use workforce information, operational trends, service data and associate insights to identify risks, support decision-making and recommend appropriate interventions.

• Work closely with key stakeholders to ensure in-market execution is coordinated, consistent and timely.

• Escalate material associate, compliance or operational risks promptly and maintain clear documentation and follow-through.

HR Operations and Associate Lifecycle

• Lead consistent delivery of associate-lifecycle activities, including recruitment coordination, onboarding, associate changes, transfers, leave administration, mobility and exits across the assigned markets.

• Ensure associate records, employment documentation and HR-system data are complete, accurate, confidential and audit-ready.

• Coordinate with Payroll, Compensation and Benefits, Talent Acquisition, Finance, Legal and other partners to deliver timely and accurate associate transactions.

• Oversee payroll and benefits administration within scope, monitoring controls, service quality, issue resolution and compliance with local requirements.

• Support annual and recurring HR programs, including performance, compensation, engagement, talent and workforce-planning cycles.

• Maintain clear local procedures, templates, calendars, communication materials and tracking tools that align with regional HR Services standards.

• Oversee office management responsibilities for each assigned market, including coordination of office administration, workplace requirements, local vendor support and market-specific office operations in partnership with relevant internal and external stakeholders.

Associate Relations, Compliance and Governance

• Provide timely and balanced guidance on associate relations matters, including performance, conduct, attendance, grievances and workplace concerns.

• Partner with Associate Relations and Legal on sensitive, complex or higher-risk cases, ensuring appropriate escalation, documentation and follow-through.

• Own and manage the associate relations calendar of events for each assigned market, including planning, coordination, budget management, stakeholder alignment and follow-through on market-specific engagement or associate relations activities.

• Monitor compliance with company policies and applicable employment, payroll, benefits and statutory requirements in each assigned market.

• Coordinate market-specific submissions, audits, vendor reviews and responses involving government agencies, external providers or internal control functions.

• Protect confidential associate information and ensure appropriate document retention, access controls and data-handling practices across all markets.

Team, Service delivery and Projects

• Monitor workload, service issues, dependencies and recurring pain points, taking action to improve consistency, turnaround time and the associate experience.

• Champion process simplification, standardization and effective use of HR systems while accommodating necessary local requirements.

• Lead or contribute to regional implementations, audits, projects, change initiatives and service-management improvements.

• Provide interim support across APEC when required and share effective practices across the HR Services team.

• Perform any other duties and responsibilities as reasonably assigned or instructed by the business from time to time.

Required Skills and Experience

• Strong HR generalist, HR business partner, or HR operations experience, including responsibility for associate-lifecycle delivery and associate relations matters.

• Experience supporting leaders and associates across multiple countries, locations, functions, or stakeholder groups in a regional or matrixed environment.

• Working knowledge of employment practices and statutory requirements in one or more assigned markets, with the ability to coordinate reliable local advice across all assigned markets.

• Experience advising leaders on workforce planning, organizational change, performance, talent and associate relations matters.

• Experience coordinating payroll, benefits, HR systems, recruitment, vendors and recurring HR programs with internal partners and external providers.

• Experience overseeing or coordinating office management activities, local workplace administration and vendor support across assigned markets is advantageous.

• Experience planning associate relations or engagement calendars, coordinating market events and managing related budgets is advantageous.

• Strong stakeholder-management and communication skills, with the confidence to provide clear, practical and balanced advice across cultures and levels.

• Sound judgement, discretion and attention to detail when handling confidential or sensitive matters.

• Strong project-management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, deadlines and operational cycles across countries and time zones.

• Proficiency in HR systems, with the ability to interpret workforce data, prepare clear management information and maintain accurate records.

• High level of proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Power BI, PowerPoint and other Microsoft Office applications and reporting tools, with experience in data analysis, dashboard creation, tracking and preparing management presentation decks and information.

• Ability to deliver presentations to Business Partners and other key stakeholders

• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across functions, markets and time zones.

• Experience with audits, process improvement, organizational change, transformation or HR service standardization.

• Strong service orientation, stakeholder-management capability and practical problem-solving mindset.

Preferred Qualifications

• Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration or related discipline.

• Regional or multi-country HR Services experience within APEC.

• Experience leading or coordinating HR team members, service-delivery partners, external payroll, benefits, immigration or employment-service vendors.

• Working capability in a language relevant to one or more assigned markets is advantageous.