Head of People - Asia Pacific

Role Summary

People Management

• Lead, coach, and develop a small team that spans People business partnering, HR operations, recruitment, digital systems, and office operations, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and a high standard of service delivery.
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• Provide strategic and day-to-day leadership to the People team, as well as digital and office operations functions, fostering collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement across these key support areas.

Strategic HR & Business Partnering 

• Develop and implement a regional People Strategy that aligns with the Institute’s vision and strategic objectives, integrating input from regional leaders and global functional counterparts to drive organizational success.
• Provide strategic advice and business partner support to leaders and managers within APAC focusing on resourcing, talent management, strategic people planning, and employee relations.
• Partner with leaders in the APAC region to provide guidance and support on people-related matters.
• Work closely with other People Partners across regions to ensure alignment and consistency in people strategies.
• Drive engagement initiatives to build and nurture an open and progressive, bold and pragmatic, optimistic oriented culture across the region.

People Operations & Compliance

• Ensure consistent process compliance and efficiency to effectively deliver people processes and objectives at both regional and global levels.
• Provide guidance to track and monitor the performance of people-related initiatives within the Organization.
• Support on day-to-day people management matters, as well as the strategic direction of the business within key stakeholders.
• Oversee payroll and support the team with payroll preparation, data analysis and approval.
• Provide expert advice on relevant employment law, emerging trends, best practice and support on implementing new legislation.
• Manage and negotiate employee disputes, underperformance, disciplinary matters, and grievances while ensuring fair and effective resolution.
• Define and develop hiring strategies for new roles driven by the needs of the relevant team or division and funding requirements.

New Country Entry

• Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to support strategic planning and operational readiness for new country entries—including workforce setup, compliance considerations, infrastructure needs, and cultural integration.
• Lead the coordination of systems, policies, and onboarding processes for new market entry, ensuring alignment with regional and global standards.
• Advise on country-specific HR and operational risks and requirements, working closely with legal, finance, and global teams to ensure smooth market activation.

Performance Management & Development

• Collaborate with colleagues within the Global People Team to deliver the Institute’s performance management, learning and reward processes and initiatives.
• Lead the annual year-end review process and related activities while overseeing and supporting all performance management processes.

Digital Operations 

• Provide strategic oversight of digital operations within the region, ensuring alignment with global systems, processes, and standards.
• Leverage global resources and collaborate with central teams to ensure the successful implementation and optimization of digital tools that support people and office operations within APAC. 
• Support the local Digital Analyst by facilitating access to technical guidance and expertise from global teams, helping ensure consistency, integration, and data quality across platforms.

Person Specification 

This is a critical role within a fast-paced team, responsible for delivering high-quality People Operations support while contributing to broader People strategy initiatives. The successful candidate should possess a strong commitment to operational excellence, employee experience, and business partnering, and be able to demonstrate most of the following:

• Extensive experience as a lead / senior HR business partner, specializing in operational HR delivery within international, commercial, matrixed, and fast-paced environments across the APAC region
• Experience of working in a global organisations head-officed outside of the region.
• Expertise in executing and optimizing People Operations processes, including employee lifecycle management, payroll management, performance management, and compliance.
• A practical understanding of how to align people processes with business needs, with some exposure to strategic people initiatives.
• Strong influencing skills and the ability to build effective relationships at all levels, including with senior leaders and stakeholders.
• A hands-on approach with a willingness to engage in all aspects of People Operations, from daily HR processes to workforce planning support.
• Strong organisation and prioritisation skills and able to successfully manage and deliver multiple projects simultaneously.
• A proven ability to analyse, interpret and communicate complex and fast-moving information to senior stakeholders.
• Ability to navigate difficult conversations and manage challenging individuals with professionalism and tact.
• Excellent verbal communication, writing, researching and editing skills.
• Flexible working style and ability to support in numerous jurisdictions, learn quickly, and navigate ambiguity.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• The applicant must have the right to work in Singapore.