HR Director/ Senior HR Business Partner

We are seeking a strategic and experienced HR Director/ Senior HR Business Partner to support our team in Tokyo. This role will act as a trusted advisor to business leaders, driving people strategies that enhance employee engagement, foster a high-performance culture, and ensure compliance with local labor laws.You will play a critical role in shaping the employee experience, managing complex employee and labor relations matters, and partnering closely with leadership to align HR initiatives with business goals.As the HR Director/ Senior HR Business Partner your Key Responsibilities will include:Strategic Business PartneringCollaborate with leaders to understand business objectives and develop HR strategies that support growth and transformation.Provide insights and guidance on organizational design, workforce planning, and talent development.Recruitment & Workforce PlanningPartner with the Hiring Managers on recruitment, workforce planning activities, onboarding and offboarding processes.Employee & Labor RelationsReview and maintain HR policies and Work Rules.Assess company culture, identify gaps in areas such as leadership, teamwork, communication, and recognition, and develop strategies to address these issues in order to foster employee engagementLead the resolution of complex employee relations issues, ensuring fair and consistent application of policies.Ensure compliance with Japanese labor laws and company policies.Talent ManagementDrive initiatives to enhance employee engagement, retention, and workplace culture.Identify Learning & Development needs for relevant client groups and roll-out initiatives.Performance & ProductivitySupport performance management processes, including goal setting, feedback, and development planning.Coach managers on effective performance conversations and productivity improvement strategies.Change ManagementSupport organizational change initiatives.Act as a change agent to ensure smooth transitions and employee alignment.HR & Payroll AdministrationOversee the HR team and be accountable for HR & Payroll administration and coordination across the employee lifecycle, including maintenance of employee records, people data, HR policies and systems and ensure they are compliant with existing legal and government reporting requirements.Working closely with the Global HR team and external vendors, oversee mobility and expat management processes.Compensation & BenefitsWorking closely with the Global HR team, review and define salary structure and benefits plans and communicate changes or updates.Occupational Health & SafetyManage OHS and risk management policies and strategies for corporate and field teams.ProjectsSupport and execute other projects such as internal communications, event management etc. from time to time.The successful candidate will exhibit the following Qualifications & Experience:Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related fieldSignificant progressive HR experience, with at least 5 years in a business partnering roleDeep understanding of Japanese labour laws and employment practices.Proven experience in employee relationsStrong interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to build trust and credibility at all levels.Experience in change management processesExperience in identifying opportunities for continuous improvement, based on feedback, stakeholder engagement, trend analysis, etc.Ability to operate at a commercially strategic level as well as at the transactional and operational levelAbility to demonstrate agility and flexibility in a dynamic environmentFluent in Japanese and English (both written and spoken)