People Business Partner (6 Months Fixed Term Contract)

The People Business Partner plays a pivotal role in delivering reliable, compliant HR operations for Japan while extending tactical HR business partnering support across the wider APJ region, enabling our hyper-growth in the market. Working closely with business leaders and employees, this role balances ownership of the Japan employee lifecycle, statutory compliance and HR systems with day-to-day HR business partnering — spanning performance management, employee relations and organisational change — for business leaders in Japan and assigned APJ markets. The People Business Partner is a key partner in HR service excellence, compliance, systems and the overall employee experience.

Responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• Own end-to-end employee lifecycle administration for Japan, including onboarding, transfers, contract changes and offboarding, ensuring accuracy and adherence to service levels

• Act as Subject Matter Expert on Japan employment law, work rules and statutory requirements (including social insurance and labor standards), owning compliance audits and documentation

• Act as the market's go-to expert on Workday, owning system configuration, workflows and data integrity given the organisation's heavy reliance on the platform

• Apply AI and agentic solutions to HR operations, including business process design and workflow mapping within an AI solution, data analysis, and strengthening compliance through these tools

• Serve as the first point of contact for employee and manager inquiries related to HR policies, benefits and general HR matters, resolving or escalating within agreed timeframes

• Drive the operational mechanics of performance management processes, including goal-setting, performance reviews and development plan tracking, for Japan

• Provide first-line HR guidance to business leaders on employee relations matters, ensuring fair and consistent application of HR policies and escalating complex cases as needed

• Extend HR business partnering support beyond Japan to assigned APJ markets, covering employee relations advisory, performance cycle support and organisational change support across time zones

• Support business leaders through organisational change initiatives, ensuring smooth and compliant execution for employees

• Ensure compliance with HR policies and regulations as Subject Matter Expert for the assigned market(s)

Success Profile:

• Fluency in Japanese and English is required

• Proven experience in a People Operations, HR Shared Services or HRBP role, with hands-on delivery of HR processes in Japan

• Prior experience operating as an HRBP across more than one APJ market, comfortable navigating differing labor law and cultural contexts across time zones

• Demonstrated, hands-on Workday competency (configuration, workflows, reporting) — a specific requirement given organisational reliance on the tool

• Demonstrated experience with AI or agentic solutions in an HR context, e.g. business process design and workflow mapping within an AI solution, an affinity for data analysis, and applying these tools to strengthen compliance

• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of Japan employment law, statutory compliance and HR best practices

• Strong attention to detail and a compliance-first mindset, with the ability to manage volume and ambiguity in a fast-growing environment

• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build strong relationships at all levels and geographies, and handle sensitive matters with judgment