Lead HR Operations Specialist

Role Overview

The Lead HR Operations Specialist is the most senior individual contributor on the HR Ops team in the APAC region. You own HR Ops for a complex, high-growth environment and you do it with full autonomy, clear judgment, and a genuine drive to build something better than what you inherited.

You're not just executing. You're identifying gaps, designing solutions, influencing stakeholders, and making sure HR Ops processes scale alongside a business that is growing fast. Your stakeholder map is broad: HRBPs, business leaders, Payroll, Legal, People Systems, EHS, and HR Ops peers across other locations and geographies. This team does not work in silos, and at this level you are expected to be a connector as much as an executor. Employees are supported through the HRBPs; your accountability is to ensure the operational infrastructure behind that experience is rigorous, compliant, and fit for scale.

In addition to location ownership, you will have the opportunity to lead global or team-wide HR Ops initiatives, representing the team beyond your location, shaping how we operate at scale, and building visibility across the organization. This role supports environments that include remote employees, data centers or other mission-critical physical infrastructure, where regulatory HR Ops and EHS compliance is operationally non-negotiable.

Key Responsibilities

HR Operations and Employee Lifecycle

• Own and execute the full employee lifecycle for the APAC region with full autonomy, including promotions, transfers, international moves, and terminations.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for all HR Ops issues in the APAC region; resolve them with speed, accuracy, and sound judgment.
• Lead onboarding and offboarding, building scalable programs that hold up as headcount grows.
• Support the onboarding of new HR Ops team members where needed, ensuring they have the tools, context, and process knowledge to contribute quickly.
• Partner with HRBPs, Compensation and Benefits, Payroll, Immigration, and Legal as a peer, not a support function.
• Lead complex or high-visibility HR Ops projects for the APAC region, working closely with the Head of Country HR Operations.
• Define, document, and continuously improve team standards, playbooks, and best practices that the broader HR Ops team can apply globally.

HRIS and Data Integrity

• Own data quality, governance, and integrity for your location in HiBob; you set the standard, not just follow it.
• Lead the automation and AI agenda for your location and contribute to it team-wide. A core priority for the HR Ops team this year is eliminating manual and repetitive work through smarter processes and tooling. At this level, you are expected to identify opportunities, build the case for change, lead implementation in partnership with People Systems, and drive adoption across the team.
• Act as the operational subject matter expert for new system implementations or module rollouts at your location.
• Partner with the People Systems team to translate operational needs into scalable technical solutions.

Compliance and Documentation

• Ensure all employee files, records, and documentation are complete, accurate, and fully compliant across all relevant jurisdictions.
• Maintain deep, current working knowledge of employment law in your location, including any union relations, works council obligations, or sector-specific regulatory requirements.
• Proactively identify compliance risks and bring solutions, not just flags.
• Deploy, review, and maintain HR Ops policies, process guides, and employee-facing documentation; ensure they reflect current legal and operational reality.
• Support travel program administration via Navan, ensuring policy compliance and a high-quality employee experience.

Data Center and EHS

• Work with the HR team for data center at your locations, including site-specific onboarding protocols, training compliance tracking, and shift-based workforce considerations.
• Collaborate actively with EHS to ensure HR Ops processes fully support site-level compliance requirements; this is a core part of the role.
• Maintain working knowledge of OSHA, ISO 45001, or local equivalent safety standards as they apply to HR Ops accountability on site.
• Ensure incident documentation and safety training records are accurate, complete, and audit-ready always.

Key Qualifications & Experience

Must-have requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or a related field.
• 5-8 years of progressive HR Operations experience in Singapore, including at least 2 years operating at a senior level with full location ownership.
• HR Ops experience in other APAC countries such as Japan and India
• Deep proficiency with HiBob or equivalent HRIS platforms, including data governance, workflow design, and system administration.
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-location HR Ops and compliance.
• Experience working in or alongside data center, manufacturing, or other mission-critical physical infrastructure environments.
• Proven track record of implementing automations and process improvements across the HR Ops lifecycle.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to use data to identify risks and drive decisions.
• Sound judgment when handling sensitive, confidential, or legally complex situations.
• Full professional English fluency, written and verbal; all internal communication, systems, and documentation are in English regardless of location.

Preferred qualifications:

• Direct experience with EHS requirements and how they intersect with HR Ops, including training compliance, incident documentation, and site-specific onboarding protocols.
• Familiarity with OSHA, ISO 45001, or equivalent safety standards in an HR Ops context.
• Experience supporting HR Ops in shift-based or 24/7 operational environments.
• Experience navigating union relations, works council obligations, or mandatory information and consultation processes.