Head of HR
The Head of HR, Japan will serve as a strategic and operational HR leader, responsible for driving the people agenda across Japan while acting as a critical bridge between local Japanese culture and a highly international workforce.
This role is pivotal in harmonising a diverse organisation, strengthening employee engagement, and aligning HR strategies with business growth in a fast-scaling renewable energy platform. The successful candidate will combine strong business partnering capabilities with hands-on execution across full HR operations.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic HR Leadership & Business Partnering
- Develop and execute HR strategies aligned with business objectives and growth plans in Japan
- Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on organisational design, workforce planning, and talent strategy
- Partner closely with global and regional stakeholders to ensure alignment across markets
- Cross-Cultural Integration & Workforce Harmonisation
- Lead initiatives to bridge cultural gaps between Japanese and international employees
- Drive a unified organisational culture while respecting local market practices
- Facilitate communication, collaboration, and alignment across diverse teams
- HR Operations & Governance
- Oversee full-spectrum HR operations including payroll, benefits, employee lifecycle, and HR systems
- Ensure strict compliance with Japanese labour laws and corporate policies
- Manage labour relations, employee issues, and crisis situations effectively
- Talent Management & Organisational Development
- Design and implement talent development, succession planning, and leadership pipeline initiatives
- Drive performance management frameworks and employee engagement programmes
- Support organisational transformation and scaling of teams
- Employee Engagement & Culture Building
- Foster an inclusive, high-performance work environment
- Develop retention strategies tailored to a multicultural workforce
- Lead change management initiatives during business growth or restructuring
- Stakeholder & Leadership Management
- Influence and manage senior stakeholders across local and international teams
- Balance global HR frameworks with local market needs
- Act as the key HR representative for Japan in regional leadership discussions
Qualifications:
- 12-20+ years of HR experience, with proven leadership in Japan
- Strong exposure to multinational organisations with cross-border operations
- Demonstrated experience managing both strategic HR and hands-on operations
- Functional Expertise
- Deep knowledge of Japanese labour law and HR compliance
- Strong background in HR operations, employee relations, and workforce management
- Experience in organisational transformation, scaling, or fast-growth environments preferred
Leadership & Soft Skills
- Proven ability to bridge cultural and communication gaps across diverse teams
- Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills
Languages
- Fluent Japanese (native or business-level)
- Strong English communication skills
FAQs
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