Senior HR Manager, SEA

Purpose
This role is responsible for managing the Singapore, Jakarta and Bangkok HR teams and working alongside the South East Asia practices and functions to ensure our people are managed effectively to deliver against the firm’s strategic priorities. Primary areas of focus are:

• headcount management, mobility and flexibility;
• talent management;
• performance management;
• career management and promotion;
• diversity and inclusion;
• Health and Wellbeing; and
people leadership.

Key Dimensions

Manage the SEA HR Team which consists of:

1 HR Manager

2 HR Advisors

2 HR Assistants

• Leadership influence – interactions at this level are Local and Regional Heads / Functional Heads, Local Practice Heads, Business Managers, National Partners and Senior Managers
• Work in partnership with the regional and global HR teams
• Work closely with the lateral recruitment team
• Manage local headcount reporting

Key responsibilities and challenges

Strategy and Business Planning

• Work with Leaders to create a people strategy and plan that is aligned to the SEA offices and group business plans that also reflect the strategic goals of the firm.
• Challenge the business to ensure that the people plan is owned, kept alive and acted upon.
Manage the headcount planning and budget process for SEA.

Headcount Management

Monitor and review the size and shape of the offices, including ensuring flexibility of resource allocation between practices.

Work with the HR Advisors to:

• identify resourcing needs
• establish a co-ordinated approach to the recruitment market, working closely with the recruitment team
• manage graduate/trainee pipeline
• Ensure effective work allocation practices are in place (balancing business need with individual development).
• Put the appropriate measures in place to ensure that the right attrition levels are maintained.
Work with the London and HK graduate recruiters and the Singapore/Jakarta Partners to manage the trainee experience and the pipeline of qualifiers.

Talent Management

• Work alongside the Leaders to structure and devise a talent management approach for the group/department/office.
• Work to identify high potential performers and develop a development and retention plan for them.
Maintain focus on the effective management of each individual associate in the practice to deliver quality of experience; coach and support partners in this.

Performance Management

• Support the leaders in managing performance reviews across the office
• Support Partners and Managers to develop effective setting of, and management of objectives which are aligned to practice and firm strategic priorities.
• Take action to deepen the culture of honest, constructive and regular feedback.
• Provide challenge and objectivity during moderation meetings ensuring consistency across the business in relation to the use of ratings and the setting of salary and bonus.
Manage any employee relations issues across the offices.

Reward

• Research and analyse market data to ensure appropriate remuneration mechanisms and structures are in place.
Deliver pay and reward recommendations that align to the global strategy and market findings.

DEI/ Health and Wellbeing

• Identifying opportunities and supporting the development and implementation of office wide diversity, inclusion and wellbeing activities in line with the global strategy.
• Support the SEA DEI committee with HR advice and guidance on various initiatives.
• Manage the Singapore onsite psychologists and work together to host relevant seminars for the benefit of the office.

Career Management and Promotions

• Support business leaders to manage the careers of their people in an open and constructive way. Keep abreast of market and client vacancies.
Manage the promotion processes within the office, ensuring individuals are managed effectively throughout the process. Test decisions for objectivity, fairness and consistency.

People Leadership

• Coach and support leaders in their development of people management and leadership skills.
• Support effective use of the firm’s coaching and mentoring programmes.
• Advise leaders on their communication approach in relation to people matters.
• Actively seek views of staff, objectively to advise on issues of morale and engagement.Work with the partners to manage diversity skilfully, ensuring every individual has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.
Anticipate and respond to people trends (both internally and market-driven).

HR Team

• Manage the day to day operations of the SEA HR team
• Act as the escalation point for the SEA HR team
• Liaise with international HR colleagues to deliver co-ordinated approach to practice / function people issues.
• Play an active role in key global HR projects
• Manage the mobility provider for SEA
• Support diversity initiatives across the SEA offices
• Manage the HR reporting for SEA – ensure reports are accurate and sent out in a timely manner
• Support the Singapore and Jakarta medical insurance renewal
• Assist with Partner transfers
Attend and present at monthly Partner meetings

Characteristics, skills & experience required

Location : Singapore

Character

• Ability to build trust and respect
• Strong influencing skills and confident to challenge senior stakeholders
• Strategic thinker
• Strong personal judgement, able to remain independent
• Effective relationship builder
• Proactive and self motivated
• Professional, credible and impactful
• Strong communicator
• Strong presentation skills both oral and written
• Adaptable and flexible
• Adopts a common sense approach
• Empathetic
• Strong team skills, collaborative in approach
• Committed, determined and robust
• Solution orientated
Mature and positive

Education / Qualification

• University graduate
Strong grasp of technical HR knowledge

Practical experience

• Proven HR experience in legal industry or blue-chip organisations where HR has been an effective business partner
• Experience coaching individuals
• Experience of HR practices, in talent, change, engagement and / or performance.
• Exposure to managing employee relations issues
• Experience of recruitment
• Exposure to professional services firm ( Desirable)

Office skills

• Organised and structured
• Able to prioritise
Competent at Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Commercial Skills

• Commercially aware
• Sound understanding of business dynamics
• Analytical

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