Senior HR Generalist

About the company

This organisation operates in the food and beverage manufacturing sector, with a business spanning Japan and the wider North Asian region. Its work is connected to the development of food that supports healthier and more sustainable ways of living.

The company offers the opportunity to contribute to a purpose-led business in an international environment, working with colleagues across local and regional teams. Its culture values initiative, care for people and a strong sense of responsibility. For an HR professional, this is a chance to make a visible contribution to the employee experience while helping ensure that people practices are thoughtful, compliant and fit for a changing business.

What the job entails

As Senior HR Generalist, you will manage a broad range of HR operations for employees in Japan and Korea, reporting to the Head of HR for North Asia. You will oversee key employee lifecycle processes, payroll coordination and personnel cost administration, ensuring that records and figures are accurate and handled with care.

You will support compliance with Japanese employment practices, maintain and administer work rules, and coordinate with external partners such as payroll providers and professional advisers. The role also contributes to audits, internal controls and ongoing improvements to HR processes, systems and data. You will help deliver annual HR activities and recruitment for experienced hires, while collaborating with regional or headquarters teams as needed. This is an individual-contributor role suited to someone who can plan and manage operational work independently, keep abreast of regulatory developments and apply them appropriately.

Key requirements

• At least eight years’ professional experience, including five or more years in corporate HR and three or more years in HR operations.
• Practical knowledge of Japanese labour law and employment practices, including experience administering work rules.
• Native-level Japanese and business-level English; TOEIC score of 800 or above.
• Strong attention to detail, particularly when handling payroll and bonus figures, and the ability to manage HR operations independently, reliably and in a planned manner.
• Intermediate Excel skills, including pivot tables and VLOOKUP, together with proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Experience using company-approved AI tools, such as Microsoft 365 Copilot, and basic prompt-writing skills.
• A genuine interest in HR and in continuing to develop a career in the field, with the ability to keep up to date with external practices and regulatory changes.
• Experience with HRIS or time-and-attendance systems, external payroll vendors, or professional advisers would be advantageous.
• Experience in a global company, Korea payroll or labour matters, experienced-hire recruitment, employer branding, audit support, internal controls, compliance or process improvement would also be useful.