Senior HR Business Partner, APAC
Appnovation Technologies · Kuala Lumpur
About us
Appnovation is the AI Product Company. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with teams around the world, Appnovation builds AI products, delivers enterprise AI and digital solutions, and co-invests with clients to bring new AI products to market.
Open source has been the foundation of Appnovation's work since 2007, and it remains the foundation underneath every AI product the company builds today. Appnovation teams work with organizations in highly regulated industries, including global leaders such as Pfizer, Google and AstraZeneca, to help them adopt AI they can govern and own.
About the role
Partnering directly with the APAC Regional President and leadership team, you will shape the people strategy to support a region that has grown threefold in under three years. This broad, hands-on role combines strategic workforce planning with core People & Culture operations and regional recruitment. The ideal candidate brings strong stakeholder influence, operational agility, and a collaborative approach to support our teams through continuous growth.
What Appnovation has to offer
Appnovation's teams are fast-paced, collaborative, friendly and open. The work we do is rewarding and varied. You will join a global People & Culture team spanning the UK, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Brazil, Canada and the US, with real influence on how we grow in APAC.
You will have the scope to shape the people agenda for a growing region, work directly with senior leadership, and lead projects that make a visible difference to our people and our business.
You will be responsible for
- Trusted adviser to leadership: partner with the VP, People & Culture, APAC Regional President and leadership team on organisation design, workforce planning, leadership capability and change.
- Regional people plan: translate our global people strategy and regional objectives into an APAC plan focused on retaining top talent, building skills for the future and boosting engagement.
- Talent and performance: lead the regional performance review and talent review cycles, coaching managers on development, succession and difficult conversations.
- Data and insight: use people data (attrition, engagement, headcount, cost) to spot risks early and give leaders clear, practical recommendations.
- Culture and engagement: be a visible champion of our culture, connecting with employees, bringing teams together and celebrating our talent.
- APAC recruitment: Hands on recruiting across the region in partnership with the Regional Talent Acquisition Lead. Partnering with Resourcing Management team to align priorities and future hires. Keep Greenhouse accurate and up to date.
- Market insight: share local talent market, salary and hiring trends with Global TA and regional leaders.
- Compliance and policy: own APAC employment policies, contracts and handbooks across Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore, including contractor and EOR arrangements, working with external advisers where needed.
- Contractor management: oversee the region's contractor workforce, including onboarding, contract renewals, compliance and correct classification.
- Compensation and benefits: advise on and manage pay reviews, benefits and market benchmarking for the region.
- Employee lifecycle: oversee onboarding and offboarding to ensure a consistent, high-quality experience.
- Visas and mobility: advise on visa requirements and manage inbound and outbound transfers.
- HRIS and reporting: own the accuracy of APAC employee data in BambooHR and produce regular reporting for regional and global leaders.
- Employee relations: advise managers on day-to-day people matters such as performance and exits, drawing on a sound knowledge of local employment law and handling occasional ER cases with good judgement.
- Regional expansion: play a key role in setting up new locations, including entity or EOR set-up, HR policies and employment terms.
About you
Must have
- 8+ years' HR experience, including at least 3 years in a senior HR Business Partner or HR Manager role covering multiple APAC countries.
- A proven track record of partnering with and influencing senior leaders, including challenging and advising at president or director level.
- Strong working knowledge of employment law and practice in Hong Kong and Malaysia; exposure to Singapore.
- Hands-on recruitment experience, ideally for technical and consulting roles.
- Fluent business-level English and Cantonese, spoken and written.
- Confident using people data to inform decisions, with strong HRIS skills (BambooHR and Greenhouse experience a plus).
How you work
- You build credibility quickly with leaders and trust easily with teams at every level.
- You are pragmatic and commercially minded, and give clear advice that balances people and business needs.
- You take ownership, work independently across time zones and are comfortable with change and ambiguity.
- You are organised, with strong attention to detail.
Desirable
- Experience in technology consultancy, digital agency or IT services, with a good understanding of project-based, client-facing businesses.
- Mandarin or Cantonese
- Experience setting up HR in a new country or supporting a fast-growing region.
Working arrangements
- Hybrid working, based in Kuala Lumpur or Hong Kong.
- Regular travel across the region, particularly between Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur.
- Flexibility to join occasional early-morning or evening calls with global colleagues in the UK, Brazil, Canada and the US.
What else Appnovation Offers
- Challenging and rewarding work with real impact
- Direct Access to Cutting-Edge AI Platforms
- Diverse and Inclusive Culture
- Growth opportunities for personal and professional development
- A collaborative and innovative work environment where your ideas are valued
Candidates must have the existing right to work in Hong Kong or Malaysia; this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
Accommodations are available upon request throughout the recruitment process.
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