Human Resources Manager (HR Ops)

What are we looking for?

We are looking for an experienced, detail oriented and commercially astute HR Manager to provide generalist support across the fee earning and support (including secretarial) teams within our Singapore office.  With your HR colleagues, the HR Manager will be responsible for establishing a high quality HR presence within the office and, with the appropriate support from our local and global HR team, you will manage all aspects of the local HR operational functions.

The Human Resource Manager is a 'people-person', experienced in partnering with the business and undertaking the breadth and depth that the HR function can bring.  This is a decision-making role and requires the incumbent to have strong facilitation, influencing and communication solving skills.  This position suits an experienced manager who enjoys working within the business, problem solving, developing talent as well as bringing forward a collaborative and engaged workforce.

Areas of focus and responsibilities

In this role, the incumbent will support both our Business Division, including the fee earners and secretarial team within the group; as well as our Business Services teams (including BD/Marketing, Finance, IT, Know-How and Risk & Compliance).  Within your dedicated groups, you will perform in a generalist HR role and support your client group through their full employee lifecycle experience.  Additionally, within the Singapore HR team, you will oversee the HR infrastructure (processes procedures and systems).

Generalist

• Provide generalist HR advice and support to the partners and support function managers to enable them to manage and develop their people
• Advising and supporting on all employee relations issues, including performance management, flexible working requests, disciplinary and grievances
• Manage new joiner processes, including (but not limited to):

• on-boarding processes (undertaking inductions, enrolling with benefit providers, etc)
• mid-probation and end of probationary periods

• Manage off-boarding processes, including (but not limited to):

• preparation of final letters and termination details
• conducting exit interviews and review exit interview data to spot trends, opportunities and consult with the Head of HR (APAC) to drive positive change

• Preparing correspondence and contractual changes as required
• Overseeing the maintenance of p-files and ensuring data integrity on the HRIS (currently SelectHR)
• Management of annual leave and absences (eg. sick leave), resolving issues with the HR Advisor; providing support for parental leave and return to work employees
• Managing the annual the mid-year and annual performance review appraisals
• Working alongside the Head of HR (APAC) and the Regional Divisional Leaders to support the headcount planning process, providing knowledge and advice to team structure and divisional needs

Developing our people

• New joiners
  • ensuring our new joiners have a well-developed and supported first 100 days experience
  • manage probationary periods, ensuring employees receive feedback and are managed through this period
• Ensuring effective talent management of all staff; including overseeing the annual appraisal process, identifying secondment opportunities, assessing and advising on technical and practice management skills development for the fee-earning and support teams
• Supported by the partners and the Head of HR, manage the secretarial support across the Singapore office, including secretarial ratio management, skills development, workflow and absences, performance and appraisals

Compensation and benefits

• Working alongside the Head of HR for the region, support in the preparation and coordination of the annual salary review and bonus process for the Singapore office
• Maintain knowledge of the local market and continually assess & review our financial rewards and benefits to ensure we remain competitive on recruitment , retain and motivate high calibre individuals
• Manage the monthly payroll.  Prepared by the HR Advisor, the manager's role is to ensure the monthly payroll is correctly prepared, acts as final check and that payroll is submitted in a timely manner
• With the support of the HR Advisor, manage the PMI and PHI requirements for the Singapore office
• Provide input and advice in the annual review of the office's benefits and wellbeing offerings; providing market research, knowledge and staff feedback as appropriate

Process and compliance

• Support with the business planning and budgeting processes for the Singapore office, including monitoring and reporting on annual budget and headcount planning
• Ensuring full compliance with employment law through effective application of HR policy and procedures
  • keep abreast of policies and procedures within other Withers offices, look for opportunities to provide a consistent and aligned approach
• Manage and ensure completion of MOM surveys and labour reporting requirements
• Contribute to the annual HR budget setting and oversee/authorise expenditure
• Manage the Singapore office's Staff Handbook
  • review office policies and procedures, recommend and draft new/updated policies, processes and procedures
  • work with global HR team members to ensure relevant policy/procedural information is available on 'Within' (the firm's intranet portal)

Secretarial coordination

• Work with the relevant partners, the legal secretaries and the Office Managing Director, ensure the Tokyo office maintains a high level of secretarial support to each of the teams, by:
  • arrange necessary secretarial cover during periods of absence
  • identifying opportunities for training, workflow efficiencies and support structures

Operations

• Lead, develop and engage the HR Operations Team (2 direct reports), ensuring the highest standards of support are provided to the business
• Review, re-engineer, document & ensure adoption of core processes to eliminate waste, improve service delivery, increase automation and ensure strong HR ownership of employee lifecycle processes and delivery of a sound EVP
• Re-engineer new hire vetting, immigration and onboarding processes
• First point of contact with external systems vendors and support providers
• Ownership of HR data quality in particular as maintained in the HRIS
• Provision of standard and ad hoc reporting as required by external regulators and internal stakeholders (e.g. Gender Pay reporting).
• HR analytics expert for the organisation and will provide data for reporting, due diligence projects and audits

Employee engagement

• Investigate, develop and manage a Withers APAC mentoring programme, with consideration to similar programmes in other Withers offices and the specific needs within this region
• Support and manage any firm employee satisfaction survey, including preparation, communications, reviewing data and liaising with the business on future planning
• Employee wellbeing.  Working alongside the HR teams, and in line with employee benefits, identify and manage opportunities to bring wellbeing initiatives to the APAC offices.
• With the regional support of the Head of HR (APAC) and key stakeholders in each of the APAC offices, oversee the regional employee affinity networks – Pro bono, Charities, Business Sustainability and D&I:
  • acting as primary contact for global communications
  • providing support to the networks as needed
  • identify opportunities to join up both regionally as well as globally
  • develop and roll-out strategies to engage employees across the networks

Support to the wider HR function and projects

• Engage and support the Talent Acquisition Manager, in the recruitment of all legal, support and secretarial roles for the Singapore office as well as provide support to the trainee programme where required
• Attend and be involved in regional and global HR team meetings/calls as required.
• Through the day-to-day partnering within the business, and in collaboration with the wider Singapore HR team, seek and create opportunities to innovate and engage our people.
• Support the International Head of L&D and Head of HR with the identification development needs and provision of professional development training including monitoring the budget, managing attendee lists
• Actively look for opportunities to collaborate on global and regional projects.
• Undertaking ad hoc projects as and when required.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive.  It is intended to describe the general content of, and requirements for the performance of this job, and as such, the role may also include the undertaking of additional tasks as required.

Qualifications and experience required

• Approximately 5 years relevant HR experience in a lead, decision-making HR role within legal or professional services sector
• Highly detailed and methodical approach to data integrity, record keeping and audit information
• High service delivery standards in every respect and the ability to win the confidence and respect of others
• Use of initiative in day-to-day tasks to ensure efficient ways of working with a keen focus on process improvement
• Proactive management of your own workload, the ability to prioritise, adapt to changing deadlines and to work under pressure
• Team player with a collaborative approach and working style
• Genuine interest in the development of employees and their engagement within the workplace
• Methodical and flexible approach
• High work standards and detail oriented
• Ability to develop strong working relationships with internal clients – must demonstrate strong interpersonal skills to build confidence, trust and respect amongst partners and managers
• Strong service orientation with attention to detail
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Organised and driven to achieve efficiency
• Proactive, confident, tenacious, resilient and flexible
• HR professional qualification would be desirable

Skills and attributes

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Experienced in coordinating monthly payroll of 100-200 employees and fully conversant with maintaining and ensuring data integrity into the payroll system

The Essentials

• Reporting to Head of HR & Operations Manager (APAC); however, the incumbent will work closely with, and have a line of responsibility to, the partners in the Singapore office
• This role works alongside another Singapore based HR Manager and is specifically responsible for nominated legal and business services team teams in the Singapore office
• Provide back-up support to the local HR team during absences
• From time to time, the incumbent will have the opportunity to be involved in our wider firm social & cultural activities.  We think this is a great thing!
• Our Firm operates under a 'Mobile Working' arrangement.  As such, and with due consideration for the needs of the business, requirements for in-office activities as well as maintaining strong engagement with colleagues within the office, the HR Manager will have the opportunity to divide their time working in or external to the office
• Business hours:  Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 6:00pm however given the nature and scope of the role, flexibility in availability is required.
• We provide 21 annual leave days per annum + an annual "Wither's Day"

About our Firm

Withers KhattarWong is one of the largest international law firms in Singapore and was created as a formal law alliance between the well-known Singapore law firm KhattarWong LLP and international law firm Withers Worldwide LLP in April 2015. 

Withers KhattarWong provides full service legal advice in Singapore, including expertise in finance, property, corporate, Intellectual Property, litigation and arbitration, tax and wealth planning matters.  The alliance also offers clients access to a network of skilled advisors across Asia, Europe and the USA.  Withers KhattarWong currently has 30 partners in Singapore and more than 80 fee-earners and Withers has 500 lawyers across 17 international offices.  In Asia, Withers also currently has other offices in Hong Kong and Tokyo.

Withersworldwide is recognised as the only dedicated international law firm for successful people, their families, their businesses and their philanthropic work.  We provide global coverage that other law firms focussed on the individual cannot, and we continually look for opportunities to ensure we are based in the same locations as our clients and their wealth.  We have represented 46% of the Top-100 ‘Sunday Times Rich List’, as well as a significant number of the top 100 people listed in the US (Forbes) and a significant number in the Asian (Hurun) Rich List.

Information for Recruitment Agencies

Withersworldwide endeavours to recruit and fill vacancies directly. However, when we do need to engage with agencies, Withersworldwide operates a preferred supplier list and will not be accepting unsolicited applications from non-PSL agencies for this role.

Equal Opportunities Employment Statement

It is the policy of Withers Worldwide to provide equal opportunities for all employees in relation to recruitment, training and promotion.  Decisions in these areas will be made only by reference to the requirements of the job and shall not be influenced by any consideration of ethnic origin, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation or disability.