about the company
Our client is a well-established, global B2B Travel & Tourism multinational (MNC) operating at the intersection of fast-paced operations and high-touch service delivery. Navigating a dynamic international market, the business thrives on cross-border collaboration and agile operations across the Asia-Pacific region. As they continue to streamline their Southeast Asian footprint, their focus is on building a robust, highly compliant, and culturally integrated infrastructure that can support sustainable regional growth and seamless service excellence.
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about the job
This Regional HR & Admin Manager (SEA) role is a newly restructured headcount designed for a true operational leader who can balance strategic weight with an absolute willingness to get hands-on. Based fully on-site at our client's corporate office in Bukit Bintang, KL, the successful candidate will take on a regional remit overseeing a core team of 160 headcount in Malaysia, alongside operational and compliance advisory for regional branches in India, Bangkok, Indonesia, and Vietnam (averaging 20–30 pax per location).
This is the furthest thing from a pure "desk‑manager" or advisory role—the hiring team recently rejected a finalist for being "too strategic". They need a fast-paced, execution-focused "Player-Coach" who can comfortably handle day-to-day payroll governance, dive into employee relations (ER/IR) investigations across multiple jurisdictions, manage office facilities/vendors, and master their Info-Tech HRIS system from day one.
about the manager/team
The incoming manager will step into a critical leadership gap on the ground. Currently, our client's local team of two HR Generalists in the KL office is operating without a direct leader, and their Regional Head of HR (based in Hong Kong) is heavily swamped with broader Asia-Pacific responsibilities.
By taking ownership of this team, the successful candidate will act as the vital bridge between local execution and regional strategy. Reporting directly to the Head of HR in HK, this role offers the autonomy to manage and mentor the local generalists, clean up operational bottlenecks, and act as the senior HR authority on the ground for local Country Managers and key business stakeholders.