The Role

We are setting up new operations in Malaysia and seeking a proactive HR Generalist to establish and lead our full HR function from the ground up. This is an onsite, managerial-level role with ownership over the entire employee lifecycle, compliance, and people operations. You will play a critical role in building HR systems, policies, and practices while supporting leadership to scale a high-performance, compliant, and people-centric workplace.

This is an exciting opportunity for a hands-on HR leader who thrives in fast-paced environments and is comfortable building from zero.

What You’ll Do

Build HR Operations from Scratch You will establish the HR foundation for our Malaysia operations by creating policies, processes, and systems that enable scale. This includes setting up onboarding, performance management, payroll, benefits, and employee record-keeping, while serving as the first point of contact for all HR and administrative needs—ensuring new employees are fully integrated within their first 30 days and HR processes run with 100% compliance accuracy.

Employee Lifecycle Management You will oversee the complete employee lifecycle by leading recruitment, onboarding, and orientation for new hires, implementing and managing performance review cycles, supporting career development, and ensuring smooth offboarding processes. Your success will be measured by reduced time-to-hire, higher quality-of-hire, and retention rates that meet or exceed industry benchmarks.

Compliance & Governance You will ensure compliance with Malaysian labor laws and regulatory frameworks by managing HR audits, statutory filings, contracts, and workplace policies, while advising leadership on evolving employment law. You will be expected to maintain 100% compliance with statutory obligations and reduce compliance risks across the operation.

People Operations & Culture You will partner with leadership to shape organizational culture and practices in line with company values, spearhead initiatives to improve engagement, recognition, and retention, and act as a trusted advisor to managers and employees. Success will be reflected in a consistently high culture-fit score, strong employee satisfaction survey results, and reduced voluntary attrition.

Employee Engagement & Productivity You will design and execute initiatives that strengthen employee engagement and workplace satisfaction while embedding practices that drive productivity. This includes facilitating cross-team collaboration, monitoring workplace dynamics, and introducing programs that boost collaboration and efficiency. Outcomes will include measurable improvements in engagement survey scores, reduced absenteeism, and productivity gains across teams.

Managerial & Strategic Contribution You will operate independently in Malaysia while reporting to regional/global HR leadership, providing data-driven insights on headcount planning, workforce costs, and HR trends. You will be accountable for delivering quarterly HR reports with actionable insights and for building an HR function that scales effectively as the business grows in Malaysia and across SEA markets.

HR Administration & Office Operations You will oversee day-to-day HR administrative tasks and serve as the functional lead for general office operations, ensuring smooth coordination of office facilities, vendor management, and administrative support. You will be responsible for maintaining a well-run workplace, managing local service providers, and supporting leadership with operational logistics that enable both HR and business teams to perform at their best.