Regional Manager, People & Culture (based Malaysia)

Join the dynamic world of communications, public relations and reputation management at PRecious Communications, a leading, multi-award-winning regional communications consultancy with a strong focus on Southeast Asia.
We work with ambitious brands and organisations across industries, helping them navigate complex communications challenges, build reputation and drive business impact. With teams across six Southeast Asian markets, we operate in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial and multicultural environment where no two days are quite the same.
We are looking for a hands-on, proactive Regional HR Manager to oversee recruitment, payroll coordination, employee relations and day-to-day HR operations across our six markets.
Working closely with country leaders, Finance and senior management, you will play an important role in attracting talent, supporting our people and ensuring our regional HR operations run effectively.
This is an opportunity for someone who enjoys taking ownership, solving problems and improving how things work. You will be part of a regional consultancy where your contribution directly impacts our people, our teams and our business.

Responsibilities:

Talent Acquisition
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Manage full-cycle recruitment across multiple markets and functions, from role scoping and sourcing to offer management and onboarding.
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Partner with hiring managers to understand business needs, establish recruitment priorities and develop effective sourcing strategies.
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Manage and optimise the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), ensuring accurate candidate records, recruitment tracking and timely updates.
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Deliver a structured, responsive and professional recruitment experience for candidates and hiring managers.
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Maintain regional hiring plans and headcount records in coordination with country leaders and Finance.
Regional Payroll & Benefits Administration
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Take ownership of regional payroll coordination across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, working with local payroll providers and internal stakeholders.
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Ensure payroll accuracy, timely submissions, approvals, reconciliations and issue resolution.
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Review and validate monthly payroll inputs, including salary changes, prorations, allowances, bonuses, reimbursements and statutory contributions.
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Coordinate with local payroll providers to ensure compliance with statutory requirements and internal policies.
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Manage employee benefits administration, including insurance renewals, enrolments and updates.
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Maintain accurate payroll and benefits records while ensuring confidentiality and data security.
Regional HR Operations & Compliance
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Manage day-to-day HR operations across all six markets, ensuring consistency, accuracy and compliance with local employment regulations.
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Prepare and maintain employment contracts, promotion letters, contract renewals and other HR documentation.
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Oversee onboarding, offboarding, probation, confirmations and employee movements.
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Maintain accurate employee records, HRIS data and regional workforce information.
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Coordinate with local advisers and service providers on country-specific employment requirements where necessary.
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Maintain and update HR policies, employee handbooks and operational procedures.
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Ensure HR processes and documentation are completed accurately and within agreed timelines.
Employee Relations & Performance Management
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Serve as a key point of contact for employee-related matters, providing practical guidance to managers and employees.
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Support country leaders in handling employee concerns, performance issues, grievances, disciplinary matters and exits.
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Coordinate annual and mid-year performance appraisal cycles, ensuring timely completion and proper documentation.
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Support managers with Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs), including documentation, tracking and follow-up.
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Maintain accurate performance and employee relations records.
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Escalate sensitive or complex matters appropriately while taking ownership of follow-through and resolution.
HR Process Improvement & People Initiatives
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Identify opportunities to simplify, standardise and improve HR processes across markets.
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Improve the effective use of HRIS, ATS and payroll systems, including opportunities for automation and AI-enabled workflows.
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Maintain regular reporting on recruitment progress, headcount, employee movements and other relevant HR metrics.
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Coordinate learning and development initiatives, workshops and internal training activities.
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Support employee engagement initiatives and other regional People & Culture projects.
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Work closely with Finance and country leaders to improve HR efficiency, communication and accountability.
What We Are Looking For
We value practical experience, ownership and initiative over titles or years of service alone.
The ideal candidate is someone who:
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Gets things done: Takes responsibility, follows through and delivers without needing constant reminders.
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Balances detail with the bigger picture: Understands that accurate payroll, timely recruitment and effective HR operations directly support business performance.
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Solves problems: Identifies issues early, proposes practical solutions and knows when to escalate.
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Works well with people: Builds trust, communicates clearly and handles difficult conversations professionally.
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Embraces improvement: Looks for smarter, simpler and more efficient ways of working.
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Is comfortable being hands-on: Willing to manage operational details while supporting broader regional people initiatives.
This is an opportunity to take ownership of a regional HR function, work directly with business leaders and contribute to building a more effective and scalable organisation.