Job Description

We’re now looking for an experienced HR Associate Director to lead our end-to-end People & Talent strategy in Malaysia. This role is both strategic and hands-on, owning the full People function while shaping culture, performance, and long-term workforce development.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The HR Associate Director leads the overall People strategy and HR operations for HEPMIL Malaysia.

This includes:

• Talent acquisition strategy
• Leadership development & performance management
• People operations, HR compliance & organisational design
• Culture-building, employee engagement & well-being
• Compensation, benefits & workforce planning
• People analytics & policy governance

You will manage and coach the HR team, partner closely with senior leaders, and ensure alignment with both Malaysia's business goals and HEPMIL Media Group's Regional People strategy.

Minimum experience required: 8+ years in HR, with at least 5 years leading a People/HR function.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. People Strategy & Workforce Planning

• Develop and drive the overall People strategy for HEPMIL Malaysia aligned with business goals and regional direction.
• Lead workforce planning, talent mapping, and organizational design initiatives.
• Partner with leadership on succession planning, leadership pathways, and team capability building.
• Use People data and analytics to forecast talent needs, track retention, diagnose workforce risks, and support business decisions.

2. Talent Acquisition & Employer Branding

• Oversee full-cycle recruitment across creative, commercial, operations, and management roles.
• Coach HR team in strategic hiring, capability-based assessment, competency mapping, and structured interviewing.
• Build and execute employer branding initiatives to attract Gen Z and millennial talent.
• Lead talent pipeline programs (internships, early-talent programs, partnerships with universities, etc.).

3. Culture, Employee Experience & Engagement

• Champion MGAG/HCN’s culture — fun, high-performing, collaborative, and creator-centric.
• Build initiatives that strengthen employee belonging, recognition, learning, and well-being.
• Lead employee engagement surveys, insights, and action plans.
• Oversee onboarding, orientation, and long-term employee experience from entry to exit.

4. Performance Management & Capability Building

• Lead the performance management cycle across the company (goal setting, midyear, annual reviews).
• Coach managers on performance frameworks, feedback models, and capability assessments.
• Develop leadership training programs and manage internal development paths for juniors to senior talent.
• Introduce and drive L&D initiatives, coaching programs, and skills development roadmaps.

5. HR Compliance, Policy Governance & Risk Management

• Ensure adherence to Malaysian employment law, statutory requirements, labour practices, and Publicis/HEPMIL HR policies.
• Maintain and update HR policies, employee handbooks, and SOPs.
• Manage risk mitigation related to employee relations, conduct, grievance handling, and disciplinary matters.
• Maintain accurate employee records, contract governance, and regulatory reporting.

6. Compensation, Benefits & Payroll Governance

• Oversee compensation benchmarking, salary structures, job grading, and annual compensation reviews.
• Partner with Finance on payroll accuracy, submissions, and payroll audit processes.
• Manage benefits programs (leave, insurance, allowances, well-being perks).
• Review and propose enhancements to EVP and total rewards.

7. HR Operations & Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop the HR team (HR Executives, Recruiters, People Ops).
• Build scalable HR processes and systems to support company growth.
• Provide coaching to managers and leadership teams on people issues and team development.
• Act as a trusted advisor to the GM, Head of Departments, and Regional People team.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, Psychology, or related field.
• Minimum 8 years HR experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership/People Lead role.
• Strong experience in recruitment, employee relations, performance development, and HR operations.
• Proven ability to build and improve HR systems, policies, and frameworks.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and conflict resolution skills.
• Strong understanding of Malaysian labour law, statutory requirements, and HR compliance.
• Experience in media, advertising, tech, or fast-paced creative environments is an advantage.
• Strategic thinker with hands-on execution capability.
• Growth mindset, resilient, collaborative, and people-first leadership style.

Skills