Job Description

JOB PURPOSE

The Senior Executive, People & Culture plays a strategic operational role in supporting the delivery of a
high-performing, compliant, and people-centric HR function at Garden International School.
The role works closely with the P&C Manager to ensure best-in-class HR practices aligned with
Malaysian regulatory requirements and international school standards. The incumbent supports
workforce planning, budgeting, expatriate lifecycle management, compensation & benefits
benchmarking and continuous improvement of HR systems and processes.
This role contributes to building a positive employee experience that enhances the school’s reputation.

STRATEGIC KEY RESULT AREAS
1. Workforce Planning & Budget Management
• Assist the P&C Manager in annual manpower planning aligned with academic and operational
requirements.
• Support the preparation and consolidation of the annual P&C budget, including:
§ Headcount projections
§ Salary benchmarking
§ Insurance renewals
§ Expatriate-related costs (visa, relocation, flight benefits)
§ Professional development allocations
§ Staff engagement initiatives
• Conduct cost simulations for new hires and replacement scenarios.
• Track and monitor P&C budget utilisation and provide variance analysis and forecasting support.
• Provide data-driven insights to support strategic staffing decisions.
2. Compensation & Benefits Strategy and Market Benchmarking
• Support periodic review of compensation structures to ensure competitiveness within:
§ International schools in Malaysia
§ Comparable premium private education institutions
§ Regional expatriate employment markets
• Conduct market research and benchmarking on:
§ Medical insurance plans
§ Expatriate benefits and allowances
§ Flight entitlements
§ Wellness and employee engagement benefits
3. Regulatory Compliance & Expatriate Lifecycle Management
• Lead and oversee the end-to-end process of employment permits, teaching permits, nursing
licenses, admin permits and permits to study.
• Act as primary liaison with:
§ Immigration Department of Malaysia
§ Ministry of Education (MOE)

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Senior Executive, People & Culture
Manager – People & Culture
0

Job Title:
Reporting to:
No. of direct reports:

• Ensure full compliance with:
§ Malaysian Employment Act
§ Immigration regulations
§ MOE requirements for international schools
• Proactively monitor regulatory updates impacting expatriate employment and advise the P& C
Manager accordingly.
• Oversee compliant and smooth onboarding and offboarding of expatriate as well as local staff.
4. HR Operations Excellence & Governance
• Drive continuous improvement of non-payroll HR processes to enhance efficiency and employee
experience.
• Strengthen HR governance by ensuring proper documentation, audit readiness and data integrity.
• Oversee accurate HRIS management and reporting.
• Develop and refine SOPs aligned with international school governance standards.
• Generate HR analytics dashboards (headcount, turnover, leave trends, expatriate status tracking)
to support leadership decision-making.
5. Recruitment & Talent Support
• Support recruitment strategies for academic and non-academic positions.
• Ensure recruitment practices align with safeguarding and child protection standards.
• Support onboarding programs that enhance new joiner integration and uphold the school’s
employer brand.
• Contribute to employer branding initiatives to strengthen the school’s market positioning.
6. Employee Experience & Engagement
• Execute and enhance staff welfare and engagement programs.
• Provide professional, solutions-oriented support on employment-related queries.
• Support professional development administration and logistics.
• Contribute to initiatives that promote retention, wellbeing, and positive workplace culture.
7. Strategic HR Projects
• Lead or support ad hoc P&C projects such as:
§ HR digitalisation initiatives
§ Policy review and harmonisation
§ Employee engagement surveys
§ Organisational restructuring exercises
§ Benefits redesign projects
• Participate in cross-functional school initiatives where HR input is required.
• Support change management efforts during organisational transformation.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Senior Executive, People & Culture
Manager – People & Culture
0

Job Title:
Reporting to:
No. of direct reports:

8. Other Job Tasks
● Manage database on staff insurance and provide support to staff on claims enquiries and
submission
● Facilitate in registration, booking of hotel and transport arrangement for professional development
activities
● Administer on a daily basis, staff attendance and leaves
● Handles queries from staff with regards to their employment matters
● Manages end-to-end process of flight cash equivalent
● Assist in the compilation and submission of relevant HR reports
● Any other relevant duties as assigned from time to time
JOB SPECIFICATIONS
Academic / Professional Qualification
• Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
• Professional HR certification (e.g., MIHRM or equivalent) is an advantage.
Experience
• Minimum 5–7 years of progressive HR experience.
• Experience within an international school or expatriate-heavy environment preferred.
• Exposure to budgeting, workforce planning, and compensation benchmarking would be preferred.
• Experience liaising with Malaysian government authorities is essential.

COMPETENCIES
Technical Competencies
• Strong understanding of Malaysian Employment Act and immigration requirements.
• Knowledge of MOE regulations applicable to international schools.
• Experience in compensation analysis and benefits benchmarking.
• Strong analytical skills with ability to interpret HR metrics.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and HRIS systems.
Leadership & Behavioral Competencies
• Strategic and analytical thinker.
• High integrity and strong confidentiality standards.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Proactive, solution-oriented, and able to manage ambiguity.
• Ability to balance operational execution with strategic contribution.
• Strong service mindset aligned to international school culture.

Job Requirements