Senior Manager, People & Culture

About the role

This role involves leading the People & Culture function for the Malaysia Shared Service Center. You will manage a team of specialists and oversee all local HR operations, policies, and budget. Your primary responsibility is to resolve most local people matters independently, escalating only strategic or high-risk issues.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Serve as the main decision-maker for HR operations in the Malaysia SSC, resolving 80% of local escalations on your own.
• Independently handle and approve standard HR actions, local policy applications, performance adjustments, and team assignments.
• Determine when to finalize cases and when to escalate, reserving senior leadership involvement for high-liability risks, entity-wide structural changes, or major budget exceptions.
• Lead, mentor, and guide your team of three specialists, ensuring comprehensive coverage and developing internal talent.
• Reduce reliance on individual team members by creating clear standard operating procedures and tracking succession plans.
• Manage the local implementation, enforcement, and governance of all HR policies for 900 employees.
• Oversee the local HR budget, tracking expenses, managing ongoing costs, and ensuring financial discipline before submitting high-value requests for approval.
• Continuously review and improve HR service delivery processes within the SSC to boost operational efficiency.
• Take full responsibility for all local Industrial Relations and Employee Relations matters, ensuring compliance with Malaysian Employment Act, regulations, and Industrial Court rulings.
• Independently manage disciplinary processes, Domestic Inquiries, Mutual Separation Agreements, and high-risk performance management.
• Coach C-2 and C-3 business leaders on organizational design, talent reviews, succession planning, and performance calibration.
• Drive local execution and communication strategies during business unit reorganizations to ensure smooth adoption with minimal disruption.

Requirements

• Demonstrated expert knowledge of HR principles, industry best practices, and successful program delivery.
• At least 8 to 10 years of progressive HR experience.
• A minimum of 3 years in a leadership role directly managing people (M1 or equivalent).
• Proven experience working in a fast-paced Shared Services Center (SSC) or managing a workforce of 500 to 1000+ employees.
• A track record of operating as a trusted second-in-command or local entity lead, independently managing complex cases without significant managerial intervention.
• Deep and authoritative knowledge of Malaysian Labor Law and the Employment Act, with practical experience handling complex Industrial Relations and Employee Relations situations.
• Exceptional emotional intelligence, a high tolerance for ambiguity, and the executive presence needed to confidently represent HR for the entity.

Nice to have

• Excellent data analysis skills and experience influencing automation using AI.

Skills & tools

• HR Policy Management
• Budget Management
• Industrial Relations
• Employee Relations
• Malaysian Labor Law
• Performance Management
• Organizational Design
• Talent Management
• Change Management
• Data Analysis

Practical notes

Delivery Hero, headquartered in Berlin, Germany, is a global leader in local delivery, operating in approximately 65 countries. This role is for foodpanda, part of the Delivery Hero Group.