Head of People Strategy for Global Data Center Growth

Aurora Talent; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 360,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

Aurora Talent partners with a fast-growing Data Center organisation to appoint a Head of Human Resources in Kuala Lumpur. You will lead the people strategy for expansion, staffing, and safe 24/7 operations, working closely with site engineers and the executive team.

You will design workforce models, recruit hard-to-fill roles, and develop competency frameworks, training paths and retention programs while ensuring compliance and a strong safety culture across multiple sites.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 5 years in a senior HR leadership role.
• Strong background in data centers, critical facilities, telecommunications, utilities, or engineering-led businesses.
• Proven experience managing 24/7 shift-based technical workforces across multiple sites.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end HR function and set a people strategy that supports the company's growth and site expansion.
• Act as strategic HR partner to O&M leadership on workforce planning, organisation design and staffing models for 24/7 critical facilities operations.
• Drive recruitment for hard-to-fill roles, including critical facilities engineers, electrical and mechanical technicians, shift leads, site managers and EHS specialists.
• Plan and execute workforce mobilisation for new data center builds, handovers from construction to operations, and client site transitions.
• Design shift rosters, on-call arrangements, overtime and allowance structures that balance operational resilience with employee wellbeing.
• Build technical competency frameworks, training academies and certification pathways (e.g. CDCP, CDFOM, electrical licensing, safety certifications), plus succession plans for critical roles.
• Develop competitive compensation and retention strategies in a tight, poaching-heavy talent market.
• Ensure compliance with employment law, workplace safety and security-clearance or background screening requirements.
• Lead employee relations and foster a strong culture of safety, discipline and accountability in mission-critical environments.
• Strengthen HR policies, HRIS and workforce analytics across multiple sites [and countries].
• Lead and develop the HR team.

Skills

Strategic HR leadership

Stakeholder management

People management

Data center/critical facilities

Change management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or related field

Tools

HRIS systems

ATS (Applicant Tracking System)

Employee lifecycle management

Job description

Aurora Talent partners with a fast-growing Data Center organisation to appoint a Head of Human Resources in Kuala Lumpur. You will lead the people strategy for expansion, staffing, and safe 24/7 operations, working closely with site engineers and the executive team.

You will design workforce models, recruit hard-to-fill roles, and develop competency frameworks, training paths and retention programs while ensuring compliance and a strong safety culture across multiple sites.