Human Resources Manager

BTI Executive Search; Johor; On-site; MYR 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

BTI Executive Search is seeking an experienced HR Manager to lead the HR function for a large manufacturing operation with over 1,000 employees across blue-collar and white-collar roles. The role reports to senior leadership, acting as a trusted advisor to drive people strategies that support growth, operational excellence and workforce productivity.

You will evaluate structures, capabilities and people practices to identify efficiency opportunities, challenge the status quo, and lead

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, business administration, psychology or a related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive HR leadership experience in a manufacturing setting.
• Proven track record of shaping HR strategy, workforce planning and organizational design.
• Experience partnering with senior leadership to drive transformation and performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic HR partnerships to align people strategies with business objectives.
• Oversee workforce planning, talent acquisition, and manpower optimization for 1,000+ employees.
• Drive organizational development, performance management and succession planning.
• Ensure compliance with local labor laws and HR governance across the organization.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Organizational design

Workforce planning

Change management

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR, Business Administration, or Psychology

Job description

We are seeking a commercially astute and strategic HR Manager to lead the Human Resources function for a large manufacturing operation with a workforce exceeding 1,000 employees across both blue-collar and white-collar populations.

Reporting to senior leadership, this role serves as a trusted business partner and advisor, responsible for driving people strategies that support business growth, operational excellence, organizational effectiveness, and workforce productivity.

Beyond managing the full spectrum of HR, the successful candidate will play a critical role in evaluating existing organizational structures, workforce capabilities, and people practices to identify opportunities for greater efficiency, manpower optimization, capability enhancement, and long-term business sustainability. This individual must be comfortable challenging the status quo, influencing senior stakeholders, and leading organizational transformation initiatives within a mature and established business environment.

The role will oversee a lean HR team of approximately 3-4 professionals while providing strategic leadership across all areas of human resources.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Business Partnership & Organizational Effectiveness

• Partner closely with senior leadership to develop and execute people strategies aligned with business objectives and growth plans.
• Act as a trusted advisor to business leaders on organizational effectiveness, workforce planning, talent strategy, and change management.
• Assess organizational structures, reporting lines, and workforce allocation to identify opportunities for improved efficiency, productivity, and cost optimization.
• Provide strategic recommendations on organizational redesign, role clarity, workforce capability, manpower utilization, and succession planning.
• Drive initiatives that strengthen organizational capability, leadership effectiveness, and employee performance.
• Challenge existing practices and introduce innovative HR and workforce solutions that enhance business outcomes and operational excellence.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing HR team, fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee the full spectrum of HR operations, ensuring efficient and consistent service delivery across the organization.
• Review and enhance HR policies, frameworks, processes, and systems to support evolving business needs.
• Establish HR as a strategic business function that contributes directly to organizational performance and business success.

Workforce Planning, Productivity & Talent Acquisition

• Lead workforce planning initiatives to ensure optimal manpower levels and capability requirements are aligned with business objectives.
• Conduct workforce and productivity analyses to improve resource allocation, headcount effectiveness, and labor utilization.
• Develop talent acquisition strategies to attract and retain critical talent across manufacturing, engineering, technical, and corporate functions.
• Strengthen employer branding initiatives to build a sustainable talent pipeline.

Organizational Development & Talent Management

• Lead performance management, talent review, succession planning, leadership development, and employee development programs.
• Identify and develop high-potential talent and build organizational bench strength.
• Design and implement initiatives to strengthen workforce capability, leadership readiness, and employee engagement.
• Support business leaders in developing high-performing teams and a performance-driven culture.

Employee Relations, Industrial Relations & Compliance

• Foster positive employee relations across a diverse workforce comprising both blue-collar and white-collar employees.
• Manage employee grievances, disciplinary matters, investigations, conflict resolution, and performance-related issues professionally and fairly.
• Provide guidance on employment legislation, labor compliance, and employee relations best practices.
• Support industrial relations matters and ensure compliance with all applicable labor laws and regulatory requirements.

Government Relations & Workforce Regulatory Management

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with relevant government authorities, regulatory agencies, and industry stakeholders.
• Manage matters relating to workforce licensing, employment regulations, foreign worker requirements, statutory compliance, and labor-related audits.
• Represent the organization in dealings with government agencies on workforce planning, manpower approvals, licensing requirements, and employment-related matters.
• Monitor regulatory developments and proactively advise leadership on business implications and compliance requirements.

Compensation, Benefits & HR Governance

• Partner with leadership to review compensation structures, reward frameworks, and retention strategies to remain competitive in the market.
• Oversee annual salary reviews, incentive programs, and benefits administration.
• Ensure HR policies, procedures, and governance practices align with local regulations and business objectives.
• Utilize HR metrics and workforce analytics to support strategic decision-making.

Business Transformation & Continuous Improvement

• Lead organizational transformation, restructuring, and change management initiatives where required.
• Review long-established HR structures, policies, and practices, identifying opportunities for modernization and improvement.
• Drive manpower optimization, job redesign, and process improvement initiatives to enhance operational effectiveness.
• Lead HR digitalization and automation projects that improve efficiency, reporting capabilities, and employee experience.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and business performance.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive HR leadership experience, with significant exposure within a manufacturing environment.
• Proven experience managing the full spectrum of HR functions in a complex organization.
• Experience supporting manufacturing operations with a workforce exceeding 1,000 employees across both blue-collar and white-collar populations.
• Demonstrated success partnering with senior leadership teams to influence business decisions and drive organizational transformation.
• Strong experience in organizational design, workforce planning, manpower optimization, job redesign, and organizational restructuring.
• Proven track record in reviewing and improving organizational structures, workforce productivity, and operational efficiency.
• Experience dealing with regional stakeholders, particularly China and Taiwan, will be highly advantageous.
• Experience engaging with government agencies and regulatory authorities on labor, workforce, licensing, and compliance matters.
• Strong knowledge of employment legislation, industrial relations, employee relations, and HR best practices.
• Experience leading and developing lean HR teams while managing broad operational and strategic responsibilities.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to balance people priorities and business performance objectives.
• Excellent leadership, stakeholder management, communication, and influencing skills.
• Experience within multinational manufacturing organizations will be highly advantageous.

Preferred Attributes

• Strategic and commercially minded HR leader who views HR as a key driver of business performance.
• Strong business partner with the ability to influence and challenge senior leaders constructively.
• Proven ability to identify organizational inefficiencies and implement practical, sustainable solutions.
• Hands-on leader capable of balancing strategic transformation initiatives with operational execution.
• Mature, credible, and resilient professional who thrives in established organizations and can effectively manage change.
• Strong consulting mindset with the ability to diagnose business issues and translate them into actionable people strategies.
• Data-driven decision maker with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• High level of integrity, professionalism, and emotional intelligence.