Senior Executive - People & Culture

Taylor's University Sdn Bhd; Malaysia; Hybrid; MYR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Garden International School in Malaysia is seeking a Senior Executive, People & Culture to support HR operations, budgeting, expatriate lifecycle management, and compliance with Malaysian regulations and international school standards.

Reporting to the P&C Manager, you will drive workforce planning, compensation benchmarking, HR analytics, onboarding, staff engagement, and governance, while partnering with government authorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in HR or related field.
• MIHRM or equivalent is advantageous.
• Minimum 5–7 years HR experience.
• Experience with budgeting and workforce planning.

Responsibilities

• Lead workforce planning and budgeting for school operations.
• Ensure compliance with Malaysian regulations and MOE guidelines.
• Oversee HRIS management and data integrity.
• Drive HR governance and analytics dashboards.

Skills

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Budgeting

Excel

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

MIHRM certification (advantage)

Tools

Excel

HRIS systems

Budgeting tools

Job description

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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

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.

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

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

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

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

8. Other Job Tasks

• Manage database on staff insurance and provide support to staff on claims enquiries and submission
• Facilitate 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.