Senior HR Specialist

Coherent Corp.; Penang; Hybrid; MYR 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Coherent is seeking an experienced HR TMS specialist to manage onboarding and offboarding across APAC, focused on Malaysia. You will ensure accurate data validation, payroll alignment, and seamless cross‑functional collaboration with TA, Payroll, HRIS, IT, and security.

In this hybrid role, you will drive time management and data integrity, handle complex cases, and contribute to process improvements through documentation and knowledge sharing across regional teams.

Job description

• Own and execute onboarding and offboarding transactions across supported APAC countries, ensuring timely and accurate completion throughout the employee lifecycle.
• Validate employee data, supporting documents, approvals, effective dates, and other prerequisites before processing onboarding or offboarding actions.
• Process and validate onboarding records in Oracle HCM and relevant downstream systems, coordinating with Talent Acquisition, HRBPs, Payroll, IT, Security, and relevant teams to enable a smooth employee start.
• Monitor onboarding completion, including required employee and manager actions, system access, time-management setup, badging, payroll readiness, and resolution of outstanding exceptions.
• Review offboarding requests and confirm the termination type, last working day, effective date, reason, notice information, approvals, and supporting documentation before completing the transaction.
• Process voluntary and involuntary separations and coordinate related updates to Oracle HCM, TMS, Payroll, and other downstream processes, including final-pay and leave-balance considerations.
• Prioritize payroll-impacting, urgent, sensitive, and backdated cases; elevate discrepancies or legal, employee-relations, and compliance risks promptly with complete facts and recommended actions.
• Maintain complete case records, checklists, audit trails, and status tracking for onboarding and offboarding activities, and identify recurring issues for process improvement and knowledge-base updates.
• Develop and maintain onboarding and offboarding process documentation, work instructions, and knowledge articles

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Own and execute onboarding and offboarding transactions across supported APAC countries, ensuring timely and accurate completion throughout the employee lifecycle.
• Validate employee data, supporting documents, approvals, effective dates, and other prerequisites before processing onboarding or offboarding actions.
• Process and validate onboarding records in Oracle HCM and relevant downstream systems, coordinating with Talent Acquisition, HRBPs, Payroll, IT, Security, and relevant teams to enable a smooth employee start.
• Monitor onboarding completion, including required employee and manager actions, system access, time-management setup, badging, payroll readiness, and resolution of outstanding exceptions.
• Review offboarding requests and confirm the termination type, last working day, effective date, reason, notice information, approvals, and supporting documentation before completing the transaction.
• Process voluntary and involuntary separations and coordinate related updates to Oracle HCM, TMS, Payroll, and other downstream processes, including final-pay and leave-balance considerations.
• Prioritize payroll-impacting, urgent, sensitive, and backdated cases; elevate discrepancies or legal, employee-relations, and compliance risks promptly with complete facts and recommended actions.
• Maintain complete case records, checklists, audit trails, and status tracking for onboarding and offboarding activities, and identify recurring issues for process improvement and knowledge-base updates.
• Develop and maintain onboarding and offboarding process documentation, work instructions, and knowledge articles

Time Management System (TMS)

• Support time, attendance, leave, and scheduling processes across multiple countries
• Execute TMS-related transactions, including time corrections, leave adjustments, schedule updates, and pay-impacting changes
• Ensure First Time Right processing for all TMS transactions, minimizing payroll errors and employee pay issues
• Ensure timely processing of time data to support payroll cut-offs, statutory compliance, and internal controls
• Partner closely with Payroll, HRIS, and vendors to resolve TMS issues, conduct root-cause analysis, and prevent recurrence
• Ensure TMS processes align with local working time, overtime, rest day, and statutory leave regulations
• Develop and maintain TMS process documentation, work instructions, and knowledge articles

Service delivery & customer excellence

• Handle HR cases from routine inquiries to complex cases requiring specialized knowledge of employment law, policies, and cross-border regulations
• Handle escalated cases and VIP requests requiring heightened attention, discretion, and rapid resolution while maintaining exceptional service standard
• Apply expert judgment to all case types, ensuring efficient resolution of simple queries while providing sophisticated analysis for complex matters
• Deliver exceptional customer service leveraging extensive experience to provide comprehensive, accurate responses across all interaction types
• Share expertise and knowledge with team members through informal guidance while maintaining focus on individual case delivery

Transaction management & data integrity

• Execute full range of HR transactions from routine updates to more complex cases including reorganizations, international transfers, and sensitive separations
• Apply advanced validation techniques to all transaction types, leveraging experience to identify potential issues and ensure accuracy across simple and complex scenarios
• Manage sophisticated system processes utilizing expert knowledge to navigate complex configurations while efficiently handling routine transactions
• Maintain First Time Right excellence across all transaction complexities, using expertise to prevent errors and streamline processing

Process excellence & continuous improvement

• Champion process excellence by applying extensive knowledge to identify improvement opportunities across all process types
• Leverage experience to streamline both routine and complex processes, sharing insights that benefit overall team effectiveness
• Support process enhancements by providing expert input on procedure updates and system improvements based on comprehensive case experience
• Drive knowledge sharing through expert handling of diverse case types and informal mentoring of colleagues

Compliance & risk management

• Ensure full compliance with data privacy regulations (local privacy laws) and employment legislation across supported regions
• Maintain audit-ready documentation and support compliance reviews with accurate, complete records
• Protect sensitive employee data through adherence to security protocols and confidentiality requirements
• Identify and mitigate risks related to data handling, process compliance, and regulatory requirements

Stakeholder collaboration

• Build trusted relationships across all stakeholder levels, applying experience to navigate both simple and complex stakeholder needs effectively
• Collaborate effectively with Payroll, Benefits, and specialist HR teams to ensure seamless end-to-end service delivery
• Support cross-functional initiatives that enhance employee experience and operational efficiency
• Represent the HRSS brand positively in all interactions, demonstrating expert-level service regardless of case complexity
• Participate in data cleansing activitiesto ensure all employee records meet global and local compliance requirements prior to and after migration

Education & Experience

• Job requirements:
• Essential experience:
• 5-6+ years in HR TMS operations, shared services, or related fields with demonstrated progression in case complexity
• Strong understanding of time and attendance processes, including shift work, overtime, leave management, and payroll integration
• Hands-on experience administering or supporting TMS in a regional or global environment
• Experience managing end-to‑end HR onboarding and offboarding transactions, including data validation, effective‑date control, payroll coordination, and resolution of exceptions.
• Expertise in HR case management, from routine queries to complex employee relations across Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, India and Thailand
• Advanced HRIS experience with expert-level system navigation, transaction processing, and troubleshooting capabilities
• Proven track record of efficiently handling high-volume caseloads while maintaining quality across all complexity levels
• Labour law and regulatory framework knowledge across multiple jurisdictions with practical application across diverse case types
• Experience managing escalated cases and VIP stakeholder requests with demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and deliver exceptional service under pressure
• Core Competencies:
• Expert efficiency: Ability to quickly assess and appropriately handle cases across all complexity levels using extensive experience
• Advanced judgment: Sound decision-making across routine and complex matters requiring discretion, business acumen, and regulatory knowledge
• Comprehensive expertise: Deep knowledge of HR operations enabling efficient resolution of any case type encountered
• Sophisticated problem-solving: Ability to apply experience and knowledge to resolve challenges quickly and effectively regardless of complexity
• Adaptability & expertise: Seamlessly transitions between routine and complex cases, applying appropriate level of analysis and attention
• Cultural intelligence: Deep understanding of cross-cultural dynamics enabling effective case resolution across diverse APAC markets

Skills

Communication & language:

• Fluent English (essential for documentation and stakeholder communication)
• Additional languages strongly preferred for enhanced regional support (Vietnamese / Japanese / Korean / Filipino / Hindi / Thai / Mandarin)

Technical proficiency:

• Advanced HRIS knowledge with ability to navigate complex system configurations
• Case management expertise using enterprise ticketing and workflow systems
• Data analysis capabilities for trend identification and process improvement insights

Working Conditions

• This role is hybrid

About Us

Coherent is a global leader in lasers, engineered materials and networking components. We are a vertically integrated manufacturing company that develops innovative products for diversified applications in the industrial, optical communications, military, life sciences, semiconductor equipment, and consumer markets. Coherent provides a comprehensive career development platform within an environment that challenges employees to perform at their best, while rewarding excellence and hard-work through a competitive compensation program. It's an exciting opportunity to work for a company that offers stability, longevity and growth. Come Join Us!