Senior Manager People Operations

AirAsia; Malaysia; On-site; MYR 160,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

AirAsia SEA Sdn Bhd (DARTS) seeks a Senior Manager, People Operations to lead the shared services and transform the People Function across the Capital A ecosystem.

You will drive payroll, benefits and mobility operations, implement automation and AI, and set governance for scalable, value-driven People services across multiple entities.

Qualifications

• 12–15 years progressive experience in People Operations.
• Experience leading People Operations or Shared Services within a multi-entity organisation.
• Experience implementing automation, AI or digital solutions to improve processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the People Operations shared services team and establish service standards.
• Oversee payroll, benefits and global mobility across entities and countries.
• Drive adoption of People technology, automation and AI to improve efficiency and culture.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across the People Function.

Skills

People Operations

Shared Services

Process Transformation

Automation & AI

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in HR/Business

Postgraduate qualification

Tools

Apps Script

Workflow Platforms

Job description

Job Description

Senior Manager, People Operations

About AirAsia SEA Sdn Bhd (DARTS)

AirAsia SEA Sdn Bhd, operating as DARTS, is a subsidiary of Capital A Berhad established to provide shared services support across the Capital A group of companies. DARTS acts as the Group’s shared services arm, delivering centralised, scalable support functions — including People Operations — to Capital A and its portfolio of businesses. Capital A Berhad is a diversified investment holding company with strategic interests across travel, logistics, digital platforms, food & beverage, and aviation-related businesses. The Group oversees a portfolio of businesses including Santan, Teleport, Asia Digital Engineering (ADE), AirAsia MOVE, AirAsia Next, AirAsia Ride, IKHLAS and other entities across the Capital A ecosystem. Capital A is also a strategic shareholder in the aviation business, maintaining a vested interest in the continued growth and success of the broader aviation ecosystem. Through active portfolio management, disciplined capital allocation, and strong governance, Capital A aims to maximise long‑term shareholder value while enabling innovation and sustainable growth across its businesses, with DARTS playing a central role in delivering the shared services that support this ecosystem.

The Role

The Senior Manager, People Operations sits within DARTS and will lead the People Operations shared services function, reporting directly to the Head of People. The role is responsible for delivering efficient, scalable and high-quality People services — via DARTS’ shared services model — to Capital A and its portfolio of businesses and entities across payroll, benefits, global mobility, People technology and operational support. Beyond day‑to‑day operations, the role will drive the continuous transformation of the People Function by leveraging technology, automation and AI to simplify processes, improve employee experience and achieve greater cost effectiveness. The role will strengthen DARTS’ shared services model, enabling the Group to centralise capabilities, leverage economies of scale, eliminate duplication and provide consistent People support across the Capital A ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

People Operations & Shared Services

Lead the People Operations shared services team within DARTS and establish clear service standards, processes, governance and performance metrics. Oversee the delivery of People Operations services to Capital A and its portfolio of businesses and entities, ensuring timely, accurate and consistent support. Develop and continuously improve DARTS’ shared services operating model to drive efficiency, scalability and cost effectiveness. Establish appropriate service delivery frameworks, SLAs and escalation mechanisms across the People Operations function. Partner with People teams across the Capital A ecosystem to understand business requirements and continuously improve service delivery. Identify opportunities to centralise activities, consolidate capabilities and leverage economies of scale across the Group.

Payroll, Benefits & Global Mobility

Oversee end‑to‑end payroll operations across relevant entities and countries, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, compliance and effective controls. Lead the administration and continuous improvement of Group benefits programmes, ensuring cost effectiveness and consistency where appropriate. Oversee global mobility matters including expatriate assignments, relocations, immigration, tax coordination and related People processes. Strengthen governance, controls and processes across payroll, benefits and mobility operations. Identify opportunities to consolidate vendors, standardise processes and optimise operating costs across the Group.

People Technology, Automation & AI

Drive the adoption of People technology, automation and AI to improve operational efficiency, employee experience and service delivery. Identify repetitive and manual People processes that can be simplified, automated or eliminated. Lead the implementation of automation solutions, including workflow automation, Apps Script and other digital tools where appropriate. Partner with relevant technology stakeholders to enhance People systems, integrations and digital capabilities. Identify and implement AI use cases across People Operations, including employee queries, data management, process support and operational decision‑making. Establish appropriate governance and controls to ensure responsible and effective use of AI and automation within the People Function.

People Transformation & Continuous Improvement

Lead continuous improvement initiatives across the People Function, challenging existing processes and identifying opportunities to simplify and standardise ways of working. Drive process redesign and standardisation across the Capital A ecosystem while maintaining appropriate flexibility for individual business requirements. Establish a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging the team to proactively identify opportunities to improve productivity, service quality and cost efficiency. Develop and track operational KPIs to measure service effectiveness, productivity, cost savings and automation impact. Lead People transformation projects that improve scalability and enable the People Function to support the Group’s evolving business needs.

Candidate Profile

Experience

Minimum 12–15 years of progressive experience in People Operations, People Shared Services, People Transformation or a related field. Proven experience leading People Operations or Shared Services within a large, complex or multi‑entity organisation. Strong track record in People transformation, process improvement and operating model design. Demonstrated experience implementing automation, AI or digital solutions to improve People processes and productivity. Experience managing payroll, benefits, global mobility and People systems across multiple entities or countries. Proven experience delivering measurable cost optimisation, process efficiencies and service improvements. Experience establishing or transforming a shared services model is highly preferred. Strong understanding of People technology, workflow automation, data and digital tools; hands‑on experience with tools such as Apps Script, workflow platforms or similar technologies is an advantage. Experience supporting multiple businesses or entities within a Group environment is highly preferred.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Business, Management, Information Technology or a related discipline. Postgraduate qualification in Business, Human Resources or a related field is an advantage.

AirAsia Berhad: Asia’s leading airline

AirAsia Berhad: Asia’s leading airline was established with the dream of making flying possible for everyone. Since 2001, AirAsia has swiftly broken travel norms around the globe and has risen to become the world’s best. Driven by the Dare to Dream spirit, we pride ourselves in being the region’s largest low‑cost carrier, serving 24 countries and over 130 destinations. We’re not confined by walls, except when we need to answer the call of nature, so all departments mingle every day. As we embrace new technology to become a digital airline, services like BIG Duty Free, BIG Pay, BIG Loyalty, Touristly, ROKKI and Xcite Inflight Entertainment will be an exciting evolution, placing us ahead of the game. Are you in? AirAsia is set to take low‑cost flying to an all new high with our belief, "Now Everyone Can Fly".