Strategic Regional IR/ER Senior Manager, SEA

Coca-Cola Beverages Singapore, Malaysia & Brunei; Petaling Jaya; On-site; MYR 200,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

The Coca-Cola Beverages Singapore, Malaysia & Brunei is seeking an experienced Industrial Relations & Employee Relations Senior Manager to lead IR/ER across Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. You will guide union engagement, CA negotiations, and provide expert advice on complex employee-relations matters to safeguard business continuity.

Partner with senior leaders to shape strategy, manage risks, and develop capability within the IR/ER team while ensuring compliant, fair people practices across

Qualifications

• Proven experience in Industrial Relations and Employee Relations, including managerial capacity.
• Proven experience leading or co‑leading at least one complete Collective Agreement negotiation cycle with an established union.
• Professional qualifications in industrial relations or employment law are an advantage.
• Strong hands‑on experience managing disciplinary cases end to end, including workplace investigations, show‑cause processes and domestic inquiries.
• Experience managing industrial disputes, supporting Industrial Court proceedings and advising on restructuring or retrenchment exercises.
• Strong knowledge of labour legislation, industrial relations frameworks, Collective Agreements and relevant employment case law.
• Excellent negotiation, stakeholder management and conflict resolution skills, with the ability to engage effectively with both senior leadership and union representatives.
• Sound business acumen, balanced judgement and the ability to navigate sensitive and complex employee relations matters with integrity and discretion.
• Proven ability to lead, coach and develop a team

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the regional IR/ER strategy aligned with business priorities and our People strategy.
• Lead the development and review of IR/ER policies, including the Code of Conduct, Employee Handbook, disciplinary and grievance procedures.
• Ensure fair, consistent and legally compliant employee relations practices across the business.
• Build and maintain constructive, trust-based relationships with union leaders while balancing employee and business interests.
• Lead Collective Agreement (CA) negotiations end to end, including negotiation strategy, costing, stakeholder alignment and implementation.
• Facilitate union-management engagement, resolve industrial disputes and maintain a collaborative industrial relations environment.
• Provide expert guidance on complex disciplinary cases, workplace investigations, grievances and employee disputes.
• Oversee disciplinary processes, including show-cause letters, domestic inquiries and disciplinary panels, ensuring due process and procedural fairness.
• Partner with Legal and Compliance to manage sensitive employee relations matters and mitigate legal and reputational risks.
• Ensure compliance with applicable labour and industrial relations legislation across Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei.
• Manage employment disputes, unfair dismissal claims and Industrial Court matters in collaboration with legal counsel.
• Lead IR/ER advisory for organisational changes, including restructuring, transfers, retrenchment and separation exercises.
• Identify, assess and proactively manage industrial relations risks to safeguard business continuity.
• Serve as a trusted IR/ER advisor to senior leadership, HR Business Partners and line managers.
• Build managerial capability in disciplinary management, grievance handling, CA interpretation and labour law compliance.
• Provide practical, commercially sound recommendations that balance employee fairness, legal compliance and business needs.
• Lead, coach and develop the IR/ER team to deliver consistent, high-quality advisory and case management.
• Strengthen ER governance, case tracking, reporting and risk monitoring.
• Analyse employee relations trends and insights to identify opportunities for preventive action and continuous improvement.

Skills

IR/ER expertise

Union engagement

Collective bargaining

Stakeholder management

Disciplinary management

Negotiation

Education

Professional qualification in industrial relations or employment law

Job description

The Coca-Cola Beverages Singapore, Malaysia & Brunei is seeking an experienced Industrial Relations & Employee Relations Senior Manager to lead IR/ER across Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. You will guide union engagement, CA negotiations, and provide expert advice on complex employee-relations matters to safeguard business continuity.

Partner with senior leaders to shape strategy, manage risks, and develop capability within the IR/ER team while ensuring compliant, fair people practices across