Senior HR Generalist - APAC (f/m/d)

Applike Group; Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Applike Group is seeking a Senior HR Generalist APAC to serve as the local HR presence for our Singapore headquarters and growing APAC entities. You balance hands-on operations with leadership advisory, ensuring compliant people processes across markets.

You will own payroll coordination with outsourced providers, manage HR data/tools, and partner with the German HQ to align global guidelines with local practice. Fluency in English is required; Mandarin/Japanese/Korean skills are a plus.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in generalist HR/HR operations, APAC focus.
• Strong APAC labor law and payroll experience.
• Structured, compliant, and stakeholder-focused.
• Experience coordinating external HR partners and vendors.
• Proficient with modern HRIS and digital tools.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end employee lifecycle and local contracts.
• Provide APAC HR business partnering for regional leads.
• Lead performance management processes aligned with HQ.
• Manage payroll data submission with external providers.
• Ensure Singapore labor law compliance across markets.
• Coordinate relationships with regional vendors and authorities.
• Co-steer annual HR cycles and engagement surveys.
• Liaise between APAC leadership and Hamburg HQ to align guidelines.
• Optimize workflows and explore AI-enabled HR solutions.

Skills

HR Generalist

APAC HRBP

Payroll coordination

Labor law knowledge

Vendor management

HRIS proficiency

AI tools awareness

Cross-cultural collaboration

English fluency

Tools

HRIS

Payroll software

Digital collaboration tools

Job description

Job Profile

As the Senior HR Generalist APAC, you are the local HR presence and operational backbone for our regional headquarters in Singapore and growing APAC entities (such as, Japan, South Korea, China). Positioned at the intersection of hands-on HR operations and leadership advisory, you serve as the central HR expert for local employees, leaders, and external authorities.

You combine regional labor law expertise with operational excellence, owning the full employee lifecycle, managing payroll preparation with outsourced providers, and coordinating regional HR data, tools, and external partners. As a trusted partner to local management and the German HR Headquarter, you provide excellent and compliant HR operations, pragmatic HR sparring, execute annual HR cycles, and ensure smooth service delivery across assigned markets as our regional workforce continues growing.

Key Responsibilities

• Operational Employee Lifecycle & Contracts: Own the end-to-end employee lifecycle, including contract creation, onboarding to offboarding, and local payroll & benefits administration.

• APAC Business Partnering: Provide pragmatic HR sparring on leadership inquiries, employee relations, and team dynamics for regional Leads in Singapore, Japan, South Korea and China.

• Performance Management: Steer the local performance management and ensure smooth and compliant procedures in alignment with local requirements and German HQ.

• Payroll Preparation Management: Prepare, validate, and submit monthly pre-payroll data to external payroll providers and ensure 100% payout accuracy.

• Labor Law & Compliance: Serve as regional SME on Singapore labor law (plus additional support for Japan, South Korea and China), ensuring legal compliance across local policies and audit-readiness.

• Coordination of external partners: Manage relationships and coordinate with regional vendors/tool providers and authorities.

• Annual HR Cycles: Co-steer our performance feedback and compensation cycles, as well as engagement surveys across APAC in alignment with German HQ.

• HQ Alignment: Act as the primary liaison between local APAC leadership and Hamburg HQ to align global guidelines with local market practices.

• Process Optimization & AI: Optimize local workflows, leverage HRIS capabilities, and integrate AI tools to increase operational efficiency.

Requirements

• Experience: 5+ years of generalist HR activities as an HR Operations expert and/or HRBP, ideally in a fast-paced tech or growth environment in Singapore or the APAC region

• APAC Law & Pre-Payroll: Tested expertise in Singapore labor laws (South Korea, Japan & China knowledge is a strong plus) and payroll preparation experience.

• Balanced Skillset: Balancing practical startup realities with compliance & integrity standards, as well as hands‑on HR administration with manager coaching.

• Vendor Management: Track record of coordinating external HR partners and vendors (payroll, immigration, legal, advisory) and managing multi‑cultural stakeholders.

• Tech & Tool Savviness: Proficiency in modern HRIS platforms and standard digital collaboration tools.

• Future-Proof Mindset: Proactive interest in leveraging AI tools and tech integrations to optimize daily workflows.

• Working Style: Structured, solution-oriented, and empathetic workstyle.

• Languages: Business fluent in English. Mandarin, Japanese and/or Korean language skills are a strong plus.

Our mission is to create an inspiring work environment for amazing people to achieve extraordinary things. Be part of it!

We welcome applications from people who will contribute to the diversity of our company.