JOB SUMMARY

The Head of Talent, Japan is responsible for driving the People agenda and enabling business performance through talent and organizational solutions. The role will mainly partner with leaders across corporate and retail to strengthen performance, engagement, employee relations, and organizational effectiveness in Japan market. The remaining time will focus on leading HR process governance and cross-functional projects, ensuring compliant, efficient people processes and a consistent employee experience in Japan. The role will directly report to Chief People Officer, APAC, Japan and EUME.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Talent Development Partner (TDP)

• Partner with Japan leaders to translate business priorities into people plans, including workforce planning, organization design, and capability building.
• Lead performance management cycles (goal setting, mid-year, year-end), coaching leaders on quality feedback, differentiation, and fair process.
• Drive talent management for Japan: succession planning, identification and development of high-potential talent, and critical role readiness.
• Provide employee relations guidance and case management support, ensuring compliance with Japanese labor laws, company policies, and documentation standards.
• Strengthen engagement and culture through listening channels, action planning, and leader enablement that reinforces Tory Burch values and "Buddy" behaviors.
• Partner with Talent Acquisition and business stakeholders on hiring strategy, HC/budget planning, and selection quality; coach leaders on best hiring practices.
• Partner with Talent Operations to Ensure operational excellence across employee lifecycle moments (onboarding support, transfers, exits) in partnership with Operations/GA/IT/vendor resources.
• Partner with Learning & Development / Retail Training to diagnose needs and deploy learning solutions aligned to Japan priorities.

Process & Program Leadership

• Represent Talent Department on the leadership committee in Japan, directly managing 2 talent members and co-managing an additional 2 members
• Lead or contribute to Japan people programs and cross-functional initiatives (e.g., change management, organization effectiveness, leadership development programs).
• Own end-to-end governance of core HR processes in Japan (policies & practices, employment documentation, budget and reporting, and data integrity across HR systems).
• Provide clear communication and change adoption support for process or policy updates, including translation coordination when needed.
• Oversee vendor/outsourced support where applicable, ensuring service levels, compliance, and cost discipline.

EDUCATION & PRIOR EXPERIENCE NEEDED

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in HR, Business, or related field preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive HR experience with strong HR Business Partnering depth; experience in retail and/or luxury/consumer brand environments is a plus.
• Working knowledge of Japan labor laws, employment practices, and employee relations case management.
• Demonstrated success partnering with senior leaders to deliver talent, engagement, and organizational change outcomes.
• Strong coaching, influencing, and stakeholder management skills; able to navigate ambiguity and balance hands-on execution with strategic thinking.
• Data-informed decision maker with experience using metrics/insights to diagnose issues and measure impact.
• Fluent Japanese and English communication skills (written and verbal).