EMPOWERING PEOPLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

At Howden, we employ talented individuals and empower them to make a real difference to the company, whilst building successful and fulfilling careers.

The entrepreneurial atmosphere is one of the biggest reason people love to work for us. We are a leading independent, global insurance brokers but have a noticeably flat hierarchy. It doesn't matter how junior or senior, anyone with a good idea will be heard. This means our employees can shape their own career paths and determine their own success.

This atmosphere attracts the brightest talent in the market. If that includes you, get in touch.

Job role: HR Manager

Company: Howden Japan

Location: Tokyo

Report to: COO Japan, dotted line to Regional Human Resources Director APAC

A LEADING GLOBAL INDEPENDENT BROKER

Howden is a specialist commercial insurance broker. Its regional footprint covers Singapore (regional headquarters),

Malaysia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines and Japan. It is part of the London-headquartered Howden Broking Group, a leading independent, global broker with offices in over 40 countries worldwide.

JOB OVERVIEW:

We are seeking a
bilingual HR Manager
(English/Japanese)
to join our growing team in Tokyo. This is an exciting opportunity to work closely with the business in leading the HR workstream of a key integration initiative and lead the HR function.

Reporting to the COO and regional HR Director, you will partner with and support the key business stakeholders to drive alignment of HR policies and processes for Howden's operations in Japan, support organizational transitions, and ensure compliance with the local labour laws.

The successful candidate will bring prior experience in HR operations and change management, including system migration and culture alignment, and be comfortable working across both local and international environments.

YOUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Integration & Change Management

• Lead HR-related integration activities, including system migration, policy harmonization, and process alignment.
• Partner with key business stakeholders and regional HR to ensure consistent and compliant HR practices.
• Drive cultural integration efforts to foster a cohesive and inclusive workplace.

HR Operations & Governance:

• Maintain accurate employee records and ensure HR operations comply with local labour laws.
• Provide support for payroll coordination, benefits administration, and employee relations.
• Ensure smooth onboarding and offboarding processes during recruitment and organizational transitions.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Act as a key liaison between local team and regional management.
• Facilitate clear communication and understanding across cultural and functional boundaries.
• Nurture a working environment that is motivating and energizing and supports our People First culture
• Support and manage HR-related projects from regional and group-level initiatives as required.

OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL BE:

• A bachelor's degree in human resources, Psychology, or a related field.
• 5 to 8 years of experience in end-to-end HR operations and business partnering, with exposure to both international and Japanese organizations.
• Fluency in both Japanese and English (spoken and written) is essential.
• Strong understanding of Japanese labor laws and regulations.
• Familiarity with HR processes including payroll, benefits administration, and compliance.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with experience working across cross-functional and cross-cultural teams, both locally and regionally.
• Proficiency in HR systems and databases; experience with Workday is a strong advantage.

YOUR BENEFITS AND SALARY:

• Commensurate with qualification and experience
• Working in a collaborative and upbeat environment with development opportunities and regional HR exposure

DATA PROTECTION NOTICE FOR JOB APPLICANTS

This Data Protection Notice ("Notice") sets out the basis upon which Howden Insurance Brokers (S.) Pte. Limited ("we", "us" or "our") may collect, use, disclose or otherwise process personal data of job applicants in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act ("PDPA"). This Policy applies to personal data in our possession or under our control, including personal data in the possession of organizations which we have engaged to collect, use, disclose or process personal data for our purposes."

For more information, please refer to the link below.