HRSD Operations Lead - APAC

About the Role

The Regional HR Service Delivery Lead is responsible for the end-to-end performance, governance, and execution integrity of HR service delivery across assigned countries within APAC and/or Middle/East.

This role owns service delivery outcomes, escalation management, compliance adherence, and operational controls, ensuring HR services are delivered accurately, consistently, and in accordance with local employment laws, contractual obligations, and internal policies.

The Lead serves as the primary escalation point for complex HR matters, including direct engagement with Workers (WSEs) and Clients, and is accountable for resolving issues prior to escalating to senior leadership. This role acts as the first line of escalation before Sr. Manager involvement, ensuring all matters are resolved with clear documentation, appropriate judgment, and compliance validation.

This role provides direct leadership to Regional HR Service Delivery Specialists (Tier 2) and ensures alignment with the global service delivery model, including SLAs, controls, and service standards.

Key Responsibilities

Regional HR Service Delivery Oversight & Execution Governance

• Assist in oversight end-to-end HR service delivery operations across assigned countries, ensuring adherence to SLAs, service catalog, and operating model
• Review and validate case resolution quality, including accuracy of decisions, policy application, and completeness of documentation
• Ensure HR cases and lifecycle actions are supported by documented approvals, audit trails, and system records
• Monitor and enforce case management standards, including response times, resolution timelines, and escalation protocols
• Ensure consistent execution of HR processes aligned with global standards and regional legal requirement

Escalation Ownership, Decision Authority & External Engagement

• Act as the primary and first line escalation point for complex, sensitive, or high-risk HR matters
• Engage directly with WSEs (Workers) and Clients to investigate issues, provide guidance, and communicate resolutions
• Conduct case review and risk assessment, determining appropriate resolution actions in alignment with policy and legal requirements
• Provide final decision-making and approval on Tier 2 escalations, including non-standard or exception-based scenarios
• Escalate only high-risk, legally sensitive, or business-critical matters to the Sr. Manager, with a clear summary, risk assessment, and recommended action
• Ensure all escalations are fully documented, including facts, analysis, decision rationale, actions taken, and final resolution

Regional Compliance & Risk Management

• Drive compliance with country-specific employment laws, statutory requirements, and internal HR policies across the region. This role supports the MEA/APAC regions.
• Validate that HR lifecycle activities (e.g., hires, changes, terminations) are executed in compliance with local regulations and contractual obligations
• Establish and enforce HR control frameworks, including approval requirements, documentation standards, and validation checkpoints
• Identify, assess, and mitigate operational and compliance risks, including policy misapplication and data integrity issues
• Ensure readiness for internal and external audits, including provision of documentation and explanation of decisions

Team Mentorship, Performance Management & Capability Building

• Mentor a team of Employee Relationship Consultants, ensuring clarity of roles, responsibilities, and expectations
• Allocate and manage workload to ensure balanced case distribution, SLA adherence, and timely resolution
• Review team output for accuracy, completeness, and compliance adherence
• Monitor and manage performance against KPIs, SLAs, and quality standards, implementing corrective actions as needed
• Provide guidance on complex case handling, policy interpretation, and compliance application

Operational Excellence, Process Standardization & Transformation

• Standardize HR processes across countries by defining and enforcing consistent workflows, controls, and documentation requirements
• Identify and implement process improvements to reduce variability, increase efficiency, and minimize risk
• Drive adoption of automation, self-service tools, and workflow optimization in partnership with internal teams
• Establish and monitor KPIs and SLAs, using performance data to drive continuous improvement
• Lead or support transformation initiatives to scale HR service delivery and improve employee and client experience

Cross-Functional Coordination & Dependency Management

• Partner with Shared Services to ensure proper intake, triage, and escalation of HR cases
• Collaborate with Payroll, Benefits, Legal, and Finance to ensure accurate and compliant execution of HR processes
• Act as a key point of contact for Worksite employees and Clients on complex HR matters requiring advanced support
• Ensure alignment between upstream inputs (HR data, approvals) and downstream impacts (payroll, benefits, reporting)
• Drive resolution of cross-functional issues by enforcing accountability, timelines, and clear ownership across teams

Vendor & Stakeholder Management

• Support relationships with regional vendors (e.g., benefits providers, local partners), where applicable
• Monitor vendor performance against SLAs, accuracy standards, and compliance requirements
• Conduct performance reviews, including issue tracking, root cause analysis, and corrective action plans
• Represent HR Service Delivery in client-facing discussions, including escalations, service reviews, and issue resolution
• Communicate service performance, risks, and improvement initiatives to senior leadership and stakeholders

Controls, Documentation & Audit Readiness

• Ensure all HR processes are supported by current SOPs, knowledge articles, and control documentation
• Maintain audit-ready records for HR cases, lifecycle actions, and compliance activities
• Enforce data privacy and confidentiality requirements (e.g., GDPR where applicable)
• Ensure all decisions, approvals, and actions are traceable, documented, and aligned with governance standards

Qualifications & Experience

Required

• 7+ years of experience in HR operations or HR service delivery, including multi-country scope in APAC
• Demonstrated experience leading HR service delivery teams and managing escalations
• Strong knowledge of regional employment laws and HR compliance requirements
• Proven experience managing case operations with defined KPIs and SLAs
• Experience operating in a matrixed, cross-functional environment
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Human Resources, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• Fluency in English; additional regional language(s) preferred

Preferred

• Experience in shared services, EOR, or global HR operating models
• Familiarity with HRIS and case management platforms (e.g., ServiceNow, Workday, Zendesk, Salesforce)
• Experience leading HR transformation, automation, or system implementations
• Professional certification (e.g., CIPD, SHRM, PHR/SPHR)