Head of HR, Chinese Mainland

John Swire & Sons (China) Limited 

The Swire group is a multi-national, multi-disciplined commercial group, with its principal areas of operation in the Asia Pacific region and centred on the Greater China area, where the name 太古 or Taikoo, meaning "Great and Ancient", is a household name. The group's business activities can be grouped into five categories: Property, Aviation, Beverages & Food Chain, Marine Services and Trading & Industrial. Within Asia, Swire's activities principally come under the group's publicly quoted arm, Swire Pacific Ltd. Elsewhere in the world, businesses are held by parent company, John Swire & Sons Ltd.

Swire first opened an office in Shanghai in 1866 and now has resident offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen to contact, coordinate, consult and research on behalf of the group operating companies. Today, Swire group's business areas in Chinese Mainland comprise property investment and management, scheduled air cargo and airline passenger services, aircraft engineering and maintenance services, Coca-Cola bottling production and distribution, food manufacturing and distribution, deep-sea shipping, sports and lifestyle footwear and apparel wholesaling and retailing, with over 38,000 employees.

Our Talent Management & HR Business Partnering team is now inviting candidates to apply for the following position, which will be employed under the Beijing or Shanghai office, of John Swire & Sons (China) Limited.

Head of HR, Chinese Mainland

Based in Beijing or Shanghai, the Head of HR partners with various stakeholders in JS&S China to align, develop and deliver end-to-end HR strategies and solutions to support our growth agenda in the Chinese Mainland. 

Operating as a strategic value creator and leveraging the established HR practices in Hong Kong with considerations of the local context, this role provides strategic HR advice and builds collaborative relationships with business leaders in the Chinese Mainland, drives business outcomes and growth, and translates needs into a people agenda that cultivates a client-centric culture.

In this role, you will have the exciting opportunity to shape the future of our organisation by recruiting and developing our next generation of leaders across Swire Group, specifically in the Chinese Mainland.

Responsibilities: 

• Understand and translate business strategies and people needs in the Chinese Mainland into HR plans and programmes that align with JS&S direction and cater to the local context
• Build strong relationships with senior business leaders in the Chinese Mainland, to identify and drive change initiatives for competitive advantages, leadership pipeline, and desired work environment
• Deliver expert HR advice and seamless end-to-end resolutions for HR queries to departments, line managers, and employees
• Advise proactively on the localisation of HR practices in the Chinese Mainland, and manage the overall delivery of HR services including talent acquisition and development, rewards management, HR service delivery and learning programme administration
• Work closely within the People Department to drive the delivery of localised strategic people and organisation solutions
• Provide HR insights, and analyse trends and metrics to support departments in making informed people decisions
• Ensure HR policies and practices comply with the latest local labour laws, regulations and government policies in the Chinese Mainland. Address compliance-related issues and provide guidance on risk management
• Develop and execute HR branding initiatives to enhance our reputation as an employer of choice in the local market
• Implement strategies to improve the employee value proposition (EVP) around employee experience, including onboarding, engagement, and retention programmes
• Manage employee relations by addressing grievances, handling labour disputes, ensuring compliance with Chinese labour laws and seeking fair resolutions

To be successful in this role, you must have:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field 
• At least 12 years of HR experience, with a successful track record in collaborating with senior management level in sizable international corporations in the Chinese Mainland. HR generalist experience in a matrixed organisational structure is preferred
• Proven experience in performance management, competency frameworks, career development, succession planning, learning and development, training needs analysis, and talent development
• Proven ability to provide strategic HR advice, driving organisational change, and influencing stakeholders
• Deep knowledge of Chinese labour laws, regulations, and HR practices, including experience handling employee relations and compliance matters
• Strong business acumen and a strategic mindset, with the ability to understand, connect and translate business objectives into HR strategies and initiatives
• ExceptionalJohn ability to build relationship and collaborate effectively across business functions and geographies
• An employee-centric mindset and consistently strives for service excellence
• Solid communication and consultancy skills in a participative and assertive manner
• Familiarity with data analytics and metrics to inform decision-making and measure HR effectiveness

Application:

At Swire, we are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive working environment for all our people regardless of their age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, relationship, family status, disability, race, ethnicity, nationality, religious or political beliefs. We believe in creating an environment where people feel comfortable at work and are able to realise their full potential.

We offer a competitive package to the right candidate. If you meet the qualifications and are interested in this position, you can send your application by clicking ‘Apply Now’. We will contact all shortlisted candidates.

The Swire Group is an equal opportunity employer. All applications will be used exclusively for selection purposes and handled confidentially by authorised personnel only. Your application may also be considered for other suitable positions within the Swire group (please indicate clearly on your application if you would not like to be considered for other positions within the group.) Following the data privacy ordinance, all unsuccessful applications will be destroyed after an appropriate time.