HR Vice President – Business Unit, Shanghai (CN)

Our client is a leading global multinational company in the industrial and manufacturing sector, with a strong international presence and a long history of operational excellence. The company has been operating in China since the 1990s and has established a well-developed nationwide footprint. Today, it employs approximately 1,000 people across the country, supporting both commercial operations and manufacturing facilities. With a commitment to innovation, quality, and sustainable growth, the organization continues to strengthen its market position while investing in its people and capabilities in China.

This role is the China HR Vice President for one of the company's two major business sectors, supporting an organisation of over 550 employees. The position has full end-to-end HR responsibility across both commercial operations and multiple manufacturing sites, ensuring consistent people strategies and operational excellence. As a trusted business partner to the Business Unit President, the HRVP is expected to drive strategic people initiatives while remaining highly hands-on in managing day-to-day HR operations. Leading a team of nine HR professionals, the role requires a balanced leadership style, combining strategic vision, operational execution, and strong stakeholder management across the business.

We are looking for a mature and well-rounded HR leader with proven experience supporting both commercial and manufacturing environments. The ideal candidate combines strategic thinking with a hands-on approach and is comfortable balancing long-term business partnership with day-to-day HR execution. Strong leadership, stakeholder management, and the ability to navigate a complex, multi-site organisation are essential for success in this role. Beyond the immediate position, we are seeking an individual who demonstrates the capability and leadership potential to progress into a future China Country HR Vice President role, overseeing the company's entire China organisation.

This is a great country HR leadership role for an up‑and‑coming HR professional who is ready to step up and make a real impact. It offers a fantastic opportunity to influence senior leaders and actively shape business strategy at a high level, with strong exposure to the senior leadership population and the chance to drive meaningful change within the organisation.

You will need to drive change in a very sensitive and nuanced manner, so it's essential that you bring both the maturity and the change management experience to navigate this successfully. At the same time, the HR function is still growing, which means you'll also need to take a hands‑on approach and be comfortable rolling up your sleeves to get things done.