APAC HR Director, Beijing (CN)

Our client is a global multinational company in the industrial automation sector, with a long-standing presence in China and across the APAC region. The organization has a relatively lean structure, with approximately 250 employees regionally. The majority of the workforce is based in China, with smaller teams spread across Japan, Singapore, Australia, and India.

The APAC HR Director leads HR strategy and administrative services across APAC, covering China, Singapore, Japan, and a Beijing manufacturing site, with a workforce of over 250 employees. Reporting to the GM APAC and matrixed to the CHRO, it sits on the regional leadership team and acts as a strategic partner to management. The role oversees everything from talent acquisition and OD to workplace operations and employee experience, ensuring alignment between global priorities and local needs. It’s a broad, hands-on position that requires both strategic vision and operational discipline to build a high-performance, inclusive culture.

We are looking for a people-oriented HR leader with solid manufacturing experience and a proven ability to drive change in complex, multi-site environments. The ideal individual combines strong business acumen with a hands-on, strategic mindset—able to translate business needs into impactful people solutions while navigating the realities of a medium-sized enterprise. This role requires excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build trust at all levels and foster a collaborative, inclusive culture. Equally important is a resilient, agile leader who leads by example, lives the company values, and is committed to building high-performing teams in a safe, engaging, and performance-driven environment.

This is a great country HR leadership role for an up-and-coming HR professional looking to step up and make a real impact. You'll have significant exposure to senior leaders and the opportunity to shape business strategy at a regional level. At the same time, you'll need to be ready to roll up your sleeves—this is a company with strong entrepreneurial roots and a culture that values hands-on contribution alongside strategic thinking.

This role comes with the challenge of building and growing the HR function from a relatively lean base, which will require a hands-on approach and a willingness to get involved in the details. While the client group is not massive in size, it still presents complex challenges — supporting a diverse workforce across multiple countries, legal entities, and employee populations (white- and blue-collar) requires a nuanced, agile approach. You'll need to balance strategic thinking with operational execution, as the function is still evolving and processes are being built from the ground up