Country HR Lead, China (CN)

Our client is a global enterprise with over a century of history and an extensive international network serving a sophisticated client base. The company drives technological progress through specialized technical advisory services, with a strong focus on ensuring compliance and high performance for complex engineering systems. In China, its operations remain lean – currently fewer than 100 employees – but the company has significant expansion plans in motion at this time.

This will be the first HR hire in China – we're looking for an HR Manager to handle the full generalist remit for the China office. Day one priorities include transitioning employees currently engaged through a third-party employer of record back in-house, followed by rapid recruitment. Once the site is operational, the role will evolve into the factory/site-focused HR leadership role, responsible for applying group processes for salary, bonus, and performance reviews, while ensuring full compliance with Chinese employment law.

We are looking for a mature HR leader who is autonomous, agile, and hands-on, with strong integrity – as the person will sit between the local General Manager and HQ, balancing both perspectives. In time, a Site GM will be appointed, and this individual will need to help shape the overall China structure, so some organizational design work will be involved. The role also requires mobility – either extensive travel outside Shanghai or a willingness to be based closer to the manufacturing side to stay closely connected to the business.

This is an excellent opportunity to step into a visible regional role in a thriving environment – but be ready to roll your sleeves up, as this is a company with strong entrepreneurial roots and culture.

This is a growing HR function, so it will require a truly hands-on approach. While the client group isn't massive in size, the challenges are still complex – spanning organizational design, compliance, and structuring the China HR framework from the ground up.