Senior Executive, People & Culture

JOB PURPOSE

The Senior Executive, People & Culture plays a strategic operational role in supporting the delivery of a high-performing, compliant, and people-centric HR function at Garden International School.

The role works closely with the P&C Manager to ensure best-in-class HR practices aligned with Malaysian regulatory requirements and international school standards. The incumbent supports workforce planning, budgeting, expatriate lifecycle management, compensation & benefits benchmarking and continuous improvement of HR systems and processes.

This role contributes to building a positive employee experience that enhances the school’s reputation.

STRATEGIC KEY RESULT AREAS

1. Workforce Planning & Budget Management

• Assist the P&C Manager in annual manpower planning aligned with academic and operational requirements.
• Support the preparation and consolidation of the annual P&C budget, including:

a. Headcount projections

b. Salary benchmarking

c. Insurance renewals

d. Expatriate-related costs (visa, relocation, flight benefits)

e. Professional development allocations

f. Staff engagement initiatives

• Conduct cost simulations for new hires and replacement scenarios.
• Track and monitor P&C budget utilisation and provide variance analysis and forecasting support.
• Provide data-driven insights to support strategic staffing decisions.

2. Compensation & Benefits Strategy and Market Benchmarking

• Support periodic review of compensation structures to ensure competitiveness within:

a. International schools in Malaysia

b. Comparable premium private education institutions

c. Regional expatriate employment markets

• Conduct market research and benchmarking on:

a. Medical insurance plans

b. Expatriate benefits and allowances

c. Flight entitlements

• Wellness and employee engagement benefits

3. Regulatory Compliance & Expatriate Lifecycle Management

• Lead and oversee the end-to-end process of employment permits, teaching permits, nursing licenses, admin permits and permits to study.
• Act as primary liaison with:

a. Immigration Department of Malaysia

b. Ministry of Education (MOE)

• Ensure full compliance with:

a. Malaysian Employment Act

b. Immigration regulations

c. MOE requirements for international schools

• Proactively monitor regulatory updates impacting expatriate employment and advise the P& C Manager accordingly.
• Oversee compliant and smooth onboarding and offboarding of expatriate as well as local staff.

4. HR Operations Excellence & Governance

• Drive continuous improvement of non-payroll HR processes to enhance efficiency and employee experience.
• Strengthen HR governance by ensuring proper documentation, audit readiness and data integrity.
• Oversee accurate HRIS management and reporting.
• Develop and refine SOPs aligned with international school governance standards.
• Generate HR analytics dashboards (headcount, turnover, leave trends, expatriate status tracking) to support leadership decision-making.

5. Recruitment & Talent Support

• Support recruitment strategies for academic and non-academic positions.
• Ensure recruitment practices align with safeguarding and child protection standards.
• Support onboarding programs that enhance new joiner integration and uphold the school’s employer brand.
• Contribute to employer branding initiatives to strengthen the school’s market positioning.

6. Employee Experience & Engagement

• Execute and enhance staff welfare and engagement programs.
• Provide professional, solutions-oriented support on employment-related queries.
• Support professional development administration and logistics.
• Contribute to initiatives that promote retention, wellbeing, and positive workplace culture.

7. Strategic HR Projects

• Lead or support ad hoc P&C projects such as:

a. HR digitalisation initiatives

b. Policy review and harmonisation

c. Employee engagement surveys

d. Organisational restructuring exercises

e. Benefits redesign projects

• Participate in cross-functional school initiatives where HR input is required.
• Support change management efforts during organisational transformation.

8. Other Job Tasks

• Manage database on staff insurance and provide support to staff on claims enquiries and submission
• Facilitate in registration, booking of hotel and transport arrangement for professional development activities
• Administer on a daily basis, staff attendance and leaves
• Handles queries from staff with regards to their employment matters
• Manages end-to-end process of flight cash equivalent
• Assist in the compilation and submission of relevant HR reports
• Any other relevant duties as assigned from time to time

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

Academic / Professional Qualification

• Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
• Professional HR certification (e.g., MIHRM or equivalent) is an advantage.

Experience

• Minimum 5–7 years of progressive HR experience.
• Experience within an international school or expatriate-heavy environment preferred.
• Exposure to budgeting, workforce planning, and compensation benchmarking would be preferred.
• Experience liaising with Malaysian government authorities is essential.

COMPETENCIES

Technical Competencies

• Strong understanding of Malaysian Employment Act and immigration requirements.
• Knowledge of MOE regulations applicable to international schools.
• Experience in compensation analysis and benefits benchmarking.
• Strong analytical skills with ability to interpret HR metrics.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and HRIS systems.

Leadership & Behavioral Competencies

• Strategic and analytical thinker.
• High integrity and strong confidentiality standards.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Proactive, solution-oriented, and able to manage ambiguity.
• Ability to balance operational execution with strategic contribution.
• Strong service mindset aligned to international school culture.