HR Manager - Japan

Company Description

Our Client is a growing universe of innovative tech solutions committed to empowering creators on the web while fostering accessibility and freedom in the digital world. Our products include AdPushup, a Google Certified Publishing Partner that helps publishers maximize ad revenue; AdRecover, which recovers lost revenue from ad-blocked traffic without impacting user experience; and Glimpse, a cutting-edge tool for enhancing user engagement with captivating previews. Recognized as the 33rd fastest-growing company in the Americas by Financial Times and certified as a Great Place to Work, we pride ourselves on delivering value to our clients and maintaining a positive workplace environment. With an average rating of 4.7 from satisfied publishers, Zelto is dedicated to making a difference in the online ecosystem.

HR Manager -Tokyo&Nagoya（one for each City）

Employment info:

Work location: Tokyo or Nagoya

Reporting to: Global Head of Human Resources

Language requirements: Native /fluent Chinese + fluent Japanese

Employment type: Full-time, long-term;

Compensation & benefits: super competitive pay with annual performance bonus; relocation allowance; reasonable flexible/remote work policy; cross-regional career development opportunities

About the Role:

We are launching an IT entity in Japan and seeking an super experienced HR Manager to lead our local setup and people operations. This hands-on role will drive local and APAC hiring (with emphasis on PRC/native Chinese-speaking talent), visa & relocation support, compensation & benefits, EOR vendor management, and compliance. The ideal candidate has strong international HR/operations experience, native-level Chinese, practical experience supporting PRC hires through Japan visa and settlement processes, and a solid understanding of Japan labor and social security regulations. This is a high-impact role for a self-starter who can operate across Chinese/Japanese-speaking environments.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Develop and execute recruitment strategies for local and APAC hires (focus on PRC/native Chinese-speaking candidates), sourcing technical/product talent (backend, frontend, architects, QA, product managers). Manage recruiters, job platforms, Chinese community channels, campus hiring and referral programs; maintain hiring funnel metrics and KPIs.

2. Provide visa & immigration support for APAC/PRC hires (work visas), coordinate immigration lawyers and consulates, and prepare company sponsorship documents.

3. Coordinate relocation and settling-in services (travel, temporary & long-term housing support, bank setup, tax & social registrations, schooling, language & cultural integration).

4. Design and implement local compensation and benefits programs; draft/review employment contracts and offers; manage employee relations and coordinate with legal counsel on disputes.

5. Evaluate, select and manage EOR providers (Japan and cross-border); negotiate EOR contracts, SLAs and fees; oversee EOR compliance on payroll, social contributions and onboarding/offboarding; recommend timing for transition to direct employment.

6. Manage onboarding/offboarding, equipment provisioning, probation processes, personnel records and HRIS.

7. Liaise with APAC HQ (Singapore/Japan/Dubai) and external advisors; act as local point of contact and bridge communication in Chinese.

8. Establish HR policies, employee handbook, job descriptions, performance frameworks and provide regular reports to HQ on hiring progress, visa cases, costs and compliance risks.

9. Lead projects for entity formation, hiring waves and office launches to ensure timely and quality delivery.

Requirements ：

1. Bachelor’s degree or above , people with major at HR, Business, Psychology, Law or a related, master degree is preferred, and overseas studying experience is a plus.

2. Minimum 8 years’ experience in HR, office/people operations.

3. 5 years of hands-on experience in Japan market.

4. Native-level Chinese; fluent in Japanese (spoken & written sufficient for daily work); bi-lingual (Japanese/EN) preferred.

5. Strong understanding of Japan labor law, social security and tax basics; capable of managing employment contracts, payroll basics and registrations.

6. Hands-on experience supporting PRC hires with Japan work visas and relocation; able to coordinate immigration counsel and consular procedures.

7. Demonstrated experience in building teams from scratch, entity registration and office setup—preferably within international/tech companies.

8. Familiarity with technical hiring and ability to screen engineering/architecture/product candidates; IT background preferred.

9. Experience managing EOR/payroll vendors; understanding of EOR compliance risks, fee structures and vendor due diligence.

10. Led entity registration or transitioned teams from EOR to direct employment.

11. Strong local PRC/Chinese candidate network, ties to Chinese community channels or long-term partnerships with APAC recruiters.

12. Experience with cross-border payroll, equity/stock option implementation or international secondments.

13. Deep understanding of PRC candidate concerns regarding visas, tax, social security and family relocation.