Do you enjoy supporting people, bringing clarity to complex situations, and helping teams work at their best?
We’re looking for a Human Resources Manager to join our Tokyo studio, who is organised, thoughtful, and confident when supporting both employees and managers across a wide range of people-related matters.
This role is focused on ensuring our HR processes run smoothly, consistently, and to a high standard. You will work closely with the CEO and studio leadership to support recruitment, employee relations, and performance management, while helping maintain a positive and well-functioning workplace.
If you enjoy building strong working relationships, solving people challenges, and creating structure that helps teams succeed, this role could be a great fit.
The preferred candidate is available to work on-site in Tokyo as part of our collaborative studio environment.
Key Responsibilities
HR Operations and Delivery
- Oversee the day-to-day delivery of HR operations, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and high standards across all employee lifecycle activities.
- Maintain HR systems, records, and documentation, ensuring everything is well organised and up to date.
- Support the continuous improvement of HR processes and workflows.
Recruitment and Onboarding
- Coordinate recruitment processes in partnership with managers, supporting role definition, interview processes, and hiring decisions.
- Ensure a smooth and well-structured onboarding experience for new hires.
- Help maintain a clear and consistent approach to hiring across the studio.
Employee Relations and Support
- Act as a key point of contact for employee relations matters, providing clear, fair, and practical guidance.
- Support managers in handling people-related situations with consistency and confidence.
- Help maintain a respectful, inclusive, and well-communicated workplace environment.
Performance Management
- Support and coordinate performance management processes, including probation reviews and annual review cycles.
- Ensure timelines, documentation, and expectations are clear and consistently applied.
- Help managers deliver clear and constructive feedback.
Policies and Compliance
- Maintain and update HR policies and procedures in line with company standards and Japanese labour requirements.
- Ensure HR practices remain compliant and aligned with best practice.
- Work with external advisors where needed to confirm compliance.
Team Coordination and Collaboration
- Support and coordinate the work of the HR Specialist, ensuring priorities are clear and tasks are delivered effectively.
- Work closely with managers, supervisors, and leadership to support people-related needs.
- Build strong, collaborative relationships across departments.
What You’ll Bring
- 5+ years of experience in a senior HR role, ideally in a fast-paced or creative environment.
- Strong understanding of HR processes, including recruitment, employee relations, and performance management.
- Good working knowledge of Japanese labour laws and HR best practices.
- Confidence supporting managers and handling a range of people-related situations.
- Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
- Excellent communication skills and a calm, practical approach.
- Empathy and good judgement, with the ability to balance compassion and understanding with consistency, honesty, and fairness in decision-making.
- Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
- Fluency in English is required. Japanese language skills are highly desirable.
- Ability and willingness to work on-site in Tokyo is strongly preferred.
If you enjoy helping people do their best work, creating clarity and consistency, and supporting a positive and well-run workplace, we’d love to hear from you.
Come help us build an environment where great work and great people can thrive.
