Location: Malaysia 
Function: People
Team: People
Line Manager: Regional HR Manager 
KPIs: Retention, Contribution, Engagement, Internal Promotions
 

As an Area HR Manager based in Malaysia, you act as a strategic people partner to the Area Manager and Sales Teams, driving the execution of the people agenda to enable sustainable growth and an exceptional customer experience. You work closely with store leadership on a daily basis, strengthening performance through effective workforce planning, leadership capability building, talent development, and a values‑led approach to performance management.

In this role, you play a critical part in shaping a positive and inclusive culture across Singapore, Malaysia, The Philipines, Australia, New Zealand and India. You ensure that our values are consistently lived in the stores, that leaders are equipped to support and develop their teams, and that all employees experience fair, compliant, and engaging working conditions.

As a visible role model, you lead with both outcomes and care, demonstrating our values through your actions and inspiring others to do the same.

What you will do:

• Drive Organisational Effectiveness: Lead strategic workforce planning for the area, ensuring current and future staffing needs are met through effective recruitment, internal mobility, succession planning, and talent pipeline development aligned to business growth.​

• Analysis and Business Impact: Use HR data and business insights to inform local priorities within the Global people strategy. Coach SM's on how to analyse and take action based on their KPI's so people metrics influence their decision making. ​

• ​Strengthen Leadership and Performance Contribution: Deliver structured performance management processes for Area Manager and Store Managers to implement across stores, secure quality through all talent processes. Identify training needs, partner with Regional HR and the Learning network to deliver mandatory and other targeted learning. Assure the quality and readiness of Trainers and Training Stores to support both current operations and future expansion. 

• ​Embed Values and Engagement into Operations: Actively promote company values and behaviours, ensuring cultural alignment through onboarding, values training, leadership coaching and feedback practices that strengthen engagement and team cohesion. ​

• ​Ensure a Fair, Compliant Workplace: Maintain consistent application of HR policies, legal compliance, and company standards while acting as the primary, neutral escalation point. Use HR data and insights to identify risks and proactively improve employee experience and workplace practices. ​

Alignment to our company values is the most important characteristic we look for in all new joiners. Our values are the behaviours that we appreciate above and beyond anything else. We are open-minded and curious, we dare to be different, we believe in constant improvement and we empower and trust you to take ownership. Our values are part of who we are, what we stand for and how we act.

What you need to succeed

• Business Acumen: ​Demonstrates a good understanding of the business direction and challenges. Can navigate the pace and complexity of the business to achieve results. ​

• Advisory Skills​: Has the ability to provide guidance, support and recommendations to managers, employees and other stakeholders on matters related to people and all aspects of the employee life cycle. ​

• ​Execution Excellence:​ Has the ability to put the strategic plan into action with precision and effectiveness, mobilising resources, rallying stakeholders behind the vision and navigating any challenges to create the desired outcome. Works with consistency, monitoring progress closely and following up. ​

• Communication Skills: ​Has the ability to convey information effectively and efficiently in a clear, concise and engaging manner. Skills include active listening, articulating thoughts and ideas, adapting communication style to the audience, providing and receiving feedback constructively and demonstrating good non-verbal communication.​

• ​Stakeholder Management: ​Can effectively engage with all individuals connected to particular issues, projects and business outcomes. Has the ability to understand stakeholder needs, communicate effectively, manage their expectations and address their concerns to ensure successful execution across business operations.

This is a full‑time role based in our Kular Lumpur Office in Malaysia, report to the Head of HR based in Singapore.The position requires a presence in the office 4 days a week, and candidates must already have the right to live and work in Malaysia.

Benefits

We offer all our employees attractive benefits with extensive development opportunities around the globe. All our employees receive a 25% staff discount usable on all our H&M Group brands in stores and online. In addition to our staff discount, all our employees are included in our H&M Incentive Program – HIP. You can read more about our H&M Incentive Program here.

In addition to this, you will also receive

• Annual Leave
• Birthday leave
• Medical Insurance
• 13th month salary
• Supplementary health insurance

Inclusion & Diversity  

At COS we're determined to create and maintain inclusive, diverse and equitable workplaces throughout our organisation. Our teams should consist of a variety of people who share and combine their knowledge, experience and ideas. Having a diverse workforce leads to a positive impact on how we address challenges, what we perceive as possible and how we choose to relate to our colleagues and customers all over the world, therefore all diversity dimensions are taken into consideration in our recruitment process.