People Manager (Asia Based) for non-profit energy think tank

Senior, hands-on People Manager role within a mission-driven, global organization, leading Ember's HR function, focusing on maintaining high-quality, consistent people practices across regions, and leveraging AI and digital tools for HR processes.

Location: Remote

Salary: £41,576 - £60,978 dependent on experience and local cost-of-living

Responsibilities

• Provide direct line management to the People Officer, supporting their professional growth, ensuring workloads are achievable, and setting clear objectives.
• Provide coaching and guidance to build capability in handling HR cases, employee relations, and systems.
• Ensure the People team delivers consistently high-quality support to Ember staff worldwide.
• Oversee delivery of employee lifecycle processes through the People Officer, ensuring processes run smoothly and consistently across global locations.
• Lead the use of digital and AI-enabled tools to streamline, automate and improve HR processes, data management and reporting.
• Hold responsibility for employee relations outcomes, acting as a trusted advisor to managers and providing senior HR judgement on people issues.
• Proactively develop systems, tools, and guidance that equip managers to manage people matters confidently and consistently.
• Monitor external HR and employment law developments, especially across Asia.
• Own Ember’s HR policy framework, ensuring policies are practical, user-friendly, reflect best practice, and are legally compliant.
• Delegate policy drafting, maintenance, and implementation to the People Officer.
• Provide clear, accessible advice on HR and employment issues, with strong expertise in Asia.
• Oversee relationships with Employer of Record providers and other HR/benefits partners.
• Ensure HR data and records are accurate, secure, and meet data protection requirements.
• Work with the People Officer and managers to embed Ember’s values across teams.
• Provide leadership and guidance on employee engagement, wellbeing, and retention initiatives.
• Work with managers to strengthen learning and development opportunities, career pathways, and succession planning.
• Support managers to build positive team cultures aligned with Ember’s values.
• Use HR data and feedback to identify trends and recommend changes to improve the employee experience.
• Work closely with the Operations Manager and COO to set Ember’s People priorities.
• Identify opportunities to make People processes, systems, and structures simpler, fairer, and more effective.
• Support organizational design and workforce planning.
• Provide HR insights and analysis to senior management.

Requirements

• A recognised mid-level HR qualification or equivalent professional experience (e.g., CIPD Level 5, SHRM-CP, PHR, IHRP-CP, CPHR, HKIHRM membership, or a relevant HR degree).
• Strong knowledge of HR practices and employment law, with expertise in Asia and awareness of global HR trends.
• Experience of using AI-enabled digital tools to improve, automate or streamline HR processes.
• Experience handling employee relations cases, including disciplinary, grievance, absence management, and performance concerns.
• Demonstrable experience developing and implementing HR policies and procedures.
• Proven track record of line management or coaching within a People team.
• Ability to analyze HR metrics, identify trends, and make recommendations.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• High emotional intelligence, resilience, and ability to handle sensitive matters with confidentiality.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.

Benefits

• Salary: £41,576 - £60,978 dependent on experience and local cost-of-living.
• Contract: Full time, permanent, with a 3-month probationary period.
• Location: Remote, with a diverse global team.
• Further benefits include a nine-day fortnight, 25 days holiday plus UK bank holidays, additional days based on tenure, paid maternity and paternity leave, flexible working, access to local workspace, free annual eye tests, counselling service, training and development funding, paid volunteer day, four paid days for low carbon travel, and time off to donate blood.