HR Manager

General Position Summary

The HR Manager, Business Partnering & Employee Relations, serves as a strategic and operational partner to management, supporting leaders and employees across the organization. This role is responsible for employee relations, manager coaching, talent acquisition strategy, and HR governance, while collaborating closely with HR Operations to ensure compliance, consistency, and effective employee experience.

The position acts as a trusted advisor to managers, balancing business needs, legal risk management, and organizational effectiveness in a multicultural and multi-state environment.

This role is expected to demonstrate strong ownership and initiative while operating within established HR frameworks and company policies. The HR Manager works in close alignment with the VP, Human Resources to ensure decisions, recommendations, and actions are consistent with company mission, values, and overall HR strategy, particularly in areas involving legal, cultural, or organizational risk.

Essential Job Functions 

1. HR Business Partnering & Manager Support（30%）

-       Serve as a primary HR advisor to managers on employee relations, performance management, corrective actions, and organizational issues.

-       Coach managers on people management practices, decision-making, and communication to ensure consistency and compliance.

-       Support organizational changes, role clarifications, and workforce planning in alignment with business needs.

-       Act as an escalation point for complex or sensitive employee issues by organizing facts, identifying risks, and escalating to the VP, Human Resources for alignment and direction as appropriate.

2.     Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning（30%）

-       Own and manage the full-cycle talent acquisition process end to end, from workforce planning and requisition intake through sourcing, interviewing, offer, and onboarding coordination.

-       Partner closely with hiring managers to define hiring needs, priorities, and timelines, ensuring a consistent and effective candidate experience.

-       Operate and manage the ATS, including requisition setup, candidate tracking, interview workflows, documentation, and reporting

-       Coordinate and schedule interviews, including communication with candidates, interviewers, and external partners, ensuring a smooth and timely process.

-       Manage and oversee external recruiters and vendors as needed, ensuring quality, efficiency, and cost effectiveness.

-       Provide guidance on job design, job leveling, compensation alignment, and offer decisions in partnership with leadership.

-       Ensure compliance with applicable employment regulations and internal standards throughout the recruiting and hiring process.

3.     Employee Relations & Risk Management（20%）

-       Lead and manage employee relations matters, including investigations, disciplinary actions, and terminations, in alignment with company policy and applicable employment laws.

-       Assess employee relations risks, gather and organize relevant facts, and develop recommended options, escalating complex, high-risk, or sensitive matters to the VP, Human Resources for alignment and decision-making.

-       Serve as an internal escalation point for employee relations issues, with responsibility for issue triage, documentation, and preparation of decision frameworks.

-       Ensure consistent application and interpretation of HR policies and practices across the organization.

-       Partner with legal counsel and external advisors in coordination with, and under the direction of, the VP of Human Resources, particularly in matters involving expatriate employees, multi-jurisdictional considerations, or elevated legal risk.

4. HR Governance, Policy & Cross-functional Initiatives（20%）

-       Support the development, interpretation, and communication of HR policies and procedures.

-       Collaborate with HR Operations (Payroll, Benefits, HRIS) to ensure alignment between policy, process, and execution.

-       Participate in cross-functional initiatives, including organizational development, employee experience, and HR transformation projects.

-       Contribute to HR reporting, documentation standards, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Employee Handbook Governance & Annual Update

-       Coordinate the annual Employee Handbook update cycle, including preparation of draft revisions based on policy changes, regulatory updates, and internal communications issued during the year.

-       Consolidate and organize updates in collaboration with VP HR and legal counsel, ensuring consistency with approved policies and regulatory requirements.

-       Manage the annual handbook release timeline, including preparation for employee communication and acknowledgment, with a target release date (e.g., July 1).

-       Support employee-facing communications related to handbook updates, ensuring clarity and accessibility of information.

-       Provide backup support for HR Generalist operational functions (payroll, benefits, HRIS administration) during absence, system transition, or critical business periods to ensure continuity and risk mitigation.

-       Maintain sufficient working knowledge of core HR operational processes to validate accuracy and compliance when required.

Requirements

Education

-       Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field required.

-       Master’s degree preferred.

Certifications

-       SHRM-CP / SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR preferred.

Experience

-       Minimum 7–10 years of progressive HR experience, including employee relations and manager advisory roles.

-       Experience supporting a multinational and multicultural workforce, including partnership with a global headquarters and local operations.

-       Experience working in a multi-state and/or multi-cultural organization.

-       Demonstrated ability to manage sensitive employee issues and provide sound judgment under pressure.

-       Experience partnering with leadership in a business-facing HR role.

Skills / Knowledge / Abilities

-       Strong knowledge of U.S. employment laws and HR best practices.

-       Demonstrated ability to navigate cross-cultural stakeholder expectations and translate HR intent into practical, compliant local execution.

-       Strong written and verbal communication skills in English; ability to produce clear HR documentation and employee communications.

-       Excellent interpersonal, coaching, and conflict resolution skills.

-       Ability to balance business priorities with compliance and risk management.

-       Strong judgment, discretion, and integrity.

-       Clear and effective communication skills, both written and verbal.

-       Ability to work independently while collaborating closely with HR and business stakeholders.

Physical

-       Typical office environment; with normal office temperature and noise levels

-       Moving about, talking, hearing, seeing, using hands and fingers

-       Job may require extended sitting or standing, use of standard office equipment

-       Minimal lifting to 15 lbs.

-       Ability to drive and travel using different modes of transportation

A benefits summary can be found by clicking on the Osaka Gas USA Benefits Overview.

Do you like what you see? We encourage you to visit the Osaka Gas USA Careers Page to learn more about working at our company.

Osaka Gas USA participates in the U.S. Government's E-Verify program. Please read the E-Verify Notice in English/Spanish and the Right to Work Notice in English or Spanish before proceeding with your job application.