• We lean in: ownership over titles, outcomes over intentions.

The Role

We’re looking for a Senior People Business Partner to lead the People agenda in Japan and help our local business scale.

You will be the senior People partner to our Japan leadership team, working closely with the VP and Country Manager to translate business priorities into practical plans for our people and organisation. Reporting to the Director of People, APJ, based in Australia, you will bring local expertise into regional decisions and ensure our global approach works effectively in Japan.

This role combines strategic partnership with hands-on delivery. You might spend one part of your day advising a leader on team structure or coaching a manager through a performance conversation, and another resolving an employee issue or improving a local process. You’ll take ownership across that range, knowing when to act independently and when to bring in specialist support.

Your primary focus will be Japan, with the opportunity to contribute to other markets in the region as the business develops.

What You’ll Do

You will help leaders build effective teams, support employees through change, and ensure the day-to-day People experience runs well. That requires sound judgement, strong relationships, and the willingness to follow through on both significant decisions and operational details.

Specifically, you will:

• Partner closely with the VP and Country Manager of Japan and local leaders on organisational design, workforce planning, team effectiveness, and the people implications of business decisions.

• Translate business priorities into a focused local People plan, balancing the needs of a growing team with longer-term organisational development.

• Coach managers on setting expectations, giving direct feedback, developing talent, and addressing performance concerns early and effectively.

• Lead employee relations matters in Japan with discretion and sound judgement, working with Legal and specialist advisers where appropriate.

• Own the local delivery of People activities across the employee lifecycle, from onboarding and development through role changes and offboarding.

• Coordinate with regional and global colleagues, Finance, and external providers on local operational requirements, including benefits, payroll inputs, employee documentation, and accurate records.

• Ensure local policies and practices reflect Japanese employment requirements and align with Legora’s broader People approach.

• Deliver performance, talent, compensation, and engagement processes in Japan, helping leaders turn these into useful decisions and actions.

• Partner with Talent Acquisition and hiring managers on workforce needs, role clarity, and effective onboarding as teams grow.

• Strengthen communication and ways of working between Japan and the wider organisation, helping employees and leaders navigate cultural and organisational differences.

• Use employee feedback, People data, and your understanding of the business to identify issues early and recommend practical improvements.

What You Bring

You have the breadth to take ownership of a local People agenda and the judgement to know where your attention will make the greatest difference. You build trust with leaders and employees, give clear advice, and stay close enough to the detail to ensure decisions are carried through.

We’re looking for:

• Substantial experience in People business partnering or broad HR leadership roles in Japan, including experience helping a technology startup or scale-up grow.

• Deep practical knowledge of Japanese employment practices and employee relations, with experience handling complex and sensitive matters.

• A track record of advising senior business leaders on organisational design, performance, talent development, and change.

• Experience working across the employee lifecycle, with the willingness and capability to handle local operational tasks alongside strategic work.

• Experience in an international business, adapting global People programs to local needs and collaborating effectively with colleagues across markets.

• The confidence to challenge leaders constructively, explain trade-offs, and recommend a clear course of action.

• Strong ownership and prioritisation skills, with the ability to work independently and bring structure to changing circumstances.

• Discretion, empathy, and sound judgement when balancing employee needs, business priorities, and local requirements.

• Strong professional proficiency in Japanese and English, including the ability to handle sensitive employee conversations and advise senior stakeholders in both languages.

• A commitment to being based in Tokyo and working from the office five days per week.

Experience supporting other Asian markets would be valuable.

Why Join Legora?

You will have meaningful ownership of the People agenda in Japan and a close partnership with the leaders shaping the business. This is an opportunity to apply your local expertise, influence how teams develop, and build practical People approaches that support Legora’s growth.