People & Culture Manager (Employee Relations)

About the client:

Our client was formed to provide a genuine alternative to traditional face-to-face fundraising. They connect donors with major charities like UNICEF, WWF, and UNHCR. The firm focuses on high-volume donor acquisition through events and street marketing.

Job Overview:

The People & Culture Manager (Employee Relations) will be responsible for managing employee relations matters, ensuring compliance with Malaysian labour laws, fostering a positive workplace culture, and supporting organisational performance through effective people practices.

This role acts as a trusted advisor to management and employees on workplace policies, disciplinary processes, and engagement initiatives.

Play a key strategic and operational role in ensuring that people practices, policies, and systems are effective, compliant, and aligned with company values. Reporting directly to the Managing Directors and working as part of the back-end team, this role will collaborate closely with senior operational managers and their teams, as well as with colleagues in account management, finance, logistics, and data.

Responsible for overseeing all HR compliance and administrative functions, ensuring that employment practices meet legal standards across all jurisdictions. This includes maintaining accurate and confidential staff records for all fundraising personnel, managing relationships with external advisors, and supporting the smooth operation of HR processes company wide.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Employee Relations & Case Management:

• Manage and investigate employee grievances, disciplinary matters, misconduct cases, and domestic inquiries in accordance with company policies and employment regulations.
• Coordinate and manage the execution and administrative processes related to employee relations matters, including preparation and documentation of Performance Improvement Plans (PIP), warning letters, show-cause letters, and termination documentation.
• Provide guidance and support to management on performance management processes, disciplinary actions, and appropriate corrective measures.
• Ensure fair, consistent, and compliant application of company policies, procedures, and disciplinary actions.
• Facilitate conflict resolution and mediation between employees and management to maintain a positive and productive workplace environment.

2. Compliance & Industrial Relations:

• Ensure compliance with Malaysian employment legislation including, Employment Act 1955, Industrial Relations Act 1967 & Trade Unions Act 1959.
• Liaise with government authorities such as Jabatan Tenaga Kerja (JTK) & Industrial Court Malaysia.
• Represent the company in conciliation meetings and Industrial Court cases when required.
• Review and update HR policies in line with regulatory changes.

3. Policy Development & Implementation:

• Develop and implement HR policies, SOPs, and employee handbook updates.
• Conduct internal audits to ensure HR documentation compliance.
• Support change management initiatives within the organisation.

4. HR Leadership and Collaboration:

• Lead the delivery of HR operations, ensuring compliance, accuracy, and alignment with company values.
• Work closely with Managing Directors, senior operational managers, and the back-end team to provide HR guidance and support.
• Collaborate with internal teams to ensure HR practices integrate effectively across the business.
• Refer to external advisors to interpret and apply employment law, organisational policy, and best practice guidance.
• Collaborate with external specialists to ensure employment law, policy updates, and best practice guidance are accurately interpreted and effectively applied across the company.

5. Compliance and Policy Management:

• Oversee the maintenance of accurate and confidential employee records for all fundraising staff.

6. Employee Engagement & Culture:

• Drive employee engagement initiatives and workplace culture programs.
• Analyse employee feedback surveys and recommend improvements.
• Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
• Support employer branding initiatives.

7. Advisory & Business Partnering:

• Partner with line managers to support workforce planning and talent retention.
• Provide coaching to managers on people management best practices.
• Support organisational restructuring and redundancy exercises where required.

Requirements:

• Bachelors Degree in Human Resource Management, Business Administration, or related field.
• Minimum 4–6 years of experience in Employee Relations or HR Generalist role with strong ER exposure.
• Strong knowledge of Malaysian labour and industrial relations laws.
• Experience handling domestic inquiry processes.
• Excellent investigation, mediation, and conflict resolution skills.
• Strong documentation and report-writing ability.
• High level of confidentiality and professionalism.