Head of HR, Japan & Korea

About this Position

The Head of HR Japan & Korea will lead an integrated people agenda for two complex markets while respecting their distinct business, cultural and regulatory contexts. The successful candidate will be expected to move confidently between strategic counsel and decisive execution, strengthen local leadership and talent pipelines, and ensure that regional and global HR priorities create visible business impact locally. This is an opportunity to lead the people agenda across two strategically important Asian markets, shape organization and leadership outcomes at country level, and influence the broader APAC HR strategy as a member of the regional leadership team.

What you´ll do

• Shape the Business and Organization Agenda
  
• Act as a trusted adviser to country presidents, business and functional leaders on organization, workforce, leadership, and people priorities.
  
• Bring data, external perspective and sound judgment into senior leadership decisions, linking the people agenda directly to growth, productivity and organizational health.
  
• Translate global and APAC priorities into practical country strategies, balancing common standards with local relevance.
• Build Leadership, Talent and Culture
  
• Lead succession, talent reviews, leadership development and critical-capability planning across Japan and Korea.
  
• Strengthen internal mobility and development, ensuring high-potential and business-critical talent can see credible career opportunities within Henkel.
  
• Champion an inclusive, high-performance culture where leaders create clarity, accountability, engagement and a safe environment for constructive challenge.
  
• Lead Organization Change and Transformation
  
• Advise and lead the people dimension of organization design, restructuring, M&A integration, productivity and business-transformation initiatives.
  
• Help leaders anticipate employee, capability and cultural implications, and build adoption through clear decisions, communication and accountability.
  
• Drive organization effectiveness across country, business and functional interfaces.
  
• Oversee Workforce, Employee Relations and Governance
  
• Provide senior oversight of manufacturing workforce strategy, labor and employee relations, and significant workforce changes.
  
• Ensure sound HR governance, compliance and risk management across both markets, with effective local execution by HR teams.
  
• Partner closely with Regional Centers of Excellence, HR Operations/GBS+, Legal and Compliance to deliver integrated, efficient and employee-focused solutions.
  
• Lead and Evolve the HR Function
  
• Lead, coach and develop the Japan and Korea HR teams, building strong local ownership and strategic HR capability.
  
• Clarify roles across HR Business Partners, Centers of Excellence and HR Operations, reducing low-value transactional work and increasing strategic contribution.
  
• Represent Japan and Korea in the APAC HR Leadership Team, contributing local insight while helping shape regional priorities and solutions.

What makes you a good fit

• A credible country HR leader who combines commercial judgment and cultural sensitivity with the confidence to challenge senior stakeholders, make difficult decisions and build local leadership capability.
• Significant senior HR leadership experience in Korea, ideally with responsibility for a complex country, multi-business or regional portfolio.
  
• Strong strategic HR business-partnering capability, with demonstrated impact on organization design, talent, leadership and business transformation.
  
• Sound knowledge of Korean employment practices and employee relations; experience working with Japan or another complex Asian market is strongly preferred.
  
• Experience supporting commercial and manufacturing workforces, including material workforce change or labor-related matters.
  
• Ability to operate effectively in a matrix, influence without relying on hierarchy and collaborate across local, regional and global stakeholders.
  
• Proven people leadership, including developing HR teams and future successors.
  
• Fluent English and Korean. Japanese capability is advantageous but not essential where the candidate can lead effectively through a strong local Japan HR organization.

What success looks like in the first 12 months

• Trusted partnership with country and business leadership in both markets.
  
• A focused Japan-Korea people agenda clearly linked to business growth, productivity and transformation priorities.
  
• Stronger succession coverage, talent movement and development of critical capabilities.
  
• Effective leadership of major organization or workforce changes, with sound governance and employee trust.
  
• A more strategic, connected and capable HR team, with clear local ownership and effective use of regional CoEs and HR Operations.
  
• Visible contribution to the APAC HR Leadership Team and stronger connection of Japan and Korea talent and insights to the wider region.

Some perks of joining Henkel

• Flexible work scheme with flexible hours, hybrid work model, and work from anywhere policy for up to 30 days per year
• Diverse national and international growth opportunities
• Global wellbeing standards with health and preventive care programs
• Gender-neutral parental leave for a minimum of 8 weeks
• Employee Share Plan with voluntary investment and Henkel matching shares
• Retirement Pension DC
• Support for Employee Contributions of National Health Insurance
• Support for Medical Check-up
• Flexible commuting time

At Henkel, we come from a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences. We believe the uniqueness of all our employees is the power in us. Become part of the team and bring your uniqueness to us! We welcome all applications across different genders, origins, cultures, religions, sexual orientations, disabilities, and generations.