People Operations Specialist, Tokyo

About the Team

The Employee Support team is part of the People Operations organization and is focused on providing seamless support for employees and managers. We partner across the People Team and with cross-functional partners to ensure employees and managers can get information and questions answered about our People programs, benefits and processes.

About the Role

As a People Ops Specialist, you will be the first in the role on the People team supporting our team in Japan. In partnership with the broader People Staff, you will be responsible for supporting employee processes, including onboarding, employee data, benefits, and compliance with local employment laws. Your experience in the Japanese employment market will be essential as you navigate local regulations and provide guidance to employees and managers. 

We’re looking for someone who is proactive, detail-oriented, and has a strong understanding of the Japanese employment landscape. This role requires excellent communication skills, the ability to manage multiple priorities, and a collaborative mindset to work cross-functionally with our teams across the world.

In this role, you will:

• Manage and administer People processes, including employee data management, support the onboarding process for new hires in Japan and other APAC markets, ensuring a positive employee experience from day one.
• Implement and maintain People policies and procedures that are aligned with both local legal requirements and global company standards.
• Be the local point of contact for employee and manager questions, ensuring employee lifecycle processes run smoothly including HR generalist support.
• Partner with our broader HR team and for work related to employment law.
• Partner with our Employee Relations team by helping to conduct investigations and provide advice and guidance to managers and employees as needed.
• Support People system management and ensure data integrity across all people-related platforms.

You might thrive in this role if you:

• 3-5 years of experience in the HR field, experience working in a global company based in the United States.
• Have experience with Workday.
• Have knowledge and experience in Japanese employment law and HR practices, with additional expertise in other APAC countries being a plus.
• Are fluent in English and Japanese, both written and spoken, and can effectively communicate with diverse stakeholders.
• Have a strong track record of working in a regional office with a dynamic, fast-paced environment with leaders, managers, and employees.
• Possess excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities effectively.
• Demonstrate strong problem-solving skills and the ability to navigate complex employee relations issues.
• Are proactive and self-motivated, with a commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Location and Workplace

This role is based in our Tokyo, Japan office, located in the Roppongi district. Our offices use a hybrid work model: three days in the office per week with optional work from home on Thursdays and Fridays. We offer relocation assistance to new employees.

About OpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity. 

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. 

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For US Based Candidates: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link.

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