HR People Operations Manager

People Operations Manager

Human Resources | MWG Corporate | Taguig, Metro Manila
Reports to: HR Director

Why This Role Exists

This is a hands-on people operations leadership role for someone who enjoys turning plans into execution and bringing structure to complex people challenges.

The role is responsible for ensuring that core people processes run smoothly, consistently, and with clear accountability across the employee lifecycle, from recruitment through separation. The role leads talent acquisition, people operations, employee services, compensation and benefits administration, employee relations, compliance execution, workforce reporting, and HR operational planning.

Success in this role requires more than strong HR knowledge. In a creative agency environment, you will work with people who bring different priorities, personalities, working styles, and perspectives. The ability to build trust, earn credibility, and navigate complexity through strong relationships is just as important as technical HR capability.

Success in this role is built on three foundations:

Operational Rigor & Discipline

You can establish clear ownership, maintain standards, manage details, anticipate risks, and ensure commitments are delivered accurately, consistently, and on time.

Relationship Building & Business Partnership

You can build trust and credibility with employees, managers, leaders, and support teams regardless of function, level, or seniority. You listen well, communicate clearly, navigate differing perspectives, and help people reach practical solutions. You know when to apply policy, when to exercise judgment, and how to balance employee needs, business realities, and agency culture.

Business & Strategic Thinking

You can see beyond the immediate issue, connect people decisions to business outcomes, identify opportunities for improvement, and contribute ideas that strengthen the organization over time. You understand that great people practices are not just compliant and efficient, they also encourage the right behaviors, mindset, and culture.

This is first and foremost an operational leadership role. The primary measure of success is the consistent delivery of high-quality People Operations services. Strategic contributions are expected and encouraged, but policy governance and final approvals remain with senior leadership.

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What You'll Primarily Own

1. Talent Acquisition & Workforce Support

• Lead the Talent Acquisition function, ensuring effective recruitment delivery, a strong candidate experience, and healthy talent pipelines.
• Partner with leaders on hiring priorities, workforce needs, and workforce planning discussions.
• Build trusted relationships with hiring managers while maintaining hiring quality, appropriate governance, and sound judgment.

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2. Compensation, Benefits & Employee Services

• Lead compensation and benefits administration, employee services, wellness programs, and employee support activities.
• Ensure employee transactions, benefits administration, vendor management, and employee-facing services are delivered accurately and consistently.
• Partner with Finance to ensure accurate employee data and approved people actions are provided for downstream processing.

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3. HR Operations & Employee Lifecycle Management

• Lead onboarding, offboarding, employee records management, timekeeping administration, and core employee lifecycle processes.
• Ensure HR data, systems, documentation, and controls remain accurate, current, and audit-ready.
• Improve processes and service delivery to create a better employee and manager experience.
• Build effective working relationships across support functions to ensure employees receive a seamless experience.

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4. Employee Relations & Compliance

• Manage employee relations matters, workplace concerns, disciplinary processes, and investigations in accordance with company policies and legal requirements.
• Provide practical guidance to managers and employees while balancing employee experience, business needs, and risk considerations.
• Build trust across employees, managers, leaders, and support functions so concerns are surfaced early, conversations remain constructive, and issues can be resolved effectively.
• Work closely with the HR Director and Legal partners on higher-risk matters.

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5. People Insights, Planning & Organizational Effectiveness

• Develop people insights, reports, and recommendations that support workforce and business decisions.
• Lead HR planning, budgeting, vendor management, and operational governance activities.
• Partner with the HR Director in policy development, organizational improvement initiatives, and the implementation of people practices that reinforce the agency's values, culture, and desired behaviors.
• Build strong partnerships across business units and support functions to understand operational needs, gather perspective, and improve people programs and processes.

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What You'll Partner On

Culture, Engagement & Development

• Partner with leaders to strengthen employee engagement, inclusion, learning, and development initiatives.
• Help translate culture priorities into practical employee experiences and everyday team practices.
• Strengthen relationships across teams and functions, helping bridge different perspectives and encouraging collaboration.
• Reinforce company values through consistent communication, execution, and stakeholder partnership.

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Decision-Making & Governance

The People Operations Manager is expected to exercise sound judgment, make recommendations, and drive execution within their areas of responsibility.

The role partners closely with the HR Director on policy development, organizational improvement, budgeting, and strategic initiatives. Final approval authority for applicable policies, budgets, compensation programs, and major people initiatives remains with executive leadership in accordance with company governance requirements.

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What Success Looks Like

• Critical roles are filled with quality talent within business requirements.
• Employee services, benefits, timekeeping, and employee lifecycle processes are delivered accurately and consistently.
• Employee relations matters are managed fairly, professionally, and with sound judgment.
• Leaders trust HR data, insights, and execution quality.
• Policies and people practices are practical, well understood, and reinforce the culture the agency wants to build.
• Trusted relationships are built across the agency, enabling open communication, productive collaboration, and better decision-making.
• Leaders and employees view HR as a practical, credible partner that helps solve problems, exercise sound judgment, and move work forward.
• HR budgets, programs, and vendor relationships are managed responsibly and effectively.
• The function continuously improves rather than simply maintaining existing processes.
• The People Operations Manager demonstrates increasing business understanding, leadership capability, and strategic contribution over time.

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