Associate Director - People Partner

Edelman is a voice synonymous with trust, reimagining a future where the currency of communication is action. Our culture thrives on three promises: boldness is possibility, empathy is progress, and curiosity is momentum. 

At Edelman, we understand diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) transform our colleagues, our company, our clients, and our communities. We are in relentless pursuit of an equitable and inspiring workplace that is respectful of all, reflects and represents the world in which we live, and fosters trust, collaboration and belonging.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced and strategic People Partner to support our Hong Kong and Taiwan markets. Based in Hong Kong, this role will serve as a trusted advisor to business leaders while partnering closely with local, regional, and global People Team members across a highly matrixed organization.

Reporting to the China People Partner, this role plays a critical part in shaping and executing people strategies that drive organizational effectiveness, business transformation, leadership capability, and employee engagement across Hong Kong and Taiwan.

This is an individual contributor role that requires a commercially minded and highly collaborative People leader who is comfortable operating in a fast-paced, multicultural, and matrixed environment. The successful candidate will bring strong regional and local market experience, demonstrated success leading change management and organizational transformation initiatives, and the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels without direct authority.

As part of Edelman’s “One People Team” model, the People Partner will work closely with Centers of Excellence (COEs) and People Operations teams to deliver integrated, high-impact people solutions aligned to business priorities, while effectively navigating complexity across markets, functions, and leadership teams.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Business Partnership

• Serve as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to business leaders across Hong Kong and Taiwan on people, talent, and organizational priorities.
• Proactively partner closely with leadership teams to align people and organizational strategies with business objectives, growth priorities, and long-term market plans.
• As a people leader, contribute to monthly business reviews and leadership discussions by providing strategic insights on workforce trends, organizational health, talent risks, succession planning, and people-related business performance indicators.
• Lead strategic workforce planning initiatives, including organizational design, headcount planning, talent investments, and capability planning, ensuring alignment with business and financial objectives.
• Partner with business leaders and finance stakeholders to manage workforce-related financial planning, including resource allocation, productivity considerations, and people cost optimization strategies.
• Provide thought leadership and counsel on organizational effectiveness, leadership capability, culture transformation, employee engagement and change management.
• Influence and collaborate effectively across local, regional, and global stakeholders within a highly matrixed organization, driving alignment and outcomes through strong partnership and influence without direct authority.

Organizational Development & Change Management

• Lead and support organizational change initiatives including restructures, transformation programs, new ways of working, and cultural evolution.
• Drive change management strategies that ensure effective communication, leadership alignment, employee engagement, and adoption.
• Partner with leaders to navigate ambiguity and organizational complexity while maintaining strong employee experience and business continuity.

Talent & Leadership Strategy

• Partner with business leaders to identify and develop talent strategies that support long-term organizational success, improve employee engagement and drive a high performing culture
• Support succession planning, leadership development, talent reviews, and performance management initiatives.
• Coach leaders on team effectiveness, leadership capability, employee engagement, and people management practices.

Employee Relations & Compliance

• Provide strategic guidance and hands-on support on complex employee relations matters with professionalism, sound judgment, and discretion.
• Partner closely with legal and People Operations teams to ensure compliance with local labor laws and employment regulations in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
• Foster an inclusive, respectful, and high-performing workplace culture.

One People Team Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with regional COEs including Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, Talent Management, DEIB, and Total Rewards to deliver enterprise-wide people initiatives.
• Act as the bridge between business needs and People Team solutions, ensuring programs are effectively implemented and locally relevant.
• Work in partnership with People Operations teams to ensure a seamless employee experience and operational excellence.

Key Qualifications

• 10–15+ years of progressive HR experience, including significant experience in strategic HR business partnering roles within multinational and matrixed organizations.
• Proven ability to build strong partnerships with senior business leaders and influence decision-making across multiple stakeholder groups.
• Demonstrated experience leading organizational change and transformation initiatives in complex business environments.
• Strong understanding of Hong Kong and Taiwan employment practices and labor regulations.
• Experience working across both local market and regional/global organizational structures.
• Strong commercial acumen and ability to connect people strategy to business outcomes.
• Skilled in navigating ambiguity, managing sensitive situations, and balancing strategic and operational priorities.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and executive coaching skills.
• Fluent in English, Mandarin Chinese, and Cantonese, both written and verbal.
• Experience within professional services, communications, consulting, or similarly fast-paced industries is preferred.

We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t perfectly align with every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.