HR Service Leader, Japan

Thank you for your interest in joining Solventum. Solventum is a new healthcare company with a long legacy of solving big challenges that improve lives and help healthcare professionals perform at their best. At Solventum, people are at the heart of every innovation we pursue. Guided by empathy, insight, and clinical intelligence, we collaborate with the best minds in healthcare to address our customers’ toughest challenges. While we continue updating the Solventum Careers Page and applicant materials, some documents may still reflect legacy branding. Please note that all listed roles are Solventum positions, and our Privacy Policy: applies to any personal information you submit. As it was with 3M, at Solventum all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Job Description: Japan HR Services Team Leader (Remote role based in Dalian/Onsite role based in Shanghai, China) 3M Health Care is now Solventum At Solventum, we enable better, smarter, safer healthcare to improve lives. As a new company with a long legacy of creating breakthrough solutions for our customers’ toughest challenges, we pioneer game-changing innovations at the intersection of health, material and data science that change patients' lives for the better while enabling healthcare professionals to perform at their best. Because people, and their wellbeing, are at the heart of every scientific advancement we pursue. We partner closely with the brightest minds in healthcare to ensure that every solution we create melds the latest technology with compassion and empathy. Because at Solventum, we never stop solving for you. Role Overview The HR Services Team Lead for Japan is a member of the Global HR Service Delivery Operations team and is accountable for the delivery of high-quality HR services for Japan. This is a remote role based in Dalian, China, supporting HR service delivery for the Japan market. This role provides leadership and direction for the Japan HR Services operation, ensuring consistent, compliant, and employee-centric service delivery through a combination of local and remote resources. The position serves as the primary point of accountability for HR Service Delivery in Japan, overseeing day-to-day operations while maintaining a hands-on role in service execution and issue resolution. The HR Services Team Lead partners closely with local HR teams, regional HR Operations, Centers of Excellence (COEs), vendors, and global stakeholders to ensure seamless service delivery, operational excellence, and business continuity. Beyond operational management, the role drives continuous improvement through process simplification, standardization, digitization, and automation initiatives that enhance both employee experience and operational efficiency. The successful candidate will build strong stakeholder partnerships, foster trust and understanding of the HR Services model, and lead change initiatives that support the evolution of HR service delivery in Japan. What Differentiates This Role Unlike a traditional HR Operations role, this position will be based in Dalian, China but is accountable for the overall success of HR Services delivery in Japan. The role combines team leadership, operational accountability, service ownership, employee experience, and transformation leadership, with a strong emphasis on process simplification, automation, service optimization, and sustainable service delivery excellence. The Impact You’ll Make in this Role As an HR Services Coordinator, you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative and diverse people around the world. Here, you will make an impact by: HR Service Delivery Leadership & Team Management Own overall HR Service Delivery performance for Japan, ensuring high-quality, consistent, and compliant services Lead and coordinate a blended team of local and remote HR Services resources supporting Japan Prioritize workloads, allocate resources, and ensure service continuity across all HR operational activities Monitor service performance, identify risks and capacity challenges, and drive proactive resolution Coach, support, and develop team members while fostering collaboration, accountability, and a service excellence mindset Serve as the primary escalation point for complex employee, manager, and stakeholder issues Service Delivery & Operations Provide hands-on support for HR operations while ensuring effective execution across the wider team Respond to employee and manager inquiries, ensuring timely and accurate resolution of HR-related requests Oversee employee lifecycle administration, including hiring, termination, leave of absence (LOA), transfers, and return-from-leave processes Manage document administration and coordination with employees, managers, vendors, and external authorities Ensure accuracy and integrity of employee data maintained in Workday and other HR systems Drive adherence to established service standards, controls, and compliance requirements Manage relationships with external vendors, government agencies, and regulatory bodies Ensure accurate preparation and issuance of employment-related certificates and documentation Maintain compliance with local regulations, internal standards, and audit requirements Benefits & Programs Administration Oversee administration of pension programs (DB/DC), health insurance programs, and other country-specific HR processes Oversee administration of employee benefit programs and related processes, including: Company housing programs Employee savings plans and group insurance Relocation support and allowances Various employee allowances and reimbursements Ensure timely vendor coordination, payroll inputs, payments, reconciliations, and employee support Drive process consistency and service quality across all benefits-related activities Process Ownership & Operational Excellence Act as the end-to-end process owner for HR Services delivery across Japan Maintain visibility across all operational processes, identifying dependencies, bottlenecks, risks, and improvement opportunities Drive alignment and coordination across local HR, regional HR Operations, COEs, Payroll, Finance, and external partners Establish governance and operational discipline to ensure sustainable service delivery and workload management Develop and maintain process documentation, knowledge repositories, and service standards Continuous Improvement, Simplification & Automation Lead initiatives to simplify, streamline, and modernize HR service delivery processes Challenge existing ways of working and identify opportunities for increased efficiency, scalability, and quality Drive adoption of automation, self-service solutions, digital tools, and workflow optimization Partner with regional and global teams to standardize processes and implement best practices Support implementation of new technologies, process enhancements, and service model changes Utilize operational metrics and employee feedback to continuously improve outcomes Employee Experience & Stakeholder Partnership Champion a positive employee experience by ensuring responsive, reliable, and customer-focused HR support Build strong partnerships with local HR teams, People Experience leaders, COEs, managers, and business stakeholders Act as a trusted advisor on HR Services processes and operational matters Drive awareness, understanding, and adoption of HR Services programs, tools, and processes Lead change management efforts associated with service transformation and process improvements Service Continuity & Risk Management Ensure operational resilience through effective succession planning, cross-training, and knowledge management Identify service delivery risks, resource constraints, and process vulnerabilities and implement mitigation plans Lead business continuity planning to maintain stable service delivery during periods of organizational change, transition, or increased demand Establish sustainable operating models that reduce dependency on individual contributors and improve long-term service stability Reporting, Analytics & Performance Management Monitor service performance using operational KPIs, service metrics, and employee feedback Provide reporting and insights to local, regional, and global stakeholders Identify trends and recommend actions to improve service quality, efficiency, and employee satisfaction Support data-driven decision-making across HR Operations and partner functions Your Skills and Expertise To set you up for success in this role from day one, Solventum requires (at a minimum) the following qualifications: Bachelor’s degree or higher In addition to the above requirements, the following are also required: Required Experience 5+ years of HR Operations or Shared Services experience, preferably within a complex multinational environment Strong knowledge of Japan HR practices, employment regulations, benefits, and employee lifecycle processes, with Shared Services Centre experience supporting the Japan market preferred Ability to effectively collaborate with Japan-based stakeholders and navigate Japanese business and cultural practices Experience leading teams or coordinating service delivery across multiple stakeholders and locations Strong experience in benefits administration, employee lifecycle management, pension programs, health insurance administration, or related HR operations Experience driving process improvement, standardization, digitization, or automation initiatives Experience working within global or regional HR service delivery models​ Excellent Japanese language communication capabilities both oral and written. Key Capabilities Strong leadership and people management skills End-to-end process ownership mindset Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills Strong customer and employee experience orientation Proven ability to lead change and drive adoption of new ways of working Continuous improvement and operational excellence mindset Strong analytical and problem-solving skills Ability to balance strategic priorities with hands-on operational execution Excellent organizational and prioritization skills Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel and reporting tools Understanding of local labor laws Languages Fluent Japanese and English (written and verbal) Work location: Dalian, China/Shanghai, China Remote or Hybrid working arrangement Travel: as business required Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status). Supporting Your Well-being Solventum offers many programs to help you live your best life – both physically and financially. To ensure competitive pay and benefits, Solventum regularly benchmarks with other companies that are comparable in size and scope. Solventum is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and professionalism in our recruitment process. Applicants must remain alert to fraudulent job postings and recruitment schemes that falsely claim to represent Solventum and seek to exploit job seekers. Please note that all email communications from Solventum regarding job opportunities with the company will be from an email with a domain of @solventum.com . Be wary of unsolicited emails or messages regarding Solventum job opportunities from emails with other email domains. 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