People Coordinator, APAC (9-Months Contract)

About us The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading news organisations, globally recognised for its authority, integrity and accuracy, with a mission to deliver quality information and services worldwide. At the FT, curiosity thrives and ambitious thinking is rewarded. Here, you’re given the chance to reach millions, create work that matters and deliver impartial journalism in a polarised world. In our warm, collaborative culture, you’ll connect with a diverse community of experts who support your growth, career aspirations and wellbeing. Your future at the FT will be filled with opportunities that challenge and inspire you. With no fixed path, you’ll discover new skills and forge a career that can take you anywhere. Build a newsworthy career at the FT. Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion We believe in the power of unique perspectives and want all voices in our organisation to be heard, respected and valued. A supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves and operate to their full potential. We are committed to removing barriers for everyone, with a focus on addressing those faced by underrepresented groups. The Role: People Coordinator, APAC (excluding Manila) The Financial Times is looking for a People Coordinator, APAC to join our Global People team, supporting employees across China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan. This is a broad People Operations role covering payroll, compensation and benefits, employee lifecycle administration, HR systems, mobility, employee support and regional People projects. The role will also play an important part in improving how the team works through AI, automation and digital tools, as well as leading the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), wellbeing initiatives and employee engagement activities across the region. We are looking for someone who is organised, proactive, service-oriented, highly detail-oriented, careful and accurate, and comfortable working across different countries and cultures. The successful candidate should also be curious about technology and keen to explore smarter and more efficient ways of working. Key Responsibilities Compensation and Benefits: Support the administration of regional payrolls, including new hires, leavers, salary changes, employee status changes, benefits, leave and other payroll adjustments. Coordinate with payroll providers, benefits vendors and internal teams to ensure payroll changes are accurate and processed on time. Support payroll audits, compensation and HR reporting, benefit deductions and payroll feeds. Provide first-line support for employee payroll and benefits enquiries. Support annual benefits renewals, employee communications and vendor liaison. Assist with year-end activities such as annual leave carry-over, rental reimbursement administration in Hong Kong and tax-related processes. People Administration & Employee Support: Coordinate onboarding and offboarding, including new joiner orientation and employee documentation. Facilitate probation review processes and support managers and employees as required. Support immigration and visa applications and work with Global Mobility on expatriate onboarding and offboarding, payroll, tax and visa matters. Provide first-line guidance to employees on leave, including maternity and paternity leave, as well as general People policies and procedures. HR Technology, AI & Process Improvement: Promote the effective use of AI, automation and digital tools within the APAC People team. Identify repetitive or manual processes and recommend practical ways to simplify or automate them. Use approved AI tools to support employee communications, emails, FAQs, People documentation, data summaries, spreadsheets and recurring administrative processes. Support the use of tools such as Google Apps Script or other simple automation solutions to improve workflows and productivity. Support regional and global People technology and digital transformation projects, while ensuring appropriate confidentiality, data privacy and security. Employee Assistance Programme & Wellbeing: Take ownership of the APAC Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) from a People team perspective. Work with the EAP provider to promote available services and improve employee awareness and engagement. Develop regular wellbeing communications and support wellbeing campaigns, webinars, talks and educational sessions. Partner with internal stakeholders and external providers on initiatives supporting mental, physical, social, career and financial wellbeing. Help integrate EAP and wellbeing resources into key employee moments such as onboarding, parental leave and return to work. HRIS Champion: Maintain accurate employee data and records in HR systems such as Workday and PeopleDoc. Act as a regional point of contact for HRIS updates, system changes and information requests. Support testing, issue resolution and implementation of system enhancements. Help ensure global HRIS solutions work effectively for APAC and raise regional requirements or concerns where appropriate. Support knowledge sharing and training for local teams on system changes and enhancements. SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS Around 2 years of relevant payroll and HR administration experience preferred Fresh graduates with strong ambition and a proactive mindset in developing a career in HR will also be considered. Excellent interpersonal, problem-solving, organisational and customer-service skills. Highly detail-oriented, careful and accurate, with a strong focus on data quality and getting things right. Results-driven, able to prioritise effectively and meet deadlines. High level of trust and integrity when handling sensitive and confidential information. Comfortable working independently when required while collaborating effectively as part of a global team. Ability to liaise professionally with employees at all levels of the organisation. Good awareness of AI and digital tools, with an interest in using technology to improve productivity, communications and HR processes. Curious and open to learning new technologies, including AI-enabled tools and simple automation solutions. Given the global nature of the role good spoken and written English is required; Chinese (Cantonese and/or Mandarin) is a plus. PREFERRED EXPERIENCE Proficiency in Workday HRIS Prior experience working for a multinational company What’s in it for you? We currently operate a hybrid model which requires staff to work onsite 50% of the time, subject to role requirements & regular review. While flexible working requests will be considered, not all patterns are suitable for all roles. We believe this balanced approach supports flexibility and protects our culture, making collaboration and communication easier, building stronger relationships and team cohesion, and supporting peer learning. We reserve discretion on reasonable notice to change this approach either generally or for specific individuals or teams. Accessibility We are a disability confident employer and Valuable 500 signatory. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments/personalisation as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements or have any questions, email talent@ft.com and a member of our team will be happy to help. Further information At the FT, we embrace innovation and the use of technology and appreciate that individuals may leverage AI tools as part of their job application process. Whilst we are happy for you to use AI to assist with your application, it is essential that all information provided is authentic and accurately represents your skills, experience, and qualifications. Candidates should be aware that the use of AI throughout the application process may be monitored to ensure a fair and transparent hiring process for all. Please beware of fraudulent job postings and offers claiming to be from the Financial Times. All legitimate opportunities will direct you to apply through the official Financial Times careers site, and the FT will never ask for financial information, payments, or referrals to third parties during the hiring process. If you have any concerns about the legitimacy of a job posting or suspect any scam activity, please contact talent@ft.com. 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