HR Director Japan & Korea - Tokyo, JP

CIC is seeking a strategic, operationally strong, and internationally minded HR Director to support our growing operations in Japan. The role could also include helping establish the HR foundation for our center in Korea in the future. ABOUT CIC & CIC Japan CIC builds and connects thriving innovation communities around the world. Founded in 1999 in Cambridge, MA, we were one of the first companies to offer flexible office space and coworking. We manage a global network of innovation-focused workspace, laboratories, and event space across North America, Europe, and Asia, and continue to expand globally. Additionally, CIC’s consulting division “CIC Catalyst” provides innovation-related programs, builds and enables innovation districts for cities, and supports startups and companies on their innovation. CIC Japan operates 3 innovation campuses, Tokyo, Fukuoka and Osaka. CIC Tokyo, our first site in Asia, is a pioneer and market-leading innovation center in Japan. Opened in 2020, it has a total area of ​​about 6,000 square meters on two floors of the Toranomon Hills Business Tower. In 2025, we launched CIC Fukuoka in the Tenjin district of the Fukuoka city center. This spring, we launched Osaka Life Science Nexus (O-Nexus) as CIC Japan’s first sector-focused campus. O-Nexus is a key element of Nakanoshima Qross, Japan’s leading life science cluster with a purpose of industrializing future medical care, by bringing together researchers, medical institutions, companies, startups, and support organizations under one roof. CIC Japan has spearheaded the global growth of the consulting division CIC Catalyst on a variety of acceleration programs and consulting projects. Many of the CIC clients and program participants are deep-tech focused and looking to global expansion. Because of its influence in the startup and innovation ecosystem, CIC campuses have frequent visits of VIPs such as Prime Minister Kishida, Governor Koike, Governor Hattori, and other business leaders in Japan. Learn more about us here. YOUR DAY-TO-DAY WORK This role is a key partner to local leadership and employees, balancing strong local execution with alignment to CIC's global HR standards. The HR Director oversees a broad remit spanning organizational effectiveness, workforce planning, talent acquisition, leadership coaching, performance management, compensation, employee relations, and regional HR coordination as we expand in Asia beyond Japan. It is a highly collaborative and visible role requiring strong judgment, discretion, and comfort operating in an international, matrixed environment. The HR Director sits on the Japan leadership team and works closely with CIC's global HR team. Your most important responsibilities will include: Strategic HR Partnership - Partnering with leaders in Japan and Korea to set direction and action plans that enable business growth. Talent Acquisition - Working with hiring managers to execute recruitment aligned with business needs and workforce plans, supported by CIC's global Talent Acquisition team to ensure consistent standards across regions. Leadership Coaching - Coachinh managers on leadership effectiveness and people management — goal setting, individual and team development, communication, and feedback. Performance Management, Compensation & HR Operations - Overseeing key people processes including performance management, compensation review cycles, payroll oversight, and HR policy implementation. Employee Relations & Labor Management - Leading employee relations and labor matters within the Japanese labor law environment, with professionalism and sound judgment. HR Analytics, Reporting & Executive Partnership - Partnering with local and global stakeholders on workforce reporting, HR analytics, and organizational planning — preparing leadership updates, supporting headcount and budgeting discussions, and enabling informed organizational decisions. Partner & Stakeholder Alignment - Supporting each campus's General Manager…