The In-Country Japan H2R Services Manager leads Hire-to-Retire (H2R) HR services for Novartis employees in Japan. The role typically requires strong experience in HR operations, employee lifecycle processes, Japanese employment practices, HR systems, service delivery, and stakeholder management. Fluency in Japanese and business-level English are likely expected, together with the ability to manage local requirements while following global HR policies. The successful candidate should be customer-focused, organized, comfortable working with shared-service teams, and capable of improving processes, monitoring service quality, handling escalations, and supporting change initiatives. Experience with HR technology, compliance, data accuracy, and continuous improvement would be valuable.
Novartis is a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Switzerland and focused on discovering and developing innovative medicines. Its core areas include cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases, immunology, neuroscience, oncology, and rare diseases. The company operates across many countries and combines scientific research, digital technologies, clinical development, manufacturing, and commercial expertise to improve patient outcomes. Novartis employs a diverse international workforce and places emphasis on innovation, ethical business practices, inclusion, collaboration, and continuous development. In Japan, it works with healthcare professionals, research institutions, regulators, and patients to support the availability and appropriate use of medicines. Corporate functions such as human resources, finance, technology, and operations provide the infrastructure needed to support its research and commercial activities.
Japan offers strong opportunities in pharmaceuticals, healthcare, technology, engineering, finance, education, manufacturing, and international business. Tokyo and Yokohama have the largest concentration of multinational employers, while Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, and Sapporo also offer growing career markets. Workplace culture values reliability, preparation, teamwork, respect, and attention to detail, although international companies often have more flexible environments. Daily life is safe and convenient, with excellent public transport, varied food, and high-quality healthcare. Housing and commuting costs can be significant in major cities. Foreign professionals generally need an employer-sponsored work visa, commonly under an Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services or highly skilled professional category; eligibility depends on qualifications and duties. Relocation usually involves securing sponsorship, a residence card, housing, health insurance, and registration with the local municipality. Basic Japanese is helpful for administration and everyday life, even where English is used at work.
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