Head of HR & Admin

1. About the Company & the Opportunity
We are a company from the US, establishing a brand-new factory (100% foreign-owned, FDI) at Tam Phuoc Industrial Park in Dong Nai, producing furniture for export.
This is a greenfield project: the factory is in its set-up phase and will scale its headcount rapidly in the early years. As a result, this is not just a day-to-day HR operations role - it is the opportunity to build the HR function from the ground up, establishing the full set of systems, processes and policies, and above all shaping the company culture and working environment for the entire organization from the very first brick.
The ideal person is a true "builder" - proactive, strong on execution, comfortable both setting strategy and rolling up their sleeves on the details - and someone who sees creating a good, fair and professional place to work as a personal mission.
2. Job Purpose
Hold end-to-end responsibility for the factory's HR and Administration functions: set up and run the HR function from scratch through a dedicated HR & Admin team, meet recruitment and people-development needs in line with the growth roadmap, ensure full compliance with Vietnamese labor law, control personnel costs, and build an engaged, safe and effective company culture and working environment aligned with the values of the U.S. parent company.
You will develop and lead a team of HR and Admin officers who handle day-to-day execution, and the team will grow as the factory scales. Your focus is to set direction, build the systems and standards, develop your people, and step in hands-on where it matters most (especially during the early set-up phase).
3. Key Responsibilities
3.1. Lead the Team & Build the HR Foundation (early stage)
- Develop the full set of internal policies, rules and procedures: internal labor regulations, collective labor agreement, compensation policy, reward and disciplinary policy, and the employee handbook.
Register the internal labor regulations and salary scale with the local labor authorities; set up the factory's initial labor legal records.
- Select and implement an HR information system and time-attendance/payroll system; digitize HR records and processes from the outset.
- Prepare the annual HR & Administration budget and control spending against plan.
- Build, lead and develop the HR & Admin team: assign and delegate day-to-day work, set objectives, coach team members and grow the team in line with the factory's headcount roadmap.
3.2. Recruitment
- Plan workforce needs in line with the factory's scale-up roadmap (both indirect/office staff and direct/production workers).
- Lead and oversee large-scale recruitment (mass recruitment) of production workers during the early stage - with the HR team executing day-to-day sourcing and screening - alongside hiring for management, technical and professional roles.
- Build and manage recruitment channels: job sites, social media, partnerships with vocational schools and local authorities, recruitment service providers, and employee referrals.
- Standardize the recruitment, interview, candidate-assessment and hiring-decision processes; build the employer brand.
- Design and run the onboarding program for new employees.
3.3. Compensation & Benefits (C&B)
- Design the salary structure, salary scale, bonus and allowance policies competitively; conduct market salary surveys/benchmarking within the industrial park and the industry.
- Oversee time-attendance, payroll, bonuses, allowances and overtime - ensuring the C&B team processes them accurately and on time.
- Ensure full compliance with social, health and unemployment insurance, personal income tax and related legal obligations.
- Build and manage benefits programs: health insurance, periodic health check-ups, shift meals, employee shuttle, and welfare for employees and their families.
- Analyze and report personnel costs; optimize spending within budget.
3.4. Training & Development
- Build the competency framework and development paths for positions; identify training needs.
- Plan and deliver training: onboarding, occupational safety, production skills, management/ supervisory skills, and compliance training.
-Coordinate training to the parent company's standards and values; build a succession pipeline and a strong middle-management bench.
- Set up the performance management system (KPIs/periodic reviews) linked to rewards and development.
3.5. Culture & Working Environment
- Transform the parent company's core values and cultural identity into everyday standards, behaviors and work experiences at the factory.
- Build a professional, fair, respectful, safe and inspiring working environment for all employees.
- Organize internal engagement activities, events, rewards and recognition; promote two-way internal communication and employee listening.
- Track employee engagement and satisfaction (surveys, feedback channels); proactively improve, retain talent and control turnover.
- Serve as a cultural bridge between the Vietnamese team and the U.S. parent company; reconcile cultural differences in ways of working.
3.6. Labor Relations & Compliance
- Ensure full compliance with the Labor Code and prevailing legal regulations; track and apply legal changes promptly.
- Manage labor relations and handle disciplinary cases, grievances and labor disputes fairly and in line with regulations.
- Coordinate with the grassroots Trade Union (establish and operate it per regulations); maintain good relations with employees.
- Work with the Industrial Park Authority, the government authorities, the social insurance agency and other relevant authorities.
3.7. Administration & Safety (HSE/Admin)
- Oversee administrative services delivered by the admin team and support staff: security, janitorial, canteen, employee shuttle, office supplies, and asset and facility management.
- Coordinate and oversee occupational health & safety, and fire prevention and fighting (HSE) - in collaboration with production departments.