People Operations Specialist – Japan

Niantic/ Scopely is looking for a People Operations Partner to join our People Team in Tokyo, Japan, on a hybrid basis, working 3 days a week from the hub.

At Niantic, we care deeply about what we do and want to inspire play, every day - whether in our work environments alongside our talented colleagues, or through our deep connections with our communities of players. We are a global team of game lovers who are developing, publishing and innovating the mobile games industry, connecting millions of people around the world daily.

We make sure our teams have everything they need to create amazing games. The People team manages everything from benefits & employee engagement to professional development opportunities and more!

 

Responsibilities

The People Operations Partner plays a pivotal role in ensuring the seamless execution of People Operations across the employee lifecycle while enhancing the overall employee experience. This role combines strong operational expertise with strategic input, supporting organizational goals through efficient HR processes, regulatory compliance, data integrity, and employee engagement.

You will also support the administration of benefits programs, partnering closely with the Global Benefits team and serving as the local benefits expert for assigned countries, including Japan.

• HR Operations & Compliance
  • Ensure HR processes comply with local labor laws and global standards, updating practices as legislation changes
  • Serve as subject matter expert on employment regulations, supporting audits and legal reviews
  • Partner with Legal, IT, Payroll, and People Technology to maintain HR systems and data privacy compliance
  • Prepare and submit mandatory compliance reports to government agencies
  • Conduct quarterly audits to maintain employee data integrity
• Employee Lifecycle Management
  • Own end-to-end lifecycle processes: Onboarding, Off-boarding, and Leave of Absence (LOA)
  • Ensure new hires have right-to-work documentation, complete orientations, and have a smooth day-one experience
  • Maintain accurate employee records in Workday (contracts, IDs, local documentation)
  • Coordinate with Global Mobility on visa and relocation processes as needed
  • Partner with PBPs and Legal on offboarding, ensuring compliance and a positive exit experience
  • Administer LOA requests in line with local regulations, with accurate tracking and documentation
  • Create standardized templates for out-of-cycle compensation and title changes
  • Drive continuous process improvements across all lifecycle stages
• Policy Development & Implementation
  • Develop, maintain, and communicate HR policies in partnership with Employee Relations, ensuring alignment with legal requirements and company culture
  • Ensure policies are clearly accessible to employees and the People Team
• Data Analytics & Reporting
  • Analyze JIRA metrics and People Analytics to identify trends and improve operational efficiency, leveraging AI tools where applicable
  • Conduct monthly HRIS audits to ensure data accuracy and compliance
• People Operations Systems & Process Excellence
  • Build and maintain SOPs for core People processes (Onboarding, Offboarding, LOA, data changes), ensuring clarity on roles and execution
  • Collaborate cross-functionally to support a scalable People operating model
• Benefits Administration
  • Serve as primary benefits contact for Japan, covering health, life/accident insurance, statutory benefits, and wellness programs
  • Manage provider relationships, annual renewals, and issue resolution with the Global Benefits team
  • Support statutory filings and respond to employee benefit inquiries
  • Collect employee feedback to continuously improve benefit offerings

 

Qualifications

• 4 + years of HR generalist or related experience, with hands-on exp