Own the people function of a global think tank accelerating the shift to a clean, electrified energy system.
The role
This is a senior, hands-on People Manager role within a mission driven, global organisation. We're looking for an experienced, autonomous HR practitioner who can operate confidently from day one - someone ready to lead the day-to-day running of Ember's people function, shape how HR works in practice, and be the senior HR voice managers across the organisation turn to.
You’ll lead the day-to-day running of Ember’s people function - shaping how HR works in practice, operating within the direction and governance set by our Head of Operations.
After several years of rapid growth, the focus is now on maintaining high-quality, consistent and well-judged people practice across regions, and supporting managers and staff to navigate people matters with confidence and care.
You’ll set clear standards for HR practice, provide experienced judgement on complex or sensitive issues, and ensure our people processes are fair, compliant and aligned with Ember’s values. You won’t do everything yourself: you’ll empower the People Officer to lead delivery across core people processes, providing oversight rather than day-to-day intervention in agreed operational areas, and building capability within the People team through coaching, feedback and guidance.
With your background in Asian HR, you’ll bring valuable insight to ensure Ember’s policies and practices work well across different regions, strengthening our ability to manage people matters confidently across the globe and keeping our approach fair, consistent, and connected.
We’re looking for someone who is confident in using AI and digital tools to streamline, automate and improve HR processes, from people data and reporting to learning, policy management and employee support. You’ll be excited to work in an organisation that actively embraces innovation and the thoughtful use of AI to work more effectively, freeing up time to focus on people, impact and continuous improvement.
About Ember
Ember is an independent, not-for-profit energy think tank that aims to accelerate the clean energy transition with data and policy. We gather, curate and analyse data on the power sector and coal mine methane emissions, and use our findings to improve energy and climate policy.
See our work at https://ember-energy.org/ and https://x.com/ember_energy
Key responsibilities
Leadership and Line Management
- Provide direct line management to the People Officer, supporting their professional growth, ensuring workloads are achievable, and setting clear objectives.
- Provide coaching and guidance to build capability in handling HR cases, employee relations, and systems.
- Ensure the People team delivers consistently high-quality support to Ember staff worldwide.
HR Operations & Employee Relations
- Oversee delivery of employee lifecycle processes through the People Officer,, ensuring processes (recruitment, onboarding, performance management, learning and development, and offboarding) run smoothly and consistently across global locations.
- Lead the use of digital and AI-enabled tools to streamline, automate and improve HR processes, data management and reporting, freeing up capacity for higher-value people work while ensuring ethical, transparent and values-aligned use of AI.
- Hold responsibility for employee relations outcomes, acting as a trusted advisor to managers across Ember and providing senior HR judgement on people issues such as disciplinary and grievance cases, performance management, absence and wellbeing, and policy interpretation. This involves constructively challenging decisions, pushing back on poor practice, and holding the line on fairness and compliance even when it's uncomfortable. The People Officer will lead routine employee relations cases, with the People Manager providing coaching, guidance and escalation support on more complex or sensitive matters, ensuring outcomes are fair, consistent, legally compliant and aligned with Ember’s values.
- You'll make sound decisions on complex and sensitive cases, keeping senior leadership informed on higher-stakes matters - bringing them your proposed approach and recommendation for action.
- Proactively develop systems, tools, and guidance that equip managers to manage people matters confidently and consistently. This includes building their capability to handle sensitive issues and supporting them to reach outcomes that are fair, and sustainable.
Policy, Compliance & Global HR Expertise
- Monitor external HR and employment law developments (particularly across Asia), providing practical recommendations to keep Ember ahead of emerging risks and opportunities.
- Own Ember’s HR policy framework, ensuring policies are practical, user-friendly, reflect best practice and are legally compliant across Ember’s regions, while being applied consistently in practice.
- Delegate policy drafting, maintenance and day-to-day implementation to the People Officer, providing review, sign-off and guidance as needed.
- Provide clear, accessible advice on HR and employment issues, with strong expertise in Asia and familiarity with global contexts.
- Oversee relationships with Employer of Record providers and other HR/benefits partners.
- Ensure HR data and records are accurate, secure, and meet data protection requirements.
- Support the exploration of digital and AI-driven tools to improve efficiency, accuracy, and inclusivity across HR processes, while ensuring alignment with Ember’s values.
Organisational Development & Culture
- Work with the People Officer and managers to embed Ember’s values across teams, particularly in remote and cross-cultural contexts
- Provide leadership and guidance on employee engagement, wellbeing and retention initiatives
- Work with managers to strengthen learning and development opportunities, career pathways, and succession planning.
- Support managers to build positive team cultures aligned with Ember’s values, with a focus on inclusion, equity, and diversity.
- Use HR data and feedback to identify trends and recommend changes that improve the employee experience.
Strategic HR Contribution
- Work closely with the Operations Manager and COO to set Ember’s People priorities for the coming years, providing advice and insights based on evidence and HR best practice.
- Identify opportunities to make People processes, systems, and structures simpler, fairer, and more effective.
- Support organisational design and workforce planning, helping Ember build the skills and capacity needed to achieve its mission.
- Provide HR insights and analysis to senior management by collecting and interpreting HR metrics (e.g. turnover, engagement, absence, diversity), using them to identify risks and opportunities.
Must have
- A recognised mid-level HR qualification or equivalent professional experience. Examples include CIPD Level 5, SHRM-CP, PHR, IHRP-CP, CPHR, HKIHRM membership, or a relevant HR degree, combined with a demonstrable track record of operating at a senior, strategic level - shaping people strategy and policy, not only delivering it.
- Deep, applied knowledge of employment law and HR practice across Asian jurisdictions, with a track record of advising on complex, ambiguous or novel situations where the answer isn't in the policy
- Experience operating as the most senior or sole HR practitioner in an organisation, region or business unit - comfortable being the person others escalate to, with no HR safety net above you.
- Experience of using AI-enabled digital tools to improve, automate or streamline HR processes with an understanding of opportunities and risks.
- A track record of managing complex employee relations cases end to end, including disciplinary, grievance, absence management, and performance concerns.
- Demonstrable experience developing and implementing HR policies and procedures.
- Proven track record of line management and development of HR professionals.
- Ability to analyse HR metrics, identify trends, and make recommendations to improve organisational effectiveness.
- Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with ability to build trust at all levels.
- High emotional intelligence, resilience, and ability to handle sensitive matters with confidentiality and integrity.
- Strong organisational and project management skills.
Nice to have
- An advanced or post-graduate HR qualification (e.g. CIPD Level 7, SHRM-SCP, SPHR) or Charted membership of a recognised HR body.
- Experience working in a remote-first, international, or non-profit organisation.
- Familiarity with payroll, benefits, and employment practices across multiple jurisdictions.
- Experience leading on L&D strategy or career development frameworks.
- Working knowledge of HRIS and data-driven HR practices.
- Experience of using or implementing AI-driven or digital HR systems, with an understanding of opportunities and risks.
We are an equal opportunities employer committed to diversity and treating all employees with dignity and respect regardless of background.
Salary: £41, 576 - £49,892 per year, dependent on experience and on local cost-of-living. Salaries may be adjusted upwards for candidates living in high cost locations in Asia (such as Singapore, South Korea); specific ranges will be shared with interview invitations.
Contract: Full time (but only working 9 days every fortnight with no reduction in pay), permanent subject to a 3 month probationary period. For employees based outside of the UK, a local payroll contract is available, dependent on the country.
Remote culture and diverse team: Ember is a remote-first organisation, with talents of diverse backgrounds from 20+ countries over the world.
Further benefits: We offer a competitive benefits package, including:
- We operate a nine-day fortnight meaning our full-time staff are given every other Friday off work with no reduction in pay
- 25 days holiday, plus UK bank holidays (unless local statutory minimums are higher) and for each year that you're part of the team at Ember you'll receive an additional day of holiday, up to a maximum of 5 additional days.
- Generous paid maternity and paternity leave
- Flexible working conditions, including the opportunity for part-time work and home working.
- Access to a local working space can also be arranged for employees
- Free annual eye tests
- Access to a counselling service
- Funding and allocated time for your training and development
- Paid volunteer day
- Four paid days off to enable low carbon travel
- Time off to donate blood
