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 experience across Onboarding, Offboarding, Leave of Absence, Global Mobility & Relocation, Compensation & Benefits, Employee Relations, and Payroll. Ability to work independently, problem-solve effectively, and handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion. Strong working knowledge of local employment laws; experience supporting Japan or additional APAC / European countries is a plus. Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with strong attention to detail and accuracy. Advanced MS Excel skills, including pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, and data analysis. Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to partner cross-functionally. Effective written and verbal communication skills in English and Japanese; additional languages are a plus. Prior experience working in an organization with 500+ employees. Experience with Workday preferred. About Scopely Scopely is a leading video game and global interactive entertainment company, home to many of the world’s most beloved and enduring experiences, including two of the most successful mobile games of all-time “MONOPOLY GO!” and “Pokémon GO,” along with “Stumble Guys,” “Star Trek™ Fleet Command,” “MARVEL Strike Force,” “WWE Champions,” the Scrabble® franchise, “Yahtzee® With Buddies,” and many others. Across mobile, web, PC, and console, Scopely creates, develops, publishes, and live-operates one of the most diversified and award-winning portfolios in the games industry — bringing hundreds of millions of players together through a shared love of play. Founded in 2011, Scopely is powered by its exceptional team — including thousands of world-class gamemakers around the globe, a distinctive tenet-driven culture, and its proprietary technology platform, Playgami. Together, these strengths have fueled Scopely’s position as the #1 mobile games company in the U.S. and #2 globally, generating more than $10 billion in lifetime revenue. Whether building global sensations like “MONOPOLY GO!” from the ground up, or expanding through strategic acquisitions, including the FoxNext, GSN, and Niantic games businesses — Scopely consistently delivers experiences players love today and return to for years to come. Recognized multiple times as one of the "100 Most Influential Companies in the World" by TIME magazine and one of Fast Company's "World's Most Innovative Companies" and “Best Workplaces for Innovators,” Scopely believes that video games can be a force for good — creating meaningful connections, vibrant communities, and making life better through play. Scopely has global operations and partners across four continents in more than a dozen countries worldwide. For more information, visit: https://www.scopely.com/. Notice to Candidates: Scopely will never request payment or financial information during the application or hiring process. Please apply only through our official website and verify that all Talent Partner communications come from an email address ending in @scopely.com. Should you have any questions or encounter any fraudulent requests/emails/websites, please immediately contact recruiting@scopely.com. Our job applicant privacy policies are available here: California Privacy Notice and EEA/UK Privacy Notice. Employment at Scopely is based solely on a person's merit and qualifications. Scopely does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), or any other basis protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.