About us

Tom Wood was founded in Norway in 2013 and is today internationally recognised for innovative and responsible jewellery design. With a conscious approach to materials, design and production, our collections are carried by leading retailers worldwide.

Our headquarters are based in Oslo, Norway, where around 50 colleagues work across functions. In Japan, we currently operate two Tom Wood stores with a team of 20 employees.

As part of our continued growth in the Japanese market, we are expanding our retail footprint with two new Tom Wood stores: Shibuya opening in March and Osaka opening in June. To support our continued growth, we are hiring our first local HR & Payroll Specialist in Japan. This role will be instrumental in building a strong, consistent, and people-focused employee experience across our growing retail organisation.

About the role

In this role, you will manage the full employee lifecycle in Japan and act as the key local point of contact for our retail teams. You will work closely with Tom Wood HQ in Oslo to ensure alignment across people processes, policies, and values. Your responsibilities will span recruitment, onboarding, payroll coordination, HR administration, and day-to-day support for employees and managers.

The HR & Payroll Specialist plays a critical role in ensuring accurate data, reliable payroll processes, and smooth HR operations, contributing to a structured, caring, and professional employment experience at Tom Wood. The role is operational in nature and involves close collaboration with the Head of Retail Operations based in Japan.

The position is based at our Flagship Store Aoyama, Tokyo, and reports directly to the People & Culture Director in Oslo.

This is a hands-on role with real ownership, well suited for someone who enjoys working in a fast-paced retail environment, values structure and precision, and is motivated by building solid people processes and a strong workplace culture from the ground up.

Key responsibilities

• Drive recruitment processes: sourcing, screening, first-round interviews, and full hiring coordination

• Support staffing processes for new store openings and support replacement hiring when needed

• Own onboarding coordination to ensure every new hire has a smooth and consistent start

• Coordinate monthly payroll input and ensure accurate employee data, working hours, leave and vacation registrations

• Manage HR administration and maintain employee records in our HR system (contracts, updates, documentation)

• Act as the local HR support for employees and managers in Japan (HR helpdesk approach)

• Coordinate with our local HR partner to ensure Japan processes are compliant and completed correctly

• Support employee experience initiatives and culture routines in the stores

• Translate/adapt HR communication and handbook updates for Japan, aligned with HQ standards

• Assist the Oslo-based Finance Department with executing local financial tasks, such as processing bank payments.

We’re looking for someone who

• Has 4 + years of experience within HR, operations and payroll (retail experience is a plus)

• Is confident sourcing candidates and conducting structured interviews

• Is highly organised, detail-oriented, and trusted with confidential information

• Has experience from being admin in HR / Payroll systems is a plus 

• Communicates clearly and enjoys working closely with store teams and managers

• Is proactive, hands-on, and enjoys improving routines and building structure

• Is fluent in Japanese and professional working level in English

Why Tom Wood

You’ll join a globally recognised Norwegian jewellery company with a strong focus on people, craft, and responsibility. In Japan, you’ll play an important role in shaping how we grow, building strong teams, supporting great store culture, and ensuring smooth HR operations as we expand.

We can promise you a job where you can grow and take on responsibility. We offer a challenging position in an innovative and highly ambitious company. As a company, we will do our very best to help you succeed and thrive together with us at Tom Wood.

Application deadline: March 1st.