HR, Finance & Administration Manager

1. Job Purpose

The HR, Finance & Administration Manager is the company's single owner of human resource, finance and administrative matters, and is accountable for ensuring that Keong Saik Bakery's people, finances and corporate obligations are managed accurately, compliantly, and in support of the company's business development plans.

The role carries both strategic and operational responsibility. The post-holder is expected to shape HR policy, manpower planning and the annual budget, and to interpret the company's financial performance in order to recommend decisions - while personally executing payroll, payments, invoicing, records and day-to-day administration. Bookkeeping, statutory accounts and tax computation are outsourced to the company's external accountant the post-holder is responsible for supplying complete and accurate records to the accountant, and for turning the resulting accounts into management insight.

The role suits a commercially minded and meticulous professional with balanced experience across HR and finance, who is comfortable operating as a department of one in a small, growing F&B business, and who measures their contribution by the quality of the decisions they enable rather than the volume of transactions they process.

2. Key Responsibilities

a. HR Strategy & Policy

i. Policy Ownership: Own the company's Human Resource Guidelines, including their annexes and forms. Conduct an annual review and propose amendments so that HR policies remain fair, compliant, and aligned with the company's business development plans, for endorsement by the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer.

ii. Manpower Planning: Prepare the annual establishment plan as part of the budget exercise, and develop manpower plans to support expansion, new concepts and changes to the operating model, covering the timing, cost and sourcing of new roles.

iii. Remuneration & Benchmarking: Conduct industry salary benchmarking twice yearly, maintain salary scales and career roadmaps, and review the Monthly Variable Component (MVC) structure and targets in line with changes in operating costs.

iv. HR Cost Management: Track manpower cost against budget and as a proportion of revenue by outlet, and propose measures - such as roster, overtime and leave-liability controls - to manage HR cost without compromising service standards.

v. Government Funding: Identify, apply for, administer and claim government grants, wage credits, employment credits and training subsidies maintain a funding calendar and claims records and ensure compliance with scheme conditions.

vi. Talent Retention: Analyse turnover, absenteeism and exit-interview data, and propose retention and engagement initiatives that address the underlying causes of attrition.

vii. Regulatory Readiness: Keep HR practices current with the Employment Act, CPF and tax requirements, the Personal Data Protection Act and the Tripartite Guidelines, and prepare the company for new obligations, including a formal grievance-handling process under the Workplace Fairness Act.

b. HR Operations

i. Payroll: Process monthly payroll accurately and on time, including salaries, MVC computation, overtime, off-in-lieu, allowances and deductions make CPF and Skills Development Levy submissions issue payslips and complete annual employee income reporting to IRAS.

ii. Leave & Attendance: Administer all leave types in accordance with the HR Guidelines, including off-in-lieu utilisation timelines and carry-forward forfeiture, and maintain accurate leave and attendance records.

iii. Performance Appraisal & Rewards: Administer the annual appraisal cycle from goal setting to final review prepare the Calibration Worksheet and Calibration Record and process Annual Increments and Performance Bonuses in accordance with endorsed outcomes.

iv. Employee Relations & Discipline: Advise managers on employee relations matters, support investigations, prepare disciplinary documentation in accordance with the HR Guidelines, and maintain confidential case records.

v. Employee Lifecycle: Prepare employment contracts and Key Employment Terms, probation confirmations, and promotion and increment letters, and manage resignations, terminations, exit clearance and final pay.

vi. HR Records & Systems: Maintain complete and confidential personnel records, and keep employee data on the company portal accurate and current.

c. Talent Acquisition & Development

i. Recruitment: Manage end-to-end recruitment - job postings, screening, interview coordination using the company's interview form, reference checks and offers - within agreed timelines.

ii. Onboarding: Coordinate onboarding with outlet managers, including documentation, uniforms, system access and induction scheduling, so that new hires are productive from their first shift.

iii. Training Administration: Maintain training records and the training calendar, register staff for courses, track mandatory certifications such as food hygiene, and process training funding claims.

iv. Career Progression: Administer promotion recommendations and career roadmap progression in accordance with the HR Guidelines, and support managers in developing internal talent for expansion roles.

d. Financial Planning, Budgeting & Analysis

i. Annual Budget: Lead the company's annual budget exercise and budget meeting, preparing a consolidated budget covering revenue, cost of goods, manpower, operating expenses and capital expenditure, for approval by the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer.

ii. Budget Monitoring: Monitor expenditure and drawdown against the approved budget monthly, flag anticipated variances in advance rather than in retrospect, and propose supplementary budget exercises where required.

iii. P&L Interpretation: Review the monthly accounts prepared by the external accountant and analyse performance by outlet and sales channel, explaining what has changed, why, and what action is recommended.

iv. Cost-Effectiveness: Track key cost ratios - including food cost, manpower cost, rental and utilities - together with product and channel margins, and recommend pricing, sourcing and cost-control actions that improve profitability.

v. Breakeven & Reward Modelling: Maintain the company's operational breakeven model by outlet, and use it to compute MVC targets and to assess the affordability of Annual Increments and the Performance Bonus pool.

vi. Business Cases: Prepare financial evaluations for new initiatives, pilots and capital expenditure, covering cost, expected return and payback, and conduct post-implementation reviews against the original case.

vii. Cash Flow: Maintain a rolling cash flow forecast so that payroll, supplier payments and seasonal stock commitments are met without disruption.

e. Financial Operations

i. Orders, Quotations & Invoicing: Create customer orders, quotations and invoices on the company portal, in accordance with approved price lists and the commercial terms agreed by the Sales & Marketing function.

ii. Accounts Receivable & Credit Control: Monitor receivables ageing, follow up on overdue accounts, apply the company's credit terms to corporate and wholesale customers, and escalate persistent non-payment.

iii. Accounts Payable: Verify supplier invoices against orders and deliveries, schedule payments within agreed credit terms, and reconcile supplier statements.

iv. Payments: Prepare and execute payments on behalf of the company in accordance with the controls set out in Section 3.

v. Reconciliation: Reconcile sales, payment-provider settlements and bank receipts, and manage petty cash, so that discrepancies are identified and resolved promptly.

vi. Accountant Liaison: Compile and submit a complete monthly document set to the external accountant - including sales reports, supplier invoices, utilities bills, payroll and CPF records, bank statements, receipts and claims - by the agreed deadline respond to queries and support GST, tax and annual filing requirements.

f. Administration, Compliance & Corporate Support

i. Meeting Secretariat: Prepare agendas and minutes for Management Team Meetings and other management meetings, maintain the task tracker, and follow up with action owners between meetings.

ii. Corporate Email: Manage the corporate email account ([Confidential Information]) from 0900 to 1700h on weekdays, responding to enquiries or routing them to the relevant owner within agreed response timelines.

iii. Statutory & Licensing Compliance: Maintain a compliance calendar covering tax, CPF and corporate secretarial filings, food shop and liquor licences, and staff certifications, so that no renewal or filing deadline is missed.

iv. Contracts & Insurance: Maintain a register of lease, supplier, service and subscription contracts with renewal alerts, and manage the company's insurance portfolio, including renewals and claims.

v. Data Protection: Act as the company's Data Protection Officer, ensuring that employee and customer personal data are collected, stored and used in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act.

vi. Procurement & Assets: Obtain and compare quotations for purchases above set thresholds, and maintain the equipment and asset register, including servicing contracts and warranties.

vii. Records & Document Control: Act as custodian of company records on the shared drive, maintaining version control of policies, forms and templates, and documented procedures for all recurring HR, finance and administrative processes.

g. Reporting

i. Monthly Management Report: Provide a monthly written report to the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer covering P&L performance, budget versus actual, key cost ratios, receivables ageing, cash position, headcount, turnover, manpower cost, and matters requiring a decision.

ii. Management Team Meetings: Present HR and finance updates at Management Team Meetings, with recommendations rather than data alone.

iii. Annual Review: Prepare a year-end HR and finance review that informs the following year's budget, manpower plan and HR policy review.

iv. Decision Support: Provide ad hoc analysis to support management decisions within agreed timelines.

3. Authority & Controls

As the role has access to payroll, payments and confidential records, the following controls apply. They protect the company and the post-holder alike.

- Approval Limits: Operates within the approval limits set by the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer. No payment, purchase or commitment is to exceed those limits without prior written approval.

- Separation of Duties: Prepares and initiates payments the release of payments is authorised by the General Manager or Chief Executive Officer in accordance with the company's bank mandate.

- Payroll Endorsement: Monthly payroll, together with a variance report against the previous month, is endorsed by the General Manager before release.

- Own Records: Any change to the post-holder's own remuneration, claims or leave is approved by the General Manager or Chief Executive Officer, and is not self-processed.

- Confidentiality: Salary, personal and financial information is accessed and shared strictly on a need-to-know basis.

- Continuity: Maintains up-to-date documented procedures so that critical processes - payroll, payments and the corporate inbox - can be covered during the post-holder's absence.

4. Working Relationships

- Reports to the General Manager on HR, administration, day-to-day priorities and performance, and to the Chief Executive Officer on budget, financial performance and payment authorisation. The General Manager is the Reporting Officer for appraisal purposes, with input from the Chief Executive Officer.

- Works with outlet managers, assistant outlet managers and the Head Baker on manpower, rostering cost, leave, discipline, appraisal, stocktakes and expenditure.

- Works with the Sales & Marketing function on quotations, orders, invoicing, customer credit and the marketing budget.

- Serves as the first point of contact for staff on HR and payroll matters, handling queries with fairness and discretion.

- Manages the relationship with the external accountant and corporate secretary, and liaises with government agencies, insurers, landlords, banks and suppliers.

5. Qualifications & Experience

- Diploma or Degree in Accountancy, Finance, Business Administration, Human Resource Management, or a related discipline.

- Minimum five years of relevant experience, including at least two years in a role covering both HR and finance functions, preferably in an SME.

- Hands-on experience processing full-cycle payroll in Singapore, including CPF submissions and annual employee income reporting, is required.

- Demonstrated experience preparing budgets, analysing management accounts, and working with an outsourced accountant.

- Prior experience in F&B, retail, or hospitality, including multi-outlet or shift-based workforces, is strongly preferred.

- Experience with government grant applications and claims is a distinct advantage.

- Professional certification (e.g. IHRP, ACCA, or equivalent) is an advantage but not required.

6. Skills Required

- Singapore payroll, CPF, and IRAS employee income reporting

- Working knowledge of the Employment Act, Personal Data Protection Act, and Tripartite Guidelines

- HR policy development, employee relations, and workplace investigations

- Recruitment, onboarding, and HR administration

- Budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis

- P&L interpretation and management reporting

- Cost, margin, and breakeven analysis

- Accounts receivable, accounts payable, and credit control

- Government grant application and claims administration

- Contract, insurance, and vendor administration

- Minute-taking, business writing, and report preparation

- Advanced spreadsheet skills, including lookups, pivot tables, and financial modelling

- Proficiency with cloud-based business portals, HR and payroll systems, and Microsoft Office or Google Workspace

- Strong verbal and written communication skills in English the ability to converse in Mandarin is an advantage, as some team members are more comfortable communicating in Mandarin

7. Key Attributes

- Commercially Minded & Analytical: Turns figures into clear recommendations, and can explain what the numbers mean for the business, not only what they are.

- Integrity & Discretion: Handles salaries, personal data, and company finances with complete honesty and confidentiality.

- Meticulous & Accurate: Gets payroll, payments, and records right the first time, and checks own work before it reaches others.

- Self-Directed & Organised: Manages a calendar of recurring deadlines without being reminded, and plans ahead for peak periods.

- Hands-On: Willing to do transactional work personally as a department of one, while keeping sight of strategic priorities.

- Firm, Fair & Approachable: Trusted by staff at all levels, and confident to apply policy consistently and to say no when required.

- Clear Communicator: Writes concise reports and minutes for busy decision-makers, and explains policy plainly to frontline staff.

- Improvement-Minded: Looks for ways to simplify, standardise, and automate recurring work.

- Collaborative: Works constructively with managers, the external accountant, and partners, and contributes positively to team culture.

- Professionalism & Accountability: Demonstrates maturity, reliability, and ownership of outcomes in representing the company internally and externally.

8. What Success Looks Like in the First Twelve Months

The following are indicative expectations and will be confirmed with the post-holder on appointment:

1. A monthly management report in routine use, providing outlet- and channel-level P&L analysis with variance commentary and recommendations within five working days of receiving the accounts from the external accountant.

2. An approved annual budget and manpower plan, with monthly budget-versus-actual tracking and supplementary budget proposals raised before overruns occur.

3. An operational breakeven model in use as the single reference for MVC targets and for the affordability of Annual Increments and the Performance Bonus pool.

4. The annual appraisal, calibration, and reward cycle administered accurately and on schedule, with increments and bonuses paid correctly.

5. The HR Guidelines reviewed, with proposed amendments endorsed by the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer.

6. Receivables under active credit control, with overdue corporate accounts reduced and escalated in line with agreed terms.

7. Government funding secured and cost savings identified, together equivalent to at least 20% of the role's annual employment cost.

8. Zero missed payroll, statutory filing, licence renewal, or accountant submission deadlines, with documented procedures in place for all recurring processes.

9. A staff turnover baseline established and reported quarterly, with retention initiatives in place.