Rachel Tszu-Yin Lim
Singapore
Summary
A Certified IHRP-Senior Professional with over 20 years of HR leadership experience, recognized for transforming HR operations in dynamic military and defense environments. Expertise in personnel management, career development, HR automation, and process optimization to boost productivity and uphold high standards. Proven ability to drive talent strategies that improve engagement, retention, and succession planning. Respected for collaborative and integrity-driven leadership style that fosters teamwork, excellence, and organizational cohesion.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Head of HR Management Centre (HRMC)
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Command, RSAF
07.2020 - Current
- Leadership in HR Operations and Team Management: Lead a team of 46 HR professionals in delivering full-spectrum HR operations for a diverse workforce of 1,900 employees, including NSmen
- Oversee critical HR cyclical activities, such as annual performance reviews, posting exercises, and workforce planning, ensuring seamless execution and alignment with organizational goals
- HR Partnership with divisions: Partnered with senior leadership to drive initiatives in career development, performance management, talent retention, employee engagement, and succession planning, fostering a high-performing and motivated workforce
- Workforce Optimization and Collaboration: Cultivate strong inter-departmental relationships to streamline job posting processes, optimize resource management, and ensure workforce efficiency
- HR Process Transformation: Reorganized HR functions and implemented automated solutions, reducing process turnaround times by over 50% (from 7 days to 3 days) and enhancing responsiveness to organizational needs
- Event Leadership: Successfully led as Sub-committee Chairwoman for the guest experience during the RSAF 55th Anniversary Parade, managing logistics, invitations, seating arrangements, and registration
- Ensured seamless event execution for 1,200 guests, including senior leaders, through meticulous planning and staff training of 40 employees supporting the event as guest experience ambassadors
Head of Personnel Management Branch (HRMC)
Participation Command, RSAF
04.2010 - 07.2020
- Strategic Career Development Leadership: Guided career growth and professional development for a diverse workforce of 400+ uniformed and non-uniformed employees, ensuring alignment between individual aspirations and organizational needs
- Executive Talent and Succession Planning: Led career advancement boards and strategic dialogues with senior leadership, driving succession planning and ensuring talent progression for regular staff
- Process Optimization: Successfully revamped the selection process for command appointments, ensuring leadership placements aligned with both immediate mission requirements and long-term organizational goals
- Optimized Training and Development Workflow: Developed detailed scheduling guidelines for advancement courses, enabling officers to complete required training one year before assuming new roles, significantly improving readiness and role preparedness
- Automation for Efficiency: Introduced automated dashboards for performance ranking, reducing administrative workload by 100 man-hours and enhancing evaluation accuracy and efficiency
Head of Career Planning (Joint Staff) Section
Joint Manpower Department, HQ MINDEF
05.2007 - 04.2010
- Strategic Leadership in Career Planning: Appointed as Head of Career Planning for the Joint Staff Section after the restructuring of the Joint Manpower Department (JMPD)
- Directed career planning initiatives for Joint Staff Departments, ensuring staffing needs across departments and units were aligned with organizational objectives
- Hosted Strategic Posting Discussions: As secretariat for posting board meetings, facilitated strategic discussions with senior leadership to align talent management, staffing solutions, and succession planning of 100+ employees with operational goals
- Enhanced Career Transition Programs: Enhanced inter-service career transitions through effective management of command and staff course enrollments of 125 officers and by advancing Dual-Tracked Career Officer (DTCO) programs, fostering leadership development and structured career growth
Staff Officer, Personal Affairs and Development
Joint Manpower Department, HQ MINDEF
07.2005 - 05.2007
- Career Development and Personal Affairs: Managed career progression and personal affairs for 100+ Joint vocation officers, including Intelligence and Medical officers, by providing tailored guidance to support their professional growth and enhance operational readiness. Ensured alignment with organizational objectives through strategic career planning.
- Scholarship Board Secretariat: Led the administration of the SAF Postgraduate Award and scholarship interview boards for Intelligence and Medical officers, ensuring rigorous and transparent selection processes. Contributed to the development of future leaders through strategic talent investment.
- Global Deployment Management: Orchestrated high-profile overseas assignments for senior officers to international organizations, including the United Nations, USCENTCOM, and US JFCOM, ensuring policy compliance and alignment with mission-critical objectives
- Strengthened Inter-Ministry Linkages: Advanced cross-ministry coordination with key agencies such as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), streamlining officer career transitions and promoting inter-organizational synergy for strategic roles
Staff Officer, Human Resource
Air Manpower Department and Sembawang Airbase
06.1997 - 07.2005
- Corporate Service Delivery: Directed personal administration for a workforce of approximately 1,000 personnel and their families at Sembawang Airbase, ensuring seamless pre-overseas posting preparations and effective management of day-to-day personal affairs
- Audit and Compliance Excellence: Consistently achieved top results in manpower audits, showcasing exceptional HR management, compliance adherence, and operational efficiency
- Regimentation and Awards Expertise: Served as a key advisor on regimentation practices and honours and awards, driving consistent enforcement of disciplinary measures and equitable recognition across RSAF units
Education
Diploma - Mechatronics Engineering
Nanyang Polytechnic
01.1996
Skills
- Strategic HR Planning
- Talent Management
- Performance Optimization
- Conflict management
- Leadership Development
- Data analytics
- Manpower & Succession Planning
Certification
- Certified iHRP-Senior Professional, Institute for Human Resource Professionals, 2023
- Certificate in Public Relations and Mass Communication, Institute of Public Relations of Singapore, 2003
Accomplishments
- SAF Certificate of Appreciation, As an active ambassador for Enterprise Human Resource changes leading to the successful implementation and stabilization of MINDEF/ SAF Enterprise Human Resource Project.
- Honorary-Aide-De-Camp, Appointed to the President from 2003 to 2021.
- Medal Overall-In-Charge (OIC), Played a leading role for major state events such as National Day Investiture Ceremony.
- President Coin for Outstanding Service, Awarded for Long Service (15 years) as an Honorary Aide-de-Camp to the President (2018).
Personal Development
- Data Analytics using Power BI, Singapore Management University Academy, 2024
- Managing Mental Health Emergencies, Airforce Medical Service and SAF Counselling Centre, 2017
- HR Advanced Officer Course, SAF- NUS Business School, 2014
- Branding For Workplace Success, Centre for Management Development, 2014
- Timely Words for an Untimely Situation, SAF Counselling Centre, 2013
- Mastering Employee Engagement, Centre for Management Development, 2013
- Mentoring @ Work, Centre for Management Development, 2010
- Facilitating Effective Action Learning Process, Centre for Management Development, 2008
- Certificate in Workplace Health Promotion for Managers, Raffles Medical Group, 2005
- Certificate in People Developer Awareness, Productivity and Standards Board (PSB) Corporation, 2005
- Certificate in People Developer Standard Internal Assessor, Productivity and Standards Board (PSB) Corporation, 2005
- Certificate in Conflict Resolution, IBMEC Consultancy International, 2005
- ISO 9001:2000 Implementation Workshop, Ernest & Young Associates Pte Ltd, 2003
- Certificate in Writing Dynamics, Letters and Minutes, MINDEF Centre for Management Centre Development, 2001
- Certificate in Effective Reports and Proposals, Personnel Development and Service Office, MINDEF, 1999
- Certificate in Problem Solving and Decision Making, Personnel Development and Service Office, MINDEF, 1998
Children
Son, 19, Junior College
Personal Information
Nationality: Singaporean
Leadership Development
- HR Leaders Programme, Human Capital Leadership Institute (HCLI), 2022
- Strategic HR Management Program, NUS Business School, 2012
- 12th Command & Staff Course - Executive, Goh Keng Swee Command & Staff College, 2019
- Leadership Development in Organisation & Leadership in Context, SAF-NTU programme, 2019
Awards
- SAF Certificate of Appreciation, For being an active ambassador for Enterprise Human Resource changes leading to the successful implementation and stabilization of MINDEF/ SAF Enterprise Human Resource Project
- President Coin, For Outstanding Service as an Honorary Aide-De-Camp for 15 years long service, exceptional contributions and dedication to excellence
Timeline
Head of HR Management Centre (HRMC)
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Command, RSAF
07.2020 - Current
Head of Personnel Management Branch (HRMC)
Participation Command, RSAF
04.2010 - 07.2020
Head of Career Planning (Joint Staff) Section
Joint Manpower Department, HQ MINDEF
05.2007 - 04.2010
Staff Officer, Personal Affairs and Development
Joint Manpower Department, HQ MINDEF
07.2005 - 05.2007
Staff Officer, Human Resource
Air Manpower Department and Sembawang Airbase
06.1997 - 07.2005
- Certified iHRP-Senior Professional, Institute for Human Resource Professionals, 2023
- Certificate in Public Relations and Mass Communication, Institute of Public Relations of Singapore, 2003
Diploma - Mechatronics Engineering
Nanyang Polytechnic
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