Head of HR

This role is for one of Weekday’s clients
Salary range: Rs 1500000 - Rs 2300000 (ie INR 15 - 23 LPA)

Min Experience: 12+ years
Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
JobType: full-time

We are seeking an experienced and entrepreneurial Head of HR to build and lead the human resources function for a growing manufacturing and engineering organisation. Reporting directly to the Managing Director, this senior leadership role will be responsible for the entire employee lifecycle, including workforce planning, talent acquisition, performance management, compensation and benefits, learning and development, employee relations, HR operations, and statutory compliance.

The role will partner closely with the Managing Director and functional General Managers to align people strategy with business objectives, strengthen organisational capabilities, build leadership depth, and create a workplace that attracts and retains high-quality engineering, operations, and commercial talent.

The ideal candidate will be a hands-on organisation builder who can establish scalable HR systems, improve existing processes, and take ownership of people-related priorities in a dynamic business environment. The position will be offered at a level between Senior Manager and General Manager, depending on the candidate's experience and leadership capabilities.

Key Responsibilities

1. HR Strategy and Business Partnership

• Develop and execute the annual HR strategy and people plan in alignment with business growth objectives.
• Partner with the Managing Director and functional leaders on organisation design, role clarity, reporting structures, workforce productivity, and succession planning.
• Act as a trusted advisor to the leadership team on people-related decisions, contributing to business reviews, budgeting, and strategic planning.
• Track and report key HR metrics, including headcount, attrition, time-to-hire, training coverage, and employee engagement, with actionable recommendations.

2. Talent Acquisition and Workforce Planning

• Translate business plans into workforce requirements across engineering, fabrication, assembly, quality, supply chain, sales, and support functions.
• Lead end-to-end recruitment for senior leadership, specialist, technical, and shop-floor positions.
• Establish structured hiring processes, competency-based interviews, and effective employer-branding initiatives.
• Build sustainable talent pipelines through campus recruitment, internships, graduate programmes, and local talent networks.
• Strengthen onboarding and early-tenure retention to help new employees, particularly experienced leaders, integrate and become productive quickly.

3. Performance Management, Compensation and Rewards

• Design and implement a practical performance management framework with clear objectives, regular reviews, and measurable outcomes.
• Develop role-grading and compensation structures that balance market competitiveness, internal equity, and business affordability.
• Oversee payroll, employee benefits, variable-pay programmes, and compensation administration, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and budgetary control.
• Introduce recognition and retention strategies for critical engineering, design, leadership, and skilled-trade talent.

4. Learning, Development and Capability Building

• Develop and own the learning and development strategy, combining classroom learning, on-the-job training, and internship programmes.
• Establish leadership development pathways, including programmes for graduate engineers, first-line managers, and shop-floor supervisors.
• Maintain skills matrices, competency records, and training documentation to support operational effectiveness and quality audits.
• Collaborate with functional heads and the Quality team to identify capability gaps and link training initiatives to measurable business improvements.

5. Employee Relations, Culture and Engagement

• Build a culture of ownership, accountability, collaboration, and open communication across functions and work shifts.
• Manage employee grievances, disciplinary matters, workplace conflicts, and employee exits with fairness, consistency, and discretion.
• Implement employee engagement and feedback mechanisms, including surveys, skip-level interactions, and town halls, and ensure timely follow-through.
• Work with Operations and Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) leaders to promote a safe, inclusive, and respectful workplace across offices and manufacturing facilities.

6. HR Operations, Labour Laws and Statutory Compliance

• Ensure compliance with applicable Indian labour and employment laws, statutory registrations and returns, contract labour requirements, and employee benefit regulations.
• Implement and maintain HR policies, employee handbooks, standard operating procedures, and workplace policies, including POSH requirements.
• Maintain audit-ready employee records and documentation, supporting statutory inspections and quality management requirements.
• Implement and manage an HR Information System (HRIS) and digital processes for attendance, leave, payroll, performance reviews, and employee records.
• Use HR dashboards and reliable workforce data to support informed decision-making and improve operational efficiency.
• Lead and develop the HR team while managing external partners, including recruitment agencies, payroll providers, compliance consultants, and training vendors.

Must-Have Skills

• Strong expertise in Human Resources Management, including HR strategy, workforce planning, employee lifecycle management, and organisational development.
• Thorough understanding of Indian labour laws, employment regulations, and statutory compliance requirements.
• Hands-on experience managing statutory registrations, returns, contract labour compliance, employee benefits, and workplace policies.
• Proven ability to build and scale HR processes across recruitment, performance management, compensation, learning and development, and employee relations.
• Strong stakeholder-management, leadership, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to balance strategic HR leadership with hands-on execution in a growing organisation.

Good-to-Have Skills

• Experience in manufacturing, industrial engineering, or engineered-to-order capital equipment environments.
• Exposure to recruitment for engineering, technical, skilled-trade, and shop-floor roles.
• Familiarity with aerospace, defence, or advanced manufacturing environments.
• Understanding of audit-driven quality frameworks such as AS9100 and ISO 9001.
• Experience implementing HRIS platforms, digital HR workflows, and data-driven workforce dashboards.

Candidate Profile

Experience: 12+ years of progressive HR experience, including at least 5 years leading an HR function or managing the HR generalist and operations portfolio for a business unit or organisation. Candidates with 18+ years of experience and a track record as the HR head of a growing organisation may be considered for the General Manager level.

Industry Experience: Prior experience in manufacturing or engineered-to-order capital equipment, with exposure to both technical and shop-floor workforces.

Education: MBA/PGDM in Human Resources or a related discipline from a reputed institution is preferred.

Key Competencies

• Business Partnership: Connects people strategy and HR decisions to business priorities and operational outcomes.
• Organisation Building: Designs scalable organisational structures, roles, and processes and drives their practical implementation.
• People Leadership: Builds a capable HR team and coaches functional leaders on effective people management.
• Talent Assessment: Demonstrates sound judgement in evaluating, hiring, developing, and retaining leadership and technical talent.
• Employee Relations and Compliance: Handles sensitive employee matters professionally and maintains strong statutory and audit readiness.
• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Uses HR metrics and dashboards to identify workforce challenges and measure the impact of initiatives.
• Integrity and Discretion: Builds trust across all levels through confidentiality, consistency, fairness, and sound judgement.