HR Head (People & Culture)

Position: HR Head (People & Culture)

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Location: Bangalore, Karnataka

Employment Type: Full-Time

Work Mode: In-Office

Role Summary:

Sarvoham Animal Foundation is seeking a passionate, strategic, and hands-on Head of People & Culture to lead and transform the organization's human resources function. This role is responsible for building and strengthening all aspects of people management, including HR operations, statutory compliance, talent acquisition, performance management, compensation and benefits, employee engagement, organizational development, and culture alignment.

As a mission-driven animal welfare organization, Sarvoham requires a leader who brings strong HR expertise and also genuinely believes in creating a compassionate workplace that supports both people and animals. The successful candidate will work closely with leadership to develop people strategies that attract, retain, and develop high-performing teams while ensuring compliance with applicable labor laws and HR best practices.

This position offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of a growing nonprofit organization by building scalable HR systems, fostering a positive and accountable culture, improving employee experience, and aligning people practices with Sarvoham's mission of improving the lives of animals. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker, a problem solver, and a culture builder who thrives in a purpose-driven environment and is committed to making a meaningful impact through their work.

Key Responsibilities

1. HR Strategy & Organizational Development

Develop and execute Sarvoham's people strategy.

Design organizational structures and reporting frameworks.

Conduct workforce planning and manpower forecasting.

Build competency frameworks for all departments.

Support leadership in organizational growth planning.

Establish succession planning initiatives.

2. Human Resource Operations

Oversee recruitment and onboarding processes.

Standardize employee lifecycle processes.

Develop HR policies and employee handbooks.

Maintain employee records and HR documentation.

Implement HRIS and people management systems.

Ensure consistency in HR practices across departments.

3. Performance Management

Design KPI and KRA frameworks.

Develop annual performance review systems.

Create probation review processes.

Implement performance improvement plans.

Establish promotion and career progression frameworks.

Train managers on performance management practices.

4. Compensation & Benefits

Develop salary structures and pay bands.

Conduct market benchmarking exercises.

Design employee benefits programs.

Establish compensation review cycles.

Recommend retention and reward strategies.

5. Employee Engagement & Culture

Develop employee engagement initiatives.

Strengthen organizational culture and values.

Design recognition and rewards programs.

Conduct employee satisfaction surveys.

Facilitate conflict resolution and employee relations.

Promote diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing initiatives.

6. Statutory Compliance & Governance

Ensure compliance with:

Shops & Establishments Act

PF, ESI, Professional Tax

Labour laws

Gratuity regulations

POSH requirements

Contract labour regulations

Conduct periodic compliance audits.

Coordinate with legal and finance teams.

Manage labour inspections and statutory reporting.

7. Learning & Development

Create employee development frameworks.

Design leadership development initiatives.

Develop training calendars.

Facilitate learning programs for managers and staff.

Establish career development pathways.

8. HR Analytics & Reporting

Track employee turnover.

Monitor recruitment effectiveness.

Analyze engagement and retention metrics.

Prepare monthly and quarterly HR reports.

Present workforce insights to leadership.

Required Qualifications

Education: Master's Degree in Human Resources, Organizational Psychology, or related field

Experience:

8 to 15 years of HR experience

At least 5 years in a strategic HR leadership role

Experience building HR functions from the ground up

Experience with performance management systems

Experience in labour law and compliance

Experience in nonprofit, healthcare, social impact, or mission-driven organizations preferred

Preferred Competencies

Organizational Design

HR Transformation

Performance Management

Labour Law Compliance

Compensation & Benefits

Employee Relations

Leadership Development

Change Management

Culture Building

Strategic Workforce Planning

Pay: Up to ₹2,000,000.00 per year

Ability to commute/relocate:

Bangalore City, Bengaluru, Karnataka: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Preferred)

Application Question(s):

Please summarize your total HR experience, including the size of organizations you have supported and the HR teams you have managed.

Describe your experience partnering with CEOs, Founders, or senior leadership teams. What strategic HR decisions did you influence?

Describe a situation where you built or transformed an HR function. What were the key challenges and outcomes?

Explain a Performance Management System (PMS) that you designed or implemented. What approach did you use for KPIs, KRAs, and performance reviews?

Share an example of an organizational restructuring, organization design, or career progression initiative that you led.

Describe your experience managing statutory compliance in India, including labour laws, PF, ESI, Professional Tax, and Shops & Establishments requirements.

Explain your role in implementing POSH compliance, conducting HR audits, or managing labour inspections and regulatory reviews.

Describe your experience designing compensation structures, salary bands, or conducting salary benchmarking exercises.

Share an example of an employee retention, rewards, or recognition program you developed and the results achieved.

Describe an employee engagement or culture-building initiative you led and how it impacted the organization.

Have you previously volunteered or worked with an animal shelter, rescue organization, veterinary clinic, or animal welfare organization?

Have you ever personally rescued or assisted an injured, abandoned, or distressed animal?

Are you comfortable working in an environment that may include sick, injured, disabled, or terminally ill animals?

Education:

Master's (Preferred)

Work Location: In person