Department: Human Resources

Work Arrangement: Work from Office As per company policy
Reporting To: Director Senior Management

Role Overview

The Senior HR Manager will take end-to-end ownership of HR operations, policy development, employee relations, performance management, employee engagement, HR compliance and organisational development.

This is a hands-on leadership role requiring a balance of strategic thinking and operational execution. The candidate should be comfortable working directly with senior management, handling sensitive employee matters independently, recommending appropriate actions, and implementing HR processes aligned with business objectives.

The ideal candidate will bring maturity, sound judgement, professional integrity, strong communication skills and the confidence to take ownership of HR decisions within the organisation's approved authority framework.

Key Responsibilities

1. HR Strategy, Leadership and Management Advisory

- Develop and implement HR strategies aligned with organisational goals, business growth and workforce requirements.
- Work closely with senior management to understand business priorities and translate them into practical HR initiatives.
- Act as a trusted HR advisor to management on employee matters, organisational structure, people-related risks and workforce planning.
- Independently assess employee-related situations, evaluate available options and recommend appropriate courses of action.
- Establish clear HR processes, accountability mechanisms and decision-making frameworks.
- Identify gaps in existing HR practices and introduce structured, scalable and business-oriented solutions.
- Support management in organisational restructuring, role clarity, workforce planning and change management.
- Prepare and present HR reports, people metrics, risks and improvement recommendations to management.
- Balance employee interests with organisational requirements while maintaining fairness, confidentiality and professional integrity.

1. HR Policy Drafting, Development and Implementation

- Draft, review, update and implement HR policies, procedures, employee guidelines and standard operating procedures.
- Develop policies covering attendance, working hours, leave, holidays, work from office, remote work, employee conduct, discipline, performance, promotions, transfers, separation and exit formalities.
- Establish clear guidelines for employee onboarding, probation, confirmation, notice periods, resignation, full and final settlement and employee documentation.
- Create consistent frameworks for employee grievances, disciplinary proceedings, warnings, performance improvement plans and escalation management.
- Develop and implement policies for employee travel, reimbursements, expense claims, business conduct, confidentiality and acceptable workplace behaviour, as applicable.
- Ensure that policies are practical, legally compliant, clearly communicated and consistently applied across the organisation.
- Conduct periodic policy reviews based on business changes, employee feedback, operational challenges and changes in applicable labour laws.
- Obtain appropriate management approvals and ensure employees understand and acknowledge applicable policies.
- Maintain a central repository of approved policies, policy versions, employee acknowledgements and related documentation.
- Identify areas where existing practices create business, compliance or employee-relations risks and recommend appropriate corrective measures.

A key requirement of this role is practical experience in drafting and implementing policiesnot merely administering policies created by others.

1. HR Operations and Employee Lifecycle Management

- Oversee the complete employee lifecycle, from onboarding through separation.
- Establish standardised processes for joining documentation, induction, probation reviews, confirmation and employee record management.
- Ensure timely issuance and administration of offer letters, appointment letters, confirmation letters, amendments, promotion letters, warning letters and separation documents.
- Monitor attendance, leave records, working hours, employee movements and other HR operational activities.
- Ensure accurate maintenance of employee master data, personnel files, HR trackers and HRIS records.
- Coordinate with payroll and finance teams to ensure accurate monthly payroll inputs, salary changes, attendance inputs, leave adjustments and employee separation data.
- Oversee full and final settlement coordination, exit interviews, clearance procedures and employee documentation.
- Establish transparent service standards and turnaround times for HR requests.
- Ensure employee records are accurate, confidential, accessible to authorised personnel and maintained in accordance with applicable requirements.
- Identify repetitive manual processes and implement improvements to increase HR efficiency.

1. Employee Relations, Grievance Handling and Conflict Resolution

- Serve as the primary escalation point for sensitive employee matters and workplace concerns.
- Independently handle employee grievances, interpersonal conflicts, workplace disputes and management escalations.
- Conduct fair, confidential and objective investigations into reported employee misconduct or policy violations.
- Advise managers on appropriate documentation, corrective actions, disciplinary measures and employee communication.




- Ensure disciplinary actions are consistent, proportionate, documented and aligned with applicable law and company policy.
- Handle difficult conversations relating to performance, attendance, behaviour, policy violations, resignations and workplace expectations.
- Establish a transparent grievance-redressal mechanism and ensure issues are addressed within defined timelines.
- Identify patterns in employee complaints, attrition, absenteeism and workplace conflicts and recommend preventive action.
- Maintain appropriate confidentiality while ensuring that concerns involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation or other serious misconduct are escalated and addressed through the proper process.
- Build a professional workplace culture based on accountability, respect, fairness and responsible conduct.

1. Performance Management and Employee Accountability

- Design, implement and periodically improve the organisation's performance appraisal and performance management framework.
- Establish clear processes for goal setting, periodic reviews, annual appraisals, feedback and performance documentation.
- Work with department heads to define measurable performance expectations and review mechanisms.
- Guide managers on conducting performance discussions and documenting performance concerns.
- Develop and administer performance improvement plans (PIPs), including measurable expectations, review periods, support measures and documented outcomes.
- Establish processes for promotions, increments, role changes and internal movements in coordination with management.
- Identify recurring performance and accountability issues and recommend suitable interventions.
- Ensure performance-related decisions are supported by appropriate documentation, consistent criteria and management approvals.
- Help create a performance-oriented culture in which employees understand their responsibilities, targets and consequences of sustained underperformance.

1. Talent Acquisition and Workforce Planning

- Partner with the Talent Acquisition team and business leaders to plan internal hiring requirements.
- Establish recruitment processes, interview protocols, selection documentation and offer approval workflows.
- Monitor hiring progress, recruitment turnaround times, offer acceptance and joining ratios.
- Ensure that hiring practices are consistent, ethical and aligned with approved budgets and headcount plans.
- Support recruitment for critical and senior positions when required.
- Coordinate with hiring managers to improve workforce planning and identify future talent requirements.
- Establish effective onboarding and induction practices to help new employees integrate into the organisation.
- Work with business leaders to improve retention in critical roles and identify the reasons behind employee exits.

1. Statutory Compliance and Labour Law

- Oversee applicable employment-related statutory and labour-law compliance in coordination with payroll, finance, legal advisors and external consultants, as required.
- Ensure compliance with applicable requirements relating to EPF, ESI, professional tax, gratuity, bonus, wages, leave, working conditions and other relevant employment obligations.
- Monitor statutory registers, employee documentation, filings, returns, notices and compliance records as applicable.
- Coordinate with external consultants and authorities for inspections, audits, statutory queries and compliance reviews.
- Ensure appropriate handling of applicable POSH requirements, including Internal Committee processes, employee awareness and complaints in accordance with law.
- Review HR practices and employment documentation for potential compliance gaps and recommend corrective action.
- Keep management informed of relevant changes in employment regulations and their operational implications.
- Establish a compliance calendar and periodic review mechanism to minimise legal and regulatory exposure.
- Ensure that disciplinary actions, employee separations and employment-related decisions follow applicable legal requirements and documented procedures.

1. Payroll, Compensation and Benefits Coordination

- Oversee HR inputs required for monthly payroll processing and coordinate with finance or payroll service providers.
- Review attendance, leave, salary revisions, new joiners, exits, incentives and other payroll-related inputs for completeness and accuracy.
- Support the development and administration of compensation structures, salary revision processes and employee benefit policies.
- Establish appropriate approval processes for increments, promotions, incentives and exceptional compensation changes.
- Handle payroll-related employee queries and coordinate timely resolution.
- Monitor payroll discrepancies and implement controls to prevent recurring errors.
- Maintain appropriate confidentiality around employee compensation and personal information.

1. Employee Engagement, Retention and Organisational Culture





- Develop practical employee engagement initiatives aligned with business needs and organisational culture.
- Conduct employee feedback exercises, engagement surveys and structured discussions where appropriate.
- Analyse attrition trends, employee concerns and exit interview feedback to identify improvement opportunities.
- Develop retention initiatives for key employees and critical teams.
- Support managers in improving communication, employee recognition and team effectiveness.
- Coordinate employee welfare initiatives, internal communications, celebrations and engagement activities.
- Promote a respectful, inclusive and professionally accountable work environment.
- Measure the effectiveness of engagement initiatives and recommend improvements based on feedback and outcomes.

1. HR MIS, Analytics and Process Improvement

- Develop and maintain reliable HR dashboards and management reports.
- Track headcount, attrition, absenteeism, hiring, retention, employee costs, performance reviews and other relevant people metrics.
- Prepare periodic HR reports highlighting trends, risks, issues and recommended actions.
- Analyse HR data to identify recurring employee and operational challenges.
- Establish documented HR workflows, approval matrices, checklists and standard operating procedures.
- Improve the use of HRMS, attendance systems, payroll tools and employee databases.
- Ensure consistency and accuracy in HR records and reporting.
- Use HR metrics to support evidence-based decision-making rather than relying solely on informal feedback.

1. Team Management and Cross-Functional Coordination

- Lead and guide HR team members, recruiters and HR operations personnel, as applicable.
- Allocate responsibilities, establish service expectations and monitor execution.
- Coach managers and team members on HR processes, employee communication and policy implementation.
- Coordinate with finance, administration, IT, recruitment and business teams on cross-functional matters.
- Ensure HR activities are completed within agreed timelines and escalation processes are followed.
- Build a responsive HR function that supports both employees and management effectively.

Required Experience and Qualifications

- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Commerce or a related discipline.
- MBA/PGDM in Human Resources or an equivalent postgraduate qualification is preferred.
- Typically 1015 years of overall HR experience, with substantial hands-on experience in independently managing HR responsibilities.
- Prior experience in an organisation with approximately 5001,000 employees is strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated experience drafting, implementing and reviewing HR policies and procedures.
- Proven ability to handle employee relations, disciplinary matters, performance management and management escalations.
- Experience managing HR operations, statutory compliance, employee lifecycle processes and HR reporting.
- Strong understanding of applicable Indian employment and labour-law requirements.
- Experience interacting directly with business leaders, directors and senior management.
- Experience establishing or improving HR processes in a growing or evolving organisation.
- Strong communication, negotiation, analytical and documentation skills.

Critical Competencies

Independent decision-making: Able to assess situations objectively, evaluate risks and recommend or take decisions within delegated authority.

Policy ownership: Has personally contributed to drafting, reviewing and implementing HR policies rather than only following existing procedures.

Maturity and discretion: Can handle confidential employee matters, sensitive conversations and management escalations professionally.

Practical execution: Willing to personally handle critical HR issues and operational work instead of functioning exclusively as a strategic advisor.

Fairness and consistency: Applies policies objectively and maintains appropriate documentation without favouritism.

Business understanding: Understands the commercial and operational impact of employee-related decisions.

Communication and influence: Can confidently advise senior management and communicate difficult decisions to employees and managers.

Ownership and accountability: Follows issues through to closure and takes responsibility for the quality and effectiveness of HR processes.

Integrity and confidentiality: Demonstrates sound judgement in handling employee records, compensation information, investigations and sensitive business matters.

Key Performance Indicators

Performance will be evaluated against agreed business requirements and HR service standards, including:

1. Timely development, review and implementation of priority HR policies.
2. Compliance with applicable statutory requirements and timely closure of compliance gaps.
3. Accuracy and timeliness of HR operations and payroll inputs.
4. Timely and fair resolution of employee grievances and escalations.
5. Completion of performance appraisal and employee review cycles.
6. Quality of employee documentation and HR process compliance.
7. Recruitment and onboarding support against agreed hiring plans.
8. Analysis of attrition and implementation of relevant retention initiatives.
9. Accuracy and timely submission of HR MIS and management reports.
10. Improvement in HR process efficiency, documentation and accountability.
11. Effectiveness of HR support provided to managers and employees.
12. Successful implementation of agreed HR improvement initiatives.

📌 Senior HR Manager / Head of Human Resources (Chennai)
🏢 Realtekh Software Services
📍 Chennai