Head of HR | For a Leading QSR Brand | 12-15 Years of Exp.

Seeking a Head of Human Resources with 12–15 years of experience to lead the HR function at the corporate level. This senior role will shape the people strategy for a rapidly growing QSR enterprise, ensuring the organization structure, culture, and talent pipeline support aggressive expansion plans. The Head of HR will work closely with the executive team to drive strategic initiatives in talent management, organizational development, and culture-building, while also overseeing effective HR operations across all levels of the company. Key Responsibilities (Strategic & Operational): HR Strategy & Planning: Develop and implement a holistic HR strategy that aligns with the QSR division’s business goals. This includes workforce planning for expansion (opening new outlets domestically and potentially internationally), talent strategy, and organizational development plans. Leadership Development & Succession: Identify and develop high-potential talent for leadership roles. Implement succession planning for critical positions (restaurant managers, regional heads, corporate leaders) to ensure leadership continuity in a fast-growth scenario. Culture & Employer Brand: Champion a strong organizational culture that reflects values of quality, customer-focus, and innovation. Drive initiatives to maintain high employee engagement and low attrition, even as the workforce scales. Enhance the employer brand in the market to attract top talent, highlighting the entrepreneurial and growth-oriented Environment. Compensation & Benefits Strategy: Oversee the design of competitive compensation and benefits programs that balance cost control with employee motivation and retention. Regularly benchmark against industry standards (QSR/retail) and adapt policies to support expansion into new regions or countries (considering local norms and regulations). HR Policies & Compliance Oversight: Ensure that robust HR policies, SOPs, and governance frameworks are in place and adhered to. Stay updated on labor law changes and ensure full compliance across all operating locations. Guide the team in handling complex HR issues or legal matters, mitigating risk for the company. Operational HR Excellence: Supervise all HR functional areas – talent acquisition, training, HR operations, and employee relations. Establish service level standards for HR support to stores and corporate offices. Leverage HR technology (HRIS, payroll systems) to improve efficiency and data accuracy. Cross-Functional and Executive Collaboration: Serve as a trusted advisor to the Business Head (CEO) and other senior leaders on all people-related strategies. Participate actively in strategic planning forums, providing inputs on organizational capabilities and change management for new initiatives (like entering the UK market or launching new business lines). Change Management: Lead HR-driven change management efforts during expansions or reorganizations. For example, manage the HR aspects of launching operations in a new country, integrating new teams, or re-structuring departments to better meet business needs. Required Skills & Competencies: Strategic HR Leadership: Ability to craft and execute a long-term people strategy. Understands how to align HR initiatives with business objectives and can anticipate future talent and organizational needs. Influencing & Advising: Excellent advisory skills with the confidence to influence C-level executives on critical HR decisions. Capable of balancing advocacy for employees with business requirements to achieve win-win outcomes. Deep HR Knowledge: Extensive knowledge of HR best practices, labor laws, and HR trends in India. Strong command of all core HR functions and experience implementing HR programs at scale. Analytical & Data-Driven: Utilizes data and HR metrics to drive decisions (e.g., staffing models, compensation analytics, engagement survey results). Comfortable presenting data- backed insights to support policy changes or strategic initiatives. Leadership & Team Management: Proven track record of building and leading effective HR teams. Mentors HR professionals and builds the function’s capability to act as true business partners. Resilience & Problem-Solving: Thrives in a dynamic, high-growth environment. Able to remain calm and make sound decisions in the face of challenges such as rapid scaling, cultural integration, or conflict resolution. Preferred Background & Domain Expertise: Industry Background: Significant HR leadership experience in QSR, retail, hospitality, or consumer-focused companies. Understanding of the operational challenges and workforce dynamics (including frontline workforce management) in these sectors. Education: MBA in HR or equivalent Master’s degree in a related field is highly preferred. Continuous learning through executive HR programs or certifications (like SHRM-SCP) is a Plus. Scale & Growth Experience: Hands-on experience in scaling an organization from a mid-size to a large workforce. Comfortable designing HR frameworks for a company doubling in size or entering new markets. International Experience: Exposure to HR management in international contexts (such as setting up HR for an overseas branch or adapting policies for a different country) is advantageous. Familiarity with HR considerations for the UK or other markets adds value for global readiness.