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.

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