Head CSR

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategy & Planning

2. Formulate the CSR vision and multi-year strategy in consultation with senior management and the Board.

3. Identify key focus areas (e.g., education, livelihoods, environment, women empowerment, infrastructure, health) relevant to steel / TMT manufacturing and community context.
4. Develop annual CSR action plans, budgets and timelines.

5. Integrate CSR with other functions (environment, health & safety, community relations, sustainability) and link to business operations (mining/plant/roads etc).

6. Program Development & Implementation

7. Conceptualise, design and roll out CSR projects in manufacturing locations and nearby communities.

8. Oversee implementation of infrastructure, community development, livelihoods, skill-training, environmental mitigation etc.
9. Manage resources (internal teams, external NGOs/implementing partners), vendor contracts, budgets and schedules.

10. Ensure projects meet quality, compliance and impact criteria.

11. Stakeholder Engagement & Community Relations

12. Build and nurture relationships with internal stakeholders (plant management, HR, procurement, environment, local leadership) & external stakeholders (community leaders, local governments, NGOs, local media).

13. Act as the companys key CSR interface in manufacturing areas for community, government, and civil society.
14. Conduct stakeholder mapping, needs assessments and impact studies.

15. Handle grievance mechanisms and local concerns tied to the manufacturing site operations.

16. Compliance, Governance & Reporting

17. Ensure CSR programmes comply with statutory requirements (e.g., section 135, CSR Rules, local state legislations) and internal policies.

18. Set up governance framework CSR Committee, Board reporting, operating guidelines.
19. Prepare CSR policy, annual CSR report, impact reports and submit to Board/CSR Committee.
20. Manage audits (impact audits, social audits), third-party evaluations.

21. Monitor disbursements, ensure funds are spent per programme and rules. For example, one steel company policy states:
    
    Every Manufacturing Unit has a CSR Cell. Every Company has a CSR Head the onus for successful and time-bound implementation of the projects is on the various Unit Presidents and CSR teams. Hindalco

22. Monitoring, Impact Assessment & Continuous Improvement

23. Set up KPIs for CSR programmes (e.g., number of beneficiaries, asset index improvement, lives impacted, environment metrics).

24. Monitor progress, collect data, and perform impact assessments.
25. Drive continuous improvement lessons learnt, ROI of social investment, alignment with business risk (e.g., environment, social licence to operate).

26. Ensure alignment with broader ESG / sustainability frameworks (UN SDGs, external benchmarks) as exemplified by the steel sector. India CSR

27. Budgeting & Resource Management

28. Prepare and manage CSR budget and ensure efficient utilisation of funds.

29. Work with finance, operations, procurement and environment functions to allocate and monitor resources.

30. Forecast future CSR spend aligned to business growth, manufacturing expansion, community needs and regulatory changes.

31. Team Leadership & Capability Building

32. Lead the CSR team (internal staff + field staff + NGO / implementation partners).

33. Build capability among local site CSR cells, train plant teams on community relations, stakeholder management and sustainability.

34. Ensure standardisation of CSR processes across manufacturing locations.

35. Brand & Reputation

36. Promote CSR initiatives and company's social impact externally (media, awards, CSR/sustainability forums).

37. Present CSR outcomes to senior leadership and Board; advocate CSR as strategic business driver, not just compliance.

Key Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree (preferably in Social Work, Rural Development, Environmental Science, Business Management). Master's / MBA / MSW preferred.
• Minimum 10–12 (or more) years of progressively responsible experience in CSR / sustainability / community development roles – ideally in manufacturing or heavy industry (steel, mining, TMT bar, construction).
• Strong stakeholder management experience – community, government, NGOs & internal functions.
• Experience with statutory CSR compliance (India context) and reporting frameworks.
• Good project management, budget & resource management skills.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, presentation and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated leadership of teams and field operations across multiple locations.
• Knowledge of ESG frameworks / impact assessment / social audits is a plus.

Reporting & Interface

• Interface regularly with plant heads, operations, HR, environment & safety, procurement, finance.
• Reports to senior leadership and CSR Committee / Board.
• Liaison with local government, district administration, community groups, NGOs.