Head of Human Resources - School Vertical

• Head of Human Resources School Vertical
• Span of Control: Recruitment and retention of high-quality Principals, Teachers and Administration personnel, Establish robust HR systems and processes, and Foster a culture of performance, accountability and employee engagement across the school campuses.
• Qualification: MBA (HR) or a Degree in Psychology / Humanities
• Reporting to: Head of School Vertical
• Post Qualification Experience: 10+ years of HR experience in a K12 School Chain or a Multi-Campus Educational Institution.
• Location: Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune
• Designation: Associate Director - Talent Acquisition

ROLE SUMMARY

• We are seeking an experienced HR leader to lead the complete Human Resources function for our school vertical, spanning multiple campuses. The role will be responsible for building a high-quality workforce, strengthening leadership capability, establishing robust HR systems and processes, and fostering a culture of performance, accountability and employee engagement across the schools.
• The successful candidate will work closely with senior management, school heads and academic leadership to align people strategy with the organisations growth plans and educational objectives. The role requires a leader who can combine strategic thinking with hands-on execution.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Talent Acquisition and Workforce Planning

• Lead recruitment and workforce planning across campuses, covering principals, teachers, academic leaders and nonacademic staff.
• Build effective talent pipelines and strengthen the organisations ability to attract and select high-quality educators and school leaders.
• Establish structured onboarding and induction processes to ensure effective integration of new employees.

HR Strategy and Organisational Effectiveness

• Develop and implement an HR strategy aligned with the school verticals business plans, educational objectives and expansion priorities.
• Partner with senior management and school leadership on organisation design, workforce productivity, role clarity and succession planning.
• Establish consistent HR policies, processes and standards across campuses while addressing the specific needs of individual schools.

Performance Management and Talent Development

• Design and drive performance management systems that promote accountability, recognise merit and improve individual and organisational effectiveness.
• Identify leadership and capability-development needs, particularly among principals, teachers and emerging leaders.
• Build career development and succession plans for critical roles across the school network.

Employee Engagement, Retention and Culture

• Develop initiatives to improve employee engagement, motivation and retention, particularly among high-performing teachers and school leaders.
• Foster a professional, collaborative and performance-oriented culture across campuses.
• Strengthen employee communication, grievance resolution and employee relations, addressing concerns proactively and fairly.

Compensation, HR Operations and Compliance

• Oversee compensation and benefits, payroll, HR administration, employee records and HR systems.
• Ensure compliance with applicable labour laws, employment regulations and statutory requirements across all campuses.
• Establish appropriate HR metrics and reporting mechanisms to monitor workforce costs, recruitment effectiveness, attrition, vacancies and other key people indicators.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Education

• Postgraduate qualification in Human Resources, Organizational Psychology, Business, or a related field preferred.
• Experience
• Preferably 10-12 years of progressive HR experience, with demonstrated responsibility for leading the full HR function.
• Experience in the education sector is strongly preferred, ideally within a K12 school chain or a multi-campus educational institution. Candidates from universities and other higher-education institutions will also be considered.
• Candidates from the not-for-profit sector may be particularly well suited, provided they bring strong HR leadership, sound execution and the ability to operate within defined budgets.
• Proven ability to manage HR across multiple locations, with a strong understanding of the talent requirements of schools and academic institutions.
• Demonstrated experience in talent acquisition, performance management, leadership development, compensation, employee relations and statutory compliance.

COMPETENCIES

• A strategic thinker who is equally comfortable designing HR frameworks and personally driving implementation.
• Strong leadership, communication, influencing and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to work effectively with senior management, principals and academic leaders.
• A hands-on, solution-oriented professional with high integrity, sound judgement and the ability to build trust across diverse employee groups.

WHAT SUCCESS IN THE ROLE LOOKS LIKE

• Stronger recruitment and retention of high-quality principals, teachers and other key personnel.
• Consistent, effective HR processes and standards across campuses.
• Improved employee engagement, performance and leadership capability.
• Robust succession pipelines for critical academic and administrative positions.
• Effective workforce planning, cost management and statutory compliance.
• An HR function recognised as a strategic partner to school leadership, rather than solely an administrative support function.