Senior Associate - Human Resources

Organisation Background:

The Akanksha Foundation is a 30+ year old non-profit organization with the mission to build innovative schools that will empower children & young adults from underserved communities and influence the ecosystem. Akanksha supports 14,600 students through the formal-school education program and 5,800alumni from low-income backgrounds. Our 27 English-medium schools run in partnership with municipal corporations in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur. We provide students from underserved communities a high-quality, holistic education at no cost. Our aim is to give students the knowledge, skills, and values they need to lead empowered lives, maximize their potential and break out of the cycle of poverty. With a vision to scale our impact we codified our practices and, in 2022, joined forces with Nagpur Municipal Corporation and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation to take these practices to nearly 200 public schools under 'Project Setu'.

Position Summary:

As the Senior Associate - Human Resources (HR), you will be responsible for overseeing and supporting all HR activities including Recruitment, Onboarding, Data Management, Performance Management, Employee Engagement, and other HR initiatives for assigned Pune schools. You will be reporting to Senior Manager- Human Resources.

What your role will entail:

Talent Acquisition:

Partner with School Leaders to define staffing needs and ensure timely fulfillment.

Collaborate with the Director of Schools and Senior Manager HR to identify high-risk or critical roles and develop a proactive recruitment plan (internal and external).

Manage the end-to-end hiring process including sourcing, interviewing, selection, and offer rollout for all roles.

Track recruitment metrics to ensure hiring quality and process efficiency.

HR Operations, Data & Compliance:

Oversee all HR operations for all assigned schools including onboarding, induction, payroll coordination, exit formalities, and related documentation.

Ensure statutory compliance with applicable laws for charitable organizations (e.g., PF, ESIC, Shops & Establishments, POSH).

Support internal audits and maintain updated HR MIS and personnel records with accuracy and confidentiality.

People Engagement & Culture:

Serve as a key HR partner to all schools in addressing team-level concerns, people issues, and morale challenges.

Support the resolution of employee queries and concerns with empathy, fairness, and alignment to organizational values.

Promote a positive work environment rooted in care, respect, and collaboration.

Facilitate conversations around team culture and extend support during key school milestones or transitions.

Policies, Processes & Communication:

Ensure timely execution of HR policies and processes in schools and drive awareness and adherence.

Communicate HR policies effectively to employees through multiple touchpoints.

Support the contextualization of HR initiatives to school environments while maintaining standardization.

Cross-functional Collaboration:

Actively contribute to HR team priorities beyond the city, including org-wide initiatives and special projects.

Collaborate closely with the larger HR team to improve systems, share learnings, and foster alignment.

What you need for this Position Experience:

Minimum 4 years experience in relevant work experience in HR roles.

Proven experience in hiring and HR data management.

Experience of working in development and non- profit sectors preferred.