Senior Vice President - Human Resources & Industrial Relations - Manufacturing

Job Description: Senior Vice President - HR & IR

Overview:

The Senior Vice President of Human Resources & Industrial Relations (SVP - HR & IR) will serve as a pivotal executive leader bridging corporate people strategy with multi-site operational excellence. Based at our Corporate Office, you will oversee the entire human resources lifecycle and industrial relations frameworks for a large, diverse workforce across 3 to 4 manufacturing plants.

Reporting directly to the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), you will translate business goals into unified, scalable HR and IR practices, ensuring long-term talent sustainability, a progressive workplace culture, and harmonious labor relations across all locations.

Position Summary:

Position Title: Senior Vice President - HR & IR

Location: Corporate Office at Mumbai (with required travel to plant locations)

Reporting To: Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)

Direct Reports: Plant HR Heads (3 - 4), Head of Industrial Relations & Compliance, Corporate HR Team

Stakeholder Interface: Plant Heads, Operations Leadership, Executive Committee, and External Labor Unions / Government Authorities

Key Responsibilities:

1. Corporate HR Strategy & Governance:

- Strategic Alignment: Partner with the CHRO to formulate and execute an overarching HR roadmap that mirrors the company's business growth and operational capacity.

- Policy Frameworks: Design, standardise, and continuously update corporate HR policies, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and employee handbooks across all plants.

- HR Digitalisation: Drive the adoption and integration of robust HRMS tools to streamline operations, data reporting, and automated personnel tracking.

2. Industrial Relations & Union Management:

- Labor Harmony: Formulate the organization's collective bargaining frameworks; act as the principal architect for long-term wage settlements and union negotiations.

- Conflict Resolution: Mitigate industrial disputes proactively, maintaining an open line of communication with factory councils, union reps, and local administrative bodies.

- Statutory Compliance: Enforce 100% adherence to all applicable state and federal labor laws, factory acts, safety regulations, and environmental health compliance metrics.

3. Talent Management & Organization Development:

- Workforce Planning: Drive manpower budgeting and strategic capacity planning to maintain lean, efficient operations across both corporate offices and plant floors.

- Performance Culture: Oversee the institutionalisation of performance management systems (KPIs/OKRs) that incentivize productivity and clearly tie plant output to reward structures.

- Succession Planning: Identify, develop, and mentor the next tier of leadership, ensuring continuity for critical plant management and corporate executive functions.

4. Employee Relations & Plant Engagement:

- Culture Integration: Harmonize the organizational culture between corporate office expectations and shop-floor realities, championing an inclusive and highly engaged environment.

- Grievance Redressal: Maintain a transparent and timely system for addressing both corporate employee concerns and blue-collar worker grievances.

Profile Requirements:

Educational Qualifications Required: Master's Degree or MBA in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, or Personnel Management from a premier institution.

Preferred: An additional degree in Labor Law is highly advantageous.

Experience & Core Competencies:

- Years of Experience: 18 - 25 years of post-qualification experience in Human Resources, with at least 5 - 7 years in an executive leadership role (VP/AVP level).

- Industry Background: Must possess substantial experience in heavy manufacturing, automotive, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, or engineering sectors managing multiple manufacturing units.

- Union Exposure: Proven track record of handling complex union dynamics, collective bargaining, and multi-tier wage negotiations successfully.

- Leadership Capabilities: Exceptional strategic planning, high emotional intelligence, and robust executive communication skills to seamlessly pivot between boardrooms and plant floors.