KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & FIRST-YEAR EXPECTATIONS Enterprise HR Operations — End-to-End Ownership Own and execute end-to-end HR operations across all Kimia verticals and the corporate office — under the CHRO's strategic guidance — including hiring, onboarding, performance management, learning and development, payroll coordination, statutory compliance, exits, and employee relations. Establish a monthly HR operating cadence: vertical-level HR reviews, headcount and attrition tracking, compliance status, open positions dashboard, and a consolidated people metrics report for the MD and CHRO. Build and maintain the enterprise organisational structure — role definitions, reporting lines, span-of-control norms, and grading frameworks — across all functions and levels as the company grows. Serve as the primary HR escalation point for all business unit heads — API Operations, FDF Head, CSO, Corporate Quality Head, Corporate Regulatory Head — on people decisions, team structures, and HR support. Coordinate closely with Finance on headcount budgets, payroll inputs, and HR cost management across all verticals. Talent Acquisition — Enterprise Pipeline Work in close coordination with the Talent Acquisition Specialist to own the enterprise hiring agenda — from leadership hires (partnered directly with the MD and CHRO) to mid-level and technical roles across API, FDF, and corporate functions. Own the hiring brief and candidate assessment process for all L3 and above roles across the organisation — ensuring role clarity, structured evaluation, and offer management at senior levels. Build employer brand positioning for Kimia as a growth-stage pharma employer — targeting both experienced pharma professionals and high-potential talent from relevant institutions. Develop structured sourcing strategies for hard-to-fill technical roles in API manufacturing (production chemists, process engineers, QA/QC specialists) and FDF operations, given the competitive pharma talent market. Drive campus and lateral hiring programs in partnership with the TA Specialist, with a particular focus on building a bench of mid-level leadership talent for the API and FDF verticals. Business Partnering — API, FDF & Corporate Verticals Act as the strategic HR partner for all business verticals — understanding each function's operational realities, people challenges, and talent requirements, and translating these into HR interventions that support business outcomes. For the API vertical: partner with the API Operations Head on plant workforce planning, technical competency development, GMP-linked training compliance, and IR/ER management — working through the Plant HR Head who handles day-to-day plant HR operations. For the FDF vertical: build the HR infrastructure for a new division from the ground up — org design, role creation, hiring roadmap, and onboarding systems as the FDF business comes online. For corporate functions (Quality, Regulatory, R&D, SCM, Finance, Admin): provide direct HRBP support — performance management, compensation benchmarking, role structuring, and development planning for corporate team members. Conduct bi-annual people reviews with each vertical head — talent health check, succession readiness, attrition risk assessment, and development pipeline status. Performance Management & Rewards Design and implement a unified performance management framework for Kimia — KRA-setting methodology, mid-year and annual review cycles, calibration processes, and rating-to-reward linkage — applicable across plant and corporate roles. Build a compensation benchmarking framework across all roles and grades, covering plant technical staff, plant management, corporate functions, and senior leadership — ensuring Kimia remains competitive as it scales. Own the annual increment and promotion cycle — from budget submission and guidelines to manager recommendations, moderation, approval, and communication. Design and manage a variable pay and incentive structure for performance-linked roles, including plant supervisors, sales (if applicable), and senior management. Partner with the CHRO and MD on executive compensation and retention structures for critical leadership hires. Learning, Development & Capability Building Design and execute an enterprise L&D calendar — covering GMP and regulatory compliance training (mandatory for API and FDF), leadership development for plant supervisors and corporate managers, functional skill-building, and new-hire onboarding programs. Build a GMP competency framework for all manufacturing roles — in coordination with QA — mapping technical competencies, training requirements, and audit-readiness documentation to each role and grade. Create a high-potential identification and development program — covering both plant leadership talent and corporate high-performers — with structured IDPs, stretch assignments, and progression milestones. Ensure all regulatory-mandated training records across the API plant and FDF facility are current, documented, and audit-ready at all times. Partner with the CSO on capability building for R&D and process scale-up teams as new molecules enter the API and FDF pipeline. Industrial Relations, Statutory Compliance & Plant HR Oversight Provide strategic oversight of IR and statutory compliance for the company's plant — working through the Plant HR Head, who manages day-to-day labour relations, contract labour compliance, and statutory registers. Ensure enterprise-wide 100% compliance across all applicable labour legislation: Factories Act, Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, Shops & Establishments Act, ESI, PF, Gratuity, POSH, and relevant state-level amendments. Own the POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) framework for the entire organisation — Internal Committee constitution, policy communication, and case management. Conduct quarterly statutory compliance audits across all Kimia locations and ensure zero non compliances at any regulatory or labour inspection. Manage the HR dimension of any significant IR events — workforce restructuring, site expansion, or new plant commissioning — in coordination with the CHRO and legal counsel. HR Systems, Data & Infrastructure Build and own the HRIS infrastructure for Kimia — covering attendance, leave, payroll inputs, performance data, training records, and headcount analytics — integrated with SAP or company's chosen ERP platform. Create a people analytics dashboard for the MD and CHRO: headcount by vertical, attrition trends, time-to-fill, training compliance, and HR cost metrics — updated monthly. Design and implement standardised HR SOPs for all processes: recruitment, onboarding, probation confirmation, transfers, promotions, exits, and HR document management. Build the policy architecture for Kimia — employee handbook, leave policy, travel and expense policy, code of conduct, and function-specific policies — as Kimia transitions from an informally managed to a professionally governed organisation. Manage HR vendor relationships: payroll processing partners, background verification agencies, recruitment firms, and L&D vendors. 3. CANDIDATE PROFILE & LEADERSHIP TRAITS 10–15 years in HR with demonstrated experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Candidates must have worked in or closely alongside pharma manufacturing operations — ideally API or bulk drug manufacturing — at some point in their career. A purely corporate or FMCG HR background will not be adequate; core business is manufacturing, and the HRBP must understand what that means for people strategy, compliance, and culture. Must have prior experience managing end-to-end HR operations across multiple functions or business units — not just as a specialist in one HR domain. Strong working knowledge of Indian labour law, statutory compliance, and IR management. Prior experience in a growth-stage or transformation-phase organisation — where HR infrastructure was being built, not just administered — is strongly preferred. Experience managing a small HR team or functioning as a standalone HR leader is essential. The HRBP must be comfortable owning the full HR function operationally while building the strategic muscle that will take the role toward CHRO. Preferred: Prior HRBP or HR Head experience at a pharma company with API manufacturing operations. Exposure to GMP-linked HR systems, training compliance, and regulatory audit readiness. SAP HR or equivalent HRIS experience. Experience designing performance management, compensation, and grading frameworks from scratch. Leadership Traits: Equally effective in a boardroom discussion with the MD and on a plant floor conversation with a shift supervisor. Builds credibility with diverse stakeholders — operators, scientists, finance heads, and senior leadership. Execution-driven with a strong bias for documentation, process, and system-building. Navigates the informality of a promoter-led organisation with patience and professionalism, without losing sight of the institutionalisation mandate. Ambitious enough to grow into the CHRO role, grounded enough to manage a payroll input today.
Pay: ₹2,500,000.00 - ₹3,000,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
