Note: This role is intended for professionals who are seeking to build a long-term career in the nonprofit and animal welfare sector, not those looking for a temporary transition from corporate HR.
A genuine passion for animal welfare and alignment with our mission are essential for success in this role. Candidates who do not have a sincere interest in animal welfare, social impact, and purpose-driven work are encouraged NOT to apply, as mission alignment will be a key consideration throughout the selection process.
Position: HR Head (People & Culture)
Reports To: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Location: Bangalore, Karnataka
Employment Type: Full-Time
Work Mode: In-Office
Role Summary:
Sarvoham Animal Foundation is seeking a passionate, strategic, and hands-on Head of People & Culture to lead and transform the organization's human resources function. This role is responsible for building and strengthening all aspects of people management, including HR operations, statutory compliance, talent acquisition, performance management, compensation and benefits, employee engagement, organizational development, and culture alignment.
As a mission-driven animal welfare organization, Sarvoham requires a leader who brings strong HR expertise and also genuinely believes in creating a compassionate workplace that supports both people and animals. The successful candidate will work closely with leadership to develop people strategies that attract, retain, and develop high-performing teams while ensuring compliance with applicable labor laws and HR best practices.
This position offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of a growing nonprofit organization by building scalable HR systems, fostering a positive and accountable culture, improving employee experience, and aligning people practices with Sarvoham's mission of improving the lives of animals. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker, a problem solver, and a culture builder who thrives in a purpose-driven environment and is committed to making a meaningful impact through their work.
Key Responsibilities
1. HR Strategy & Organizational Development
- Develop and execute Sarvoham's people strategy.
- Design organizational structures and reporting frameworks.
- Conduct workforce planning and manpower forecasting.
- Build competency frameworks for all departments.
- Support leadership in organizational growth planning.
- Establish succession planning initiatives.
2. Human Resource Operations
- Oversee recruitment and onboarding processes.
- Standardize employee lifecycle processes.
- Develop HR policies and employee handbooks.
- Maintain employee records and HR documentation.
- Implement HRIS and people management systems.
- Ensure consistency in HR practices across departments.
3. Performance Management
- Design KPI and KRA frameworks.
- Develop annual performance review systems.
- Create probation review processes.
- Implement performance improvement plans.
- Establish promotion and career progression frameworks.
- Train managers on performance management practices.
4. Compensation & Benefits
- Develop salary structures and pay bands.
- Conduct market benchmarking exercises.
- Design employee benefits programs.
- Establish compensation review cycles.
- Recommend retention and reward strategies.
5. Employee Engagement & Culture
- Develop employee engagement initiatives.
- Strengthen organizational culture and values.
- Design recognition and rewards programs.
- Conduct employee satisfaction surveys.
- Facilitate conflict resolution and employee relations.
- Promote diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing initiatives.
6. Statutory Compliance & Governance
- Ensure compliance with:
- Shops & Establishments Act
- PF, ESI, Professional Tax
- Labour laws
- Gratuity regulations
- POSH requirements
- Contract labour regulations
- Conduct periodic compliance audits.
- Coordinate with legal and finance teams.
- Manage labour inspections and statutory reporting.
7. Learning & Development
- Create employee development frameworks.
- Design leadership development initiatives.
- Develop training calendars.
- Facilitate learning programs for managers and staff.
- Establish career development pathways.
8. HR Analytics & Reporting
- Track employee turnover.
- Monitor recruitment effectiveness.
- Analyze engagement and retention metrics.
- Prepare monthly and quarterly HR reports.
- Present workforce insights to leadership.
Required Qualifications
Education: Master's Degree in Human Resources, Organizational Psychology, or related field
Experience:
- 8 to 15 years of HR experience
- At least 5 years in a strategic HR leadership role
- Experience building HR functions from the ground up
- Experience with performance management systems
- Experience in labour law and compliance
- Experience in nonprofit, healthcare, social impact, or mission-driven organizations preferred
Preferred Competencies
- Organizational Design
- HR Transformation
- Performance Management
- Labour Law Compliance
- Compensation & Benefits
- Employee Relations
- Leadership Development
- Change Management
- Culture Building
- Strategic Workforce Planning
Pay: Up to ₹2,000,000.00 per year
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Bangalore City, Bengaluru, Karnataka: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Preferred)
Application Question(s):
- Please summarize your total HR experience, including the size of organizations you have supported and the HR teams you have managed.
- Describe your experience partnering with CEOs, Founders, or senior leadership teams. What strategic HR decisions did you influence?
- Describe a situation where you built or transformed an HR function. What were the key challenges and outcomes?
- Explain a Performance Management System (PMS) that you designed or implemented. What approach did you use for KPIs, KRAs, and performance reviews?
- Share an example of an organizational restructuring, organization design, or career progression initiative that you led.
- Describe your experience managing statutory compliance in India, including labour laws, PF, ESI, Professional Tax, and Shops & Establishments requirements.
- Explain your role in implementing POSH compliance, conducting HR audits, or managing labour inspections and regulatory reviews.
- Describe your experience designing compensation structures, salary bands, or conducting salary benchmarking exercises.
- Describe an employee engagement or culture-building initiative you led and how it impacted the organization.
- Have you previously volunteered or worked with an animal shelter, rescue organization, veterinary clinic, or animal welfare organization?
- Have you ever personally rescued or assisted an injured, abandoned, or distressed animal?
- Are you comfortable working in an environment that may include sick, injured, disabled, or terminally ill animals?
- Why do you want to work for an animal welfare organization? Please describe your passion for animal welfare.
Education:
Work Location: In person
