This is a hands-on, company-wide HR role based in Varanasi. The HR Manager will own the employee lifecycle, from workforce planning and recruitment to onboarding, performance, development, engagement and separation. The role will also bring greater consistency to HR operations, policies, employee records and statutory processes.
Internal communication and staff learning are important parts of the position. The HR Manager will not simply circulate announcements. They will turn company updates, policies and operational knowledge into newsletters, employee materials and training that people can understand and use. They will also facilitate training themselves, work with internal subject-matter experts, and help managers become better communicators and people leaders.
The role suits someone who is comfortable moving between strategy and execution. On the same day, that may mean discussing workforce plans with leadership, resolving an employee concern, reviewing payroll inputs, writing a policy explainer and facilitating a training session. Success will depend on good judgement, follow-through and the ability to build trust with people in different roles and locations.
Key responsibilitiesWorkforce planning, recruitment and onboarding
- Work with leadership and department heads to translate business plans into practical manpower requirements, hiring priorities and timelines.
- Manage end-to-end recruitment for corporate, manufacturing, sales, service, operations and field-based roles, including job descriptions, sourcing, screening, interviews, references, offers and joining.
- Build dependable hiring channels through colleges, placement cells, professional networks, recruitment partners, referrals and local talent communities.
- Create a structured onboarding experience that covers the company, role expectations, policies, values, systems, safety, workplace conduct and the practical information a new employee needs to start well.
- Track probation reviews and confirmation decisions, and make sure managers give new employees timely feedback during their first months.
HR operations, policy and compliance
- Maintain accurate employee files, contracts, attendance, leave, role changes, confirmation records, training records and separation documentation.
- Coordinate payroll inputs, benefits, reimbursements and statutory deductions with the finance team and external advisers, checking data before each payroll cycle.
- Keep HR policies, the employee handbook and standard operating procedures current, practical and consistent with applicable employment and labour requirements.
- Coordinate compliance and documentation with specialist advice where required.
- Build simple HR workflows and service standards so that employees and managers know where to go, what information is required and when they can expect a response.
- Protect employee data and handle personal, medical, compensation and disciplinary information with care and confidentiality.
Performance management and manager support
- Run a clear performance-management cycle with role expectations, KRAs or goals, regular check-ins, documented reviews and fair development decisions.
- Help managers give useful feedback, address performance concerns early and prepare practical improvement plans where needed.
- Support decisions on confirmation, increments, promotion, role changes and succession with consistent information and documentation.
- Coach first-time and experienced managers on hiring, delegation, feedback, difficult conversations, team routines and employee development.
Internal communication and employee materials
- Create and maintain an internal communication calendar aligned with business priorities, people initiatives, operational milestones and employee events.
- Write, design and publish a regular internal newsletter covering company news, team achievements, customer and employee stories, new joiners, policy updates, learning opportunities and upcoming events.
- Produce clear staff materials such as employee handbooks, onboarding kits, policy guides, FAQs, posters, noticeboard content, presentation decks, manager toolkits and short process explainers.
- Turn complex policies and operational updates into plain-language communication that works for office, manufacturing, service and field employees. Prepare bilingual English-Hindi material when that improves understanding.
- Gather accurate updates, photographs, stories and examples from teams; confirm approvals before publication; and maintain organised, current versions of all internal material.
- Support leadership messages, town halls and employee meetings with agendas, talking points, presentations, follow-up notes and clear ownership of actions.
- Listen for gaps in understanding through employee feedback and manager conversations, then improve the content, channel or frequency of communication.
Learning, training and capability building
- Assess training needs through business plans, performance discussions, manager input, employee feedback and observation of recurring work problems.
- Create an annual and quarterly training calendar with clear audiences, objectives, owners, delivery dates and measures of learning.
- Develop practical training content, including facilitator guides, participant handouts, slide decks, exercises, case studies, videos, quizzes, job aids and post-training reference material.
- Personally facilitate induction, policy, workplace conduct, communication, behavioural and manager-development sessions for employees and supervisors.
- Coordinate technical, product, service, safety, sales and functional training with internal subject-matter experts or external trainers, while maintaining consistent learning standards.
- Build train-the-trainer capability so that managers and technical experts can deliver material confidently and consistently across teams and locations.
- Evaluate training through attendance, participant feedback, knowledge checks, manager observations and on-the-job improvement. Use the results to strengthen future sessions.
Employee relations, engagement and culture
- Be an accessible and trusted point of contact for employees while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality.
- Handle grievances, misconduct and disciplinary matters promptly, fairly and with complete documentation; involve leadership or specialist advice when required.
- Plan employee listening, recognition, wellbeing, team-building and engagement initiatives that fit SMV's workforce and operating realities.
- Use employee feedback, exit interviews and retention data to identify recurring issues and recommend practical changes.
- Promote a workplace culture built on respect, inclusion, accountability, safety, learning and service to customers and communities.
- Manage resignations, notice periods, handovers, exit interviews, final documentation and payroll coordination for separations.
HR reporting and organisational development
- Maintain a concise monthly HR dashboard covering headcount, vacancies, time to hire, joining, attendance, attrition, training, performance reviews, grievances and priority actions.
- Use HR data to identify patterns, explain risks and recommend decisions rather than reporting numbers without context.
- Support organisation design, role clarity, manpower budgeting, succession planning and change-management work as the company evolves.
- Introduce suitable HR systems and templates that reduce manual work while remaining easy for employees and managers to use.
Qualifications and experience
- A bachelor's degree is required. An MBA/PGDM in Human Resources, master's degree in social work, or another relevant postgraduate qualification is preferred.
- Typically 5-8 years of relevant HR experience, with meaningful ownership of recruitment, HR operations, employee relations, performance management and learning.
- Experience working in a startup, manufacturing company, electric-mobility or automotive business, social enterprise, retail/service network or field-based organisation would be useful.
- Working knowledge of Indian employment practices and statutory HR processes, with the judgement to seek specialist advice when needed.
- Evidence of writing employee communication and creating structured training or onboarding material.
- Experience facilitating training for mixed audiences, including managers, office employees, field teams or frontline staff.
- Strong working ability in English and Hindi, both spoken and written.
- Comfort with Microsoft Office or Google Workspace. Familiarity with HR systems and content-design tools such as PowerPoint or Canva is an advantage.
What strong candidates will bring
- Clear writing and speaking. You can explain a policy without making it sound legalistic, and you can hold a room during a training session.
- Sound judgement. You know when to listen, when to investigate, when to document and when to escalate.
- Comfort with different kinds of work and people. You can build credibility with leadership, managers, factory or service teams, sales staff and field colleagues.
- A builder's mindset. You are willing to improve a template, process or training module instead of working around the same problem each month.
- Care with detail. Payroll inputs, employee letters, compliance records and performance documents need to be right, not approximately right.
- A practical approach to culture. You understand that culture is shaped by daily manager behaviour, communication, recognition and fair decisions, not only by events.
- Integrity, discretion and empathy, paired with the confidence to hold people accountable when the situation requires it.
Why join SMV Green Solutions
This role offers the chance to build, not simply maintain, an HR function. The person joining will work closely with leadership and influence how SMV hires, communicates, develops managers and supports employees as the organisation grows.
The work is also connected to a clear operating mission. SMV helps drivers gain ownership of an income-generating electric vehicle, supports women entering the mobility workforce, and expands access to cleaner last-mile transport. The HR Manager will help the people delivering that work perform at their best.
Compensation will be aligned with the candidate's experience and fit for the role. The position is based in Varanasi and requires regular, in-person engagement with office, manufacturing, service and field teams. Work-related travel may be required.
Pay: ₹360,000.00 - ₹480,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
