General Manager Human Resources

General Manager – Human Resources

Location: Punjab, India

About the Organization

Our client is a Tier-1, large private multidisciplinary university in Punjab, recognized for its excellence in higher education, research, innovation, and industry collaboration. With multiple schools, thousands of students, and a strong national and international reputation, the university is embarking on its next phase of organizational transformation and seeks an accomplished HR leader to drive strategic people initiatives.

Position Summary

The General Manager – Human Resources will be responsible for leading the University's Human Resources function, partnering with senior leadership to build a high-performance, future-ready organization. The role encompasses strategic HR planning, talent acquisition, performance management, employee engagement, leadership development, organizational design, compensation & benefits, HR operations, and compliance.

The ideal candidate will possess strong business acumen, experience managing HR within large and complex organizations, and the ability to influence stakeholders across academic and administrative functions.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic HR Leadership

• Develop and execute the university's HR strategy aligned with institutional goals.
• Partner with leadership on workforce planning and organizational effectiveness.
• Drive HR transformation and process excellence initiatives.
• Build a culture centered on performance, accountability, collaboration, and innovation.

Talent Acquisition

• Lead recruitment strategy for academic, administrative, leadership, and specialist roles.
• Strengthen employer branding and talent pipeline initiatives.
• Develop robust succession planning frameworks for key leadership positions.

Performance & Talent Management

• Design and manage performance management systems.
• Drive leadership assessment and succession planning.
• Establish competency frameworks and career development pathways.
• Oversee learning and leadership development initiatives.

Employee Relations & Culture

• Foster a positive employee experience across all campuses.
• Lead employee engagement, wellness, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
• Manage employee relations and grievance resolution.

Compensation & Benefits

• Review and enhance compensation structures.
• Ensure market competitiveness and internal equity.
• Oversee benefits administration and HR budgeting.

HR Operations & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with all applicable labour laws and statutory regulations.
• Oversee HRIS, payroll governance, HR policies, and employee records.
• Implement data-driven HR analytics and dashboards.

Change Management

• Support organizational restructuring and transformation initiatives.
• Lead communication and change management programs across departments.
• Drive adoption of digital HR systems and automation.

Desired Candidate Profile

• Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related discipline.
• 15–20 years of progressive HR leadership experience.
• Experience managing HR for large organizations with 2,000+ employees.
• Demonstrated expertise across the full HR lifecycle.
• Strong stakeholder management and executive influencing skills.
• Proven experience leading organizational transformation initiatives.
• Exposure to higher education, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, or other large knowledge-driven organizations will be an advantage.
• Experience with HRMS/ERP platforms and HR analytics.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and people management skills.

Preferred Background

We welcome applications from senior HR leaders currently working in:

• Large private universities and educational institutions
• Technology and IT Services
• Global Capability Centres (GCCs)
• Engineering & Manufacturing
• Healthcare & Hospital Networks
• Financial Services
• Large diversified business groups
• Research & Innovation organizations

Key Competencies

• Strategic HR Leadership
• Organizational Development
• Talent Acquisition
• Performance Management
• Employee Relations
• Change Management
• HR Analytics
• Compensation & Benefits
• Leadership Development
• Workforce Planning
• HR Compliance
• Stakeholder Management
• Business Partnering
• Culture Building
• Digital HR Transformation