Director of Human Resources

Location: Gurugram, India

Type: Full-time | On-site | Leadership Role

Role Summary

The Director – Human Resources will lead the people strategy for the University’s India Campus from its launch onwards. The role will build a high-performing, inclusive, and mission-aligned culture across faculty, academic-support, administrative, and operations teams, with local execution aligned to the University’s standards, policies and processes.

This role is both strategic and operational requiring a deep understanding of HR practices in academic environments, compliance with Indian employment laws, and alignment with global university standards. This role will lead a team focused on service excellence, communication, organisational development, employee wellbeing and culture, supporting the establishment of a high-performing and inclusive campus community.

Key Responsibilities

Talent Strategy & Workforce Planning

• L ead workforce planning and organisational design activities to ensure that the campus has the talent, capability and leadership capacity required to support sustainable growth.
• Lead the academic workforce strategy for the campus, including faculty workforce planning, academic career pathways, succession planning and talent development, in partnership with the Provost and academic leadership team.
• Lead end-to-end recruitment for faculty, administrative, and leadership roles.
• Establish a robust onboarding and orientation program for a diverse, multicultural workforce.

Performance, Engagement & Learning

• Develop and manage performance appraisal frameworks that balance academic and operational outcomes.
• Drive employee engagement initiatives, assessments, and well-being programs to foster a vibrant campus culture.
• Design and implement professional development pathways, and training modules for staff and faculty.
• Build and maintain learning and development programs that provide professional growth and skill building for all employees that align with operational and strategic goals.

Policy, Governance & Compliance

• Create, implement, and continuously improve HR policies in line with applicable Indian employment requirements, policies and systems, and the needs of an international campus.
• Ensure compliance with applicable diversity, equity, inclusion, prevention of sexual harassment (POSH), safeguarding, accessibility, workplace conduct, and other statutory and institutional frameworks.
• Ensure compliance with relevant immigration legislation and policies.
• Manage employee relations, grievance redressal, and disciplinary processes with sensitivity and fairness.

Leadership & People Operations

• Lead the delivery of HR operations, including payroll, benefits, pension, leave administration, contracts and employee lifecycle processes, ensuring an efficient, compliant and high-quality service.
• Provide strategic HR advice to the Provost and senior leadership team on workforce planning, organisational development, employee relations and talent management.
• Collaborate with stakeholders on global HR alignment, faculty appointments, visiting faculty and exchange arrangements, cross-border hiring, mobility, and employee experience.
• Oversee international mobility, immigration and employment arrangements for staff, ensuring compliance with applicable legal, regulatory and institutional requirements.

Qualifications & Experience

• Master’s degree, or equivalent directly relevant experience, in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field
• Significant senior HR leadership experience within higher education, an international organisation or similarly complex environment.
• Deep knowledge of Indian labour law, employee lifecycle management, and faculty-specific HR practices
• Experience of strategic workforce planning, organisational design and talent management in support of organisational growth and change
• Knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion practices within higher education or similarly complex organisations.
• Knowledge of international employment considerations, including mobility, immigration and cross-border working arrangements.
• Experience of leading complex employee relations matters, workplace investigations and organisational change programmes.
• Experience of supporting the establishment, growth or transformation of a higher education institution, international campus or comparable organisation.
• Strong interpersonal, negotiation, and crisis management skills.
• Experience with HRMS systems, workforce analytics, and reporting.