Director of Operations

Director – People Operations, Shared Services

Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Experience: 15–20 Years

Industry: IT / ITES

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Work Mode: In-Office

About the Role:

We are looking for an experienced and strategic leader to establish and scale the People Shared Services function in India. This role is pivotal in driving operational excellence across People Operations, enhancing the employee experience, optimizing HR systems and processes, and ensuring compliance with both local and global standards. Success in this position demands a robust blend of operational leadership, HR transformation expertise, process excellence, analytical prowess, and effective stakeholder management within a dynamic global setting.

Key Responsibilities:

Shared Services Leadership:

• Lead the setup, stabilization, and scaling of the People Shared Services function in India.
• Develop a service delivery model focused on operational excellence, scalability, responsiveness, and employee experience.
• Establish governance frameworks, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and continuous improvement mechanisms for People Operations.

People Operations & Employee Experience:

• Serve as the central leadership point for employee lifecycle operations, encompassing onboarding, employee support, HR documentation, and query resolution.
• Build processes designed to enhance the experience for both employees and candidates across all touchpoints.
• Ensure seamless delivery of HR operational support to employees, managers, and business leaders.

Process Optimization & Transformation:

• Design and implement scalable, technology-enabled processes in collaboration with People, Finance, IT, and business stakeholders.
• Drive automation, standardization, and operational efficiency across HR workflows.
• Lead transformation initiatives aimed at improving service quality, accuracy, and productivity.

HR Technology & Systems:

• Partner with global teams on HRIS integrations, enhancements, and process optimization initiatives.
• Ensure the effective utilization and governance of HR technology platforms such as Workday, Greenhouse, and related tools.
• Support the implementation and enhancement of reporting, workflows, dashboards, and self-service capabilities.

People Analytics & Reporting:

• Oversee people analytics operations and provide reporting support for the People function.
• Deliver data-driven insights and dashboards to support workforce planning and strategic decision-making.
• Ensure data accuracy, integrity, and governance across HR systems.

Compliance & Risk Management:

• Ensure adherence to India labor laws, statutory regulations, and global compliance standards.
• Proactively identify operational and compliance risks and implement mitigation frameworks.
• Maintain audit readiness and ensure policy alignment across HR operations.

Team Leadership:

• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing People Operations and Shared Services team.
• Foster a culture of accountability, customer-centricity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Drive capability building, succession planning, and team engagement initiatives.

Required Qualifications & Experience:

• 15+ years of experience in HR Shared Services, People Operations, HR Operations, or related functions within a global organization.
• Proven track record of building and scaling shared services or centers of excellence from the ground up.
• Strong expertise in HRIS platforms such as Workday, Greenhouse, and related HR technologies.
• Experience driving HR transformation, process optimization, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Strong understanding of India labor laws, compliance requirements, and HR operational governance.
• Experience working in matrixed, fast-paced, and high-growth environments.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with experience leveraging people data for business insights.
• Exceptional stakeholder management, communication, and leadership skills.

Preferred Skills:

• Customer-first mindset with strong service orientation.
• Expertise in HR operations governance and process excellence frameworks.
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders across geographies and functions.
• Strong change management and organizational transformation capability.
• High level of adaptability, execution focus, and strategic thinking.