Role Overview:
The HR Business Partner (HRBP) will serve as a strategic consultant and operational HR lead for assigned business units within the publishing house. This role partners closely with editorial, production, sales, marketing, and digital teams to align HR practices with business objectives. The HRBP will own the full employee lifecycle — from talent acquisition to performance management — while championing a culture of inclusion, continuous learning, and creative excellence.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic HR Partnering
• Act as a trusted advisor to business leaders on all people-related matters, including workforce planning, organizational design, and change management.
• Translate business goals into HR strategies; support leadership with data-driven insights and people analytics.
• Drive employee engagement initiatives and build a high-performance culture aligned with the company's editorial and commercial vision.
Performance Management
• Manage the annual performance appraisal cycle, including goal-setting, mid-year reviews, and calibration sessions.
• Coach managers on delivering constructive feedback and creating individual development plans for their teams.
• Handle performance improvement plans (PIPs) and manage underperformance cases with fairness and documentation rigor.
Talent Acquisition & Onboarding
• Partner with hiring managers to define job requirements and lead end-to-end recruitment for roles across editorial, design, sales, and support functions.
• Design and facilitate structured onboarding programs to ensure new joiners are productive and engaged from day one.
Employee Relations & Compliance
• Serve as the primary point of contact for employee grievances, disciplinary matters, and conflict resolution.
• Ensure compliance with applicable Indian labour laws — including the Shops & Establishments Act, Maternity Benefit Act, POSH Act, and PF/ESIC regulations.
• Conduct and document POSH investigations as a member of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), as required.
Learning & Development
• Assess training needs through surveys and stakeholder discussions; co-create annual L&D calendars.
• Coordinate and facilitate workshops, leadership development programs, and skill-building sessions relevant to the publishing industry.
HR Operations & People Data
• Maintain accurate HRIS records; generate monthly MIS reports on attrition, headcount, hiring TAT, and engagement scores.
• Partner with payroll and finance teams to ensure timely and accurate payroll processing, including variable pay and statutory deductions.
• Support the roll-out of HR policies and drive awareness and adherence across the organization.
Qualifications & Experience
• MBA / PGDM in Human Resources from a recognized institution (mandatory).
• 5 to 8 years of progressive HR experience, with at least 2 years in a dedicated HRBP or HR generalist role.
• Prior experience in the publishing, media, education, or creative industry is strongly preferred.
• Solid understanding of Indian labour laws, statutory compliances, and HR best practices.
• Proven track record of managing employee relations cases independently.
• Proficiency in HRIS tools (e.g., Keka, Darwin box, Zoho People) and MS Office Suite.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven publishing environment with sensitivity to creative professionals.
Preferred Skills & Attributes
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to translate HR metrics into actionable insights.
• High emotional intelligence and the ability to build trust across hierarchies.
• Experience working with multi-generational and multi-cultural teams.
• Knowledge of digital publishing workflows or EdTech is an added advantage.
• Bilingual proficiency (English and Hindi) is preferred; knowledge of additional Indian languages is a plus.
