HR Head & TA | Ed tech | 10+Yrs Exp | HYD

Michael Page; Hyderabad; On-site; INR 2,500,000 - 4,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Opportunity for direct partnership with founders

High ownership role with end-to-end impact

Chance to shape culture and workforce strategy

Job summary

Michael Page is seeking an experienced HR Leader to build and institutionalize the HR function for a Series A funded EdTech platform in Hyderabad. This role will be pivotal in defining HR strategy and ensuring alignment with the organization’s growth objectives.

You will work closely with the founding team to shape the people agenda, optimize talent acquisition, and establish robust HR practices, all while navigating a decentralized multi-location model.

Qualifications

• 12-18 years of experience across HR, with strong exposure to scaling environments.
• Experience in distributed / multi-location workforce models (EdTech preferred).
• Strong exposure to high-volume hiring and non-traditional workforce structures.

Responsibilities

• Define and implement a scalable HR operating model aligned with a distributed business structure.
• Design and implement performance management frameworks.
• Strengthen HR operations including payroll and employee lifecycle management.

Skills

Strong stakeholder management

Ability to influence senior leadership

Experience in building HR functions from scratch

Deep grounding in HR compliance

Job description

• 0→1 Leadership Impact: Opportunity to build and institutionalize
• High Complexity, High Visibility Role: Drive people strategy across.

About Our Client

Our client is a Series A funded EdTech platform building a category-defining, decentralized learning ecosystem across India. With strong investor backing and aggressive expansion plans, the organization operates through a multi-layered workforce model comprising corporate talent, on-ground teams, educators, and freelancers. The business is at a critical inflection point - transitioning from rapid early growth to structured scale, with increasing complexity across geographies, talent models, and operating units. This role offers an opportunity to build the HR function from the ground up and directly partner with the founding team to shape the people agenda.

Job Description

This is a 0→1 leadership mandate to build and institutionalize the HR function in a high-growth, decentralized environment. The role will work closely with the Co-Founder and drive the end-to-end people strategy spanning organization design, talent acquisition, HR operations, and culture.

1. HR Strategy & Function Build

• Define and implement a scalable HR operating model aligned with a distributed business structure
• Transition HR from a transactional support function to a strategic enabler
• Build frameworks across talent, performance, engagement, and compliance
• Establish HR as a core lever for business scalability and efficiency

2. Organisation Design & Workforce Structuring

• Bring structure to a multi-layered workforce model including:
  • Corporate teams
  • Field / on-ground workforce
  • Educators and freelancers
• Standardize role definitions, reporting lines, and accountability frameworks
• Drive integration across currently siloed talent and operations teams
• Support leadership on org design evolution aligned to business scale

3. Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning

• Lead and optimize a distributed TA function (currently 4-member team)
• Build structured hiring engines across:
  • High-volume educator / freelancer onboarding
  • Corporate and mid-senior hiring
• Establish hiring SLAs, quality benchmarks, and candidate experience frameworks
• Drive workforce planning aligned to business growth and unit economics

4. Onboarding & Employee Experience

• Design and implement a standardized onboarding journey across workforce segments
• Build tailored induction frameworks for:
  • Corporate employees
  • On-ground teams and educators
• Improve early-tenure engagement, productivity, and retention metrics

5. Culture & Capability Building

• Define and institutionalize organizational values, behaviors, and culture principles
• Build a cohesive culture across a distributed, multi-geography workforce
• Enable managers with tools and frameworks to drive engagement and performance
• Anchor leadership capability building and culture integration

6. Policy, Compliance & Governance

• Build and implement core HR governance frameworks including:
  • Employee handbook
  • POSH policy and committee
  • Code of conduct and disciplinary processes
• Ensure compliance across geographies and workforce categories
• Create robust audit, documentation, and governance mechanisms

7. Performance Management & Compensation

• Design and implement performance management frameworks
• Build structured approaches to compensation and benefits, ensuring external competitiveness and internal parity
• Partner with leadership on benchmarking, cost optimization, and pay philosophy

8. HR Operations & Shared Services

• Strengthen HR operations including:
  • Payroll
  • Employee lifecycle management
• Build SOPs and scalable HR service delivery models
• Introduce systems and processes to enhance efficiency, visibility, and data-driven decision-making

The Successful Applicant

• 12-18 years of experience across HR, with strong exposure to scaling environments
• Proven track record in building HR functions from scratch (0→1) or transforming fragmented setups
• Experience in distributed / multi-location workforce models (EdTech, services, staffing, gig/platform businesses preferred)
• Strong exposure to high-volume hiring and non-traditional workforce structures (freelancers, gig, field teams)
• Deep grounding in HR compliance, policy design, and governance frameworks
• Ability to operate in a founder-led, high-ambiguity, high-speed environment
• Strong stakeholder management with demonstrated ability to influence senior leadership and drive change
• Prior exposure to education, skilling, or services-led businesses will be an advantage

What's on Offer

• Opportunity to build and scale the HR function in a high-growth, Series A environment
• Direct partnership with founders and leadership team on strategic people decisions
• High ownership role with end-to-end impact across HR and Talent Acquisition
• A chance to shape culture, structure, and workforce strategy at scale