Lead - IR

Saint-Gobain Group in India; Thane; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 2,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Saint-Gobain Group in India is seeking an experienced HR leader responsible for developing ER strategies and managing vast HR operations in plant settings. You will drive engagements, compliance, and capability building while leading a dedicated HR team.

The ideal candidate will possess over 15 years of HR experience with a focus on employee relations in unionized settings. A postgraduate degree in HR or related fields is mandatory for this role.

Qualifications

• Over 15 years of experience in HR, with at least 5 years in plant HR leadership roles.
• Strong exposure to managing unionized environments and driving plant HR operations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement ER strategies that foster a positive industrial climate.
• Drive compliance audits and HR policy adherence across multiple plants.
• Plan and execute engagement initiatives for employees.
• Train line managers and HR teams on labor law and conflict management.
• Lead a team of HR officers and IR executives.

Skills

Labor laws understanding

Negotiation skills

Conflict resolution skills

Emotional intelligence

Strategic thinking

Problem-solving skills

Stakeholder management

Team building

Education

Postgraduate degree in Human Resources / Labor Law / Industrial Relations / MBA (HR)

Job description

Responsibilities

• Employee Relations & Industrial Relations Strategy:
  • Develop and implement proactive ER strategies fostering a positive industrial climate.
  • Drive union relationships, collective bargaining, and long‑term settlements aligned with business needs.
  • Lead timely grievance redressal, dispute resolution, and employee connect initiatives.
  • Represent the company in labor court cases and respond to legal matters promptly.
• Plant HR Management:
  • Implement HR processes across multiple plants: manpower planning, recruitment, onboarding, attendance, time office, and employee life cycle management.
  • Partner with plant leadership to drive people productivity, engagement, and culture building.
  • Drive compliance audits, HR policy adherence, and continuous improvement of plant HR processes.
  • Collaborate with corporate HR on talent development, learning initiatives, and succession planning.
• Compliance & Governance:
  • Ensure 100% compliance with labor laws and statutory requirements.
  • Conduct periodic ER/IR risk assessments and audits.
  • Liaise with government bodies and regulatory agencies.
• Engagement & Communication:
  • Plan and execute engagement initiatives for blue‑collar and white‑collar employees.
  • Facilitate open forums, connect programs, and transparent communication mechanisms.
  • Drive welfare programs for contract labor and workforce well‑being.
• Capability Building:
  • Train line managers and HR teams on labor law, conflict management, and people handling.
  • Build internal IR/ER expertise within the team.
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR):
  • Drive CSR strategy aligned with business objectives.
  • Oversee planning and execution of CSR programs across plant locations.
  • Foster relationships with communities, local administration, and NGOs.
  • Ensure reporting and governance of CSR spend and outcomes.
• Team Management:
  • Lead and manage a team of HR officers, IR executives, and time‑office staff.
  • Mentor and coach team members for professional growth.
  • Monitor performance, set objectives, and enable high accountability.
  • Build collaborative and responsive HR team culture aligned with business goals.

Qualifications & Experience

Education: Postgraduate degree in Human Resources / Labor Law / Industrial Relations / MBA (HR) from a reputed institute.

Experience: 15+ years with at least 5 years in plant HR and employee relations leadership roles. Strong exposure to managing unionized environments, leading settlements, driving large‑scale plant HR operations, and working closely with plant leadership and external authorities.

Key Competencies & Skills

• In-depth understanding of labor laws, industrial relations frameworks, and compliance.
• Strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
• High emotional intelligence and interpersonal effectiveness.
• Strategic thinking with operational execution capability.
• Strong problem‑solving skills managing complex employee relations issues.
• Effective stakeholder management across multiple levels (internal & external).
• Ability to build trust, fairness and transparency in all people dealings.
• Proven ability to manage and develop diverse HR/ER teams in manufacturing environments.