Senior Manager - Administration, Operations & HR

John And Smith Solutiona; Ernakulam; On-site; INR 2,200,000 - 3,800,000; Full time

Job summary

neXavault in Kochi is seeking a Senior Head of Corporate HR & Administration to own the HR function, office operations, and compliance. This is a hands-on leadership role reporting to the COO and spanning recruitment, policy, payroll, and ISO certifications for the SmartCity SEZ office.

You will build scalable people processes, manage facilities, guest coordination, and admin services while ensuring audit-ready operations and adherence to labour law.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience across administration, office operations, and HR.
• Proven ability to own corporate HR end-to-end including policy and lifecycle.
• Strong knowledge of Indian labour law and SEZ compliance.
• Experience with ISO management systems and empanelment processes.
• Excellent stakeholder management and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end office operations and ensure a productive workplace.
• Lead corporate HR including recruitment, policy, onboarding, and lifecycle management.
• Coordinate ISO certifications, audits, and empanelments (27001/9001/27701/20000-1).
• Oversee front-office guest coordination, visitor management, and travel logistics.
• Manage procurement, vendor contracts, asset registers, and expense processes.
• Prepare MIS reports on admin/HR operations and costs.

Skills

Administration

Office operations

HR management

ISO audits

Policy making

Talent acquisition

Payroll & HRIS

Vendor management

Education

Bachelor's / Master's in HR / Operations

Tools

MS Office

HRIS

Payroll software

Job description

Location / Mode: Lulu IT Twin Towers, SmartCity SEZ, Kochi - On-site

Department: Corporate HR, Administration Operations

Reports to: Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Employment type: Full-time

Experience: 6+ years across administration, office operations HR

Be the single point of accountability for the smooth, professional, and compliant running of neXavault's new cybersecurity office at SmartCity SEZ, Kochi - and spearhead the firm's corporate human-resources function end-to-end. Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), this is a hands-on, senior leadership role spanning corporate HR (recruitment, policy-making, and the full employee lifecycle), office operations, administration, guest / front-office coordination, and the coordination of the firm's ISO certifications and industry empanelments. You will build and run both the people engine and the day-to-day engine of the office as it scales, ensuring staff, visitors, leadership, and auditors experience a well-run, welcoming, and audit-ready workplace.

Key Responsibilities

Office Operations Management

• Take end-to-end ownership of day-to-day office operations, ensuring a smooth, productive, and professional workplace.
• Oversee facilities and infrastructure: workspace readiness, seating, utilities, power / UPS / DG coordination, HVAC, and (with IT) internet and telecom uptime.
• Manage housekeeping, pantry, maintenance schedules, and the teams / vendors delivering them.
• Coordinate SEZ entry/exit formalities, gate passes, and asset movement with SEZ customs/admin, and liaise with SmartCity SEZ authorities and building management.
• Plan and execute office setup, expansion, space planning, and seating allocation as headcount grows.
• Coordinate physical security and access control for the controlled facility (with the security team).
• Maintain site business-continuity readiness (power, connectivity, emergency procedures).

Corporate Human Resources

• Spearhead the firms corporate HR function end-to-end - own HR strategy, structure, and delivery across the organisation, reporting directly to the COO.
• Lead corporate talent acquisition and recruitment: manpower / workforce planning with hiring managers, employer branding, sourcing, screening, interview coordination, offers, and joining formalities across all functions.
• Own HR policy-making - draft, implement, and maintain the corporate HR policy framework, employee handbook, code of conduct, and HR SOPs, keeping them aligned with labour law and business needs.
• Manage the complete, end-to-end employee lifecycle: onboarding, induction, confirmation, transfers, promotions, and exit through to full final settlement.
• Administer attendance, leave, shift rosters (including 24/7 GSOC shifts), payroll inputs, and benefits.
• Maintain accurate HRIS / personnel records and employee files.
• Build and run performance-management cycles - goal-setting, appraisals, and training / learning development.
• Lead employee engagement, welfare, retention, and culture initiatives across the organisation.
• Ensure statutory and labour-law compliance (PF, ESI, gratuity, professional tax, Shops Establishments / SEZ), coordinating with finance and legal.
• Handle employee relations, grievances, and disciplinary matters fairly, confidentially, and consistently.
• Advise leadership on HR strategy, organisation design, compensation structure, and people risk.

Certifications, Empanelment CERT-In Liaison

• Coordinate the implementation, maintenance, and recertification of the firms ISO management systems: ISO 9001 (Quality), ISO 27001 (Information Security), ISO 27701 (Privacy Information), and ISO 20000-1 (IT Service Management).
• Manage ISO documentation, internal audits, management reviews, corrective / preventive actions, and external certification surveillance audits; liaise with certification bodies and consultants.
• Coordinate STQC empanelment - applications, documentation, assessments, and renewals.
• Coordinate CREST empanelment / accreditation processes and periodic renewals.
• Act as the administrative point of liaison with the CERT-In team for empanelment, audit, and reporting requirements, maintaining correspondence and records.
• Maintain a central register, calendar, and evidence repository for all certifications and empanelments, keeping the organisation continuously audit-ready.

Front Office Guest Coordination

• Own the reception / front-office experience and visitor management for clients, auditors, candidates, and partners.
• Coordinate guest hospitality: scheduling, meeting-room readiness, refreshments, and a professional welcome.
• Manage travel, accommodation, and logistics (domestic and international) for staff and visiting guests.
• Organise internal and client meetings, events, audits, inaugurations, and offsites end-to-end.
• Act as the first point of contact for incoming calls, couriers, and front-desk queries.

Procurement, Vendor Asset Management

• Source, negotiate, and manage vendors, AMCs, and service contracts (facilities, travel, supplies, equipment).
• Procure office supplies, furniture, consumables, and IT peripherals (with IT), within budget.
• Maintain the fixed-asset register - tagging, allocation, and periodic audits.
• Process administrative invoices, petty cash, and expense reimbursements with finance.

Records Reporting

• Maintain statutory registers, licences, and renewals for the office / SEZ unit.
• Keep organised records and documentation; ensure the office is audit-ready at all times.
• Prepare periodic MIS and reports on admin/HR operations, headcount, and costs for management.

Must-Have Skills Qualifications

• 6+ years across administration, office operations, and HR, including a managerial role - ideally in IT / cybersecurity / services.
• Proven experience spearheading / owning a corporate HR function end-to-end - talent acquisition, policy-making, the full employee lifecycle, and statutory compliance.
• Demonstrated ability to run a full office independently: facilities, vendors, front-office, and HR operations.
• Hands-on experience coordinating ISO implementation / audits (e.g. 27001, 9001) and/or government / industry empanelment processes (STQC, CERT-In, CREST).
• Strong working knowledge of Indian labour law and statutory compliance.
• Excellent organisational, multitasking, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills with a genuine service mindset for guests and staff.
• High integrity, discretion, and a strong sense of ownership.
• Proficiency with HRIS / payroll tools, MS Office, and administrative systems.

Certifications Education

No hands-on cybersecurity certification is required. The following are preferred / advantageous:

• Bachelors / Masters in HR, Business Administration, or a related field (MBA-HR / Operations advantageous).
• Knowledge of ISO 27001 / 9001 management systems; an ISO 27001 Lead Auditor / Lead Implementer credential is a strong advantage.
• Familiarity with SEZ-unit administration and Kerala-specific statutory requirements.