Head CSR

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategy & Planning

• Formulate the CSR vision and multi-year strategy in consultation with senior management and the Board.
  
• Identify key focus areas (e.g., education, livelihoods, environment, women empowerment, infrastructure, health) relevant to steel / TMT manufacturing and community context.
  
• Develop annual CSR action plans, budgets and timelines.
  
• Integrate CSR with other functions (environment, health & safety, community relations, sustainability) and link to business operations (mining/plant/roads etc).
  

2. Program Development & Implementation

• Conceptualise, design and roll out CSR projects in manufacturing locations and nearby communities.
  
• Oversee implementation of infrastructure, community development, livelihoods, skill-training, environmental mitigation etc.
  
• Manage resources (internal teams, external NGOs/implementing partners), vendor contracts, budgets and schedules.
  
• Ensure projects meet quality, compliance and impact criteria.
  

3. Stakeholder Engagement & Community Relations

• Build and nurture relationships with internal stakeholders (plant management, HR, procurement, environment, local leadership) & external stakeholders (community leaders, local governments, NGOs, local media).
  
• Act as the companys key CSR interface in manufacturing areas for community, government, and civil society.
  
• Conduct stakeholder mapping, needs assessments and impact studies.
  
• Handle grievance mechanisms and local concerns tied to the manufacturing site operations.
  

4. Compliance, Governance & Reporting

• Ensure CSR programmes comply with statutory requirements (e.g., section 135, CSR Rules, local state legislations) and internal policies.
  
• Set up governance framework CSR Committee, Board reporting, operating guidelines.
  
• Prepare CSR policy, annual CSR report, impact reports and submit to Board/CSR Committee.
  
• Manage audits (impact audits, social audits), third-party evaluations.
  
• Monitor disbursements, ensure funds are spent per programme and rules. For example, one steel company policy states:
  Every Manufacturing Unit has a CSR Cell. Every Company has a CSR Head the onus for successful and time-bound implementation of the projects is on the various Unit Presidents and CSR teams. Hindalco

5. Monitoring, Impact Assessment & Continuous Improvement

• Set up KPIs for CSR programmes (e.g., number of beneficiaries, asset index improvement, lives impacted, environment metrics).
  
• Monitor progress, collect data, and perform impact assessments.
  
• Drive continuous improvement lessons learnt, ROI of social investment, alignment with business risk (e.g., environment, social licence to operate).
  
• Ensure alignment with broader ESG / sustainability frameworks (UN SDGs, external benchmarks) as exemplified by the steel sector. India CSR
  

6. Budgeting & Resource Management

• Prepare and manage CSR budget and ensure efficient utilisation of funds.
  
• Work with finance, operations, procurement and environment functions to allocate and monitor resources.
  
• Forecast future CSR spend aligned to business growth, manufacturing expansion, community needs and regulatory changes.
  

7. Team Leadership & Capability Building

• Lead the CSR team (internal staff + field staff + NGO / implementation partners).
  
• Build capability among local site CSR cells, train plant teams on community relations, stakeholder management and sustainability.
  
• Ensure standardisation of CSR processes across manufacturing locations.
  

8. Brand & Reputation

• Promote CSR initiatives and company’s social impact externally (media, awards, CSR/sustainability forums).
  
• Present CSR outcomes to senior leadership and Board; advocate CSR as strategic business driver, not just compliance.

Key Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree (preferably in Social Work, Rural Development, Environmental Science, Business Management). Master’s / MBA / MSW preferred.
  
• Minimum 10–12 (or more) years of progressively responsible experience in CSR / sustainability / community development roles – ideally in manufacturing or heavy industry (steel, mining, TMT bar, construction).
  
• Strong stakeholder management experience – community, government, NGOs & internal functions.
  
• Experience with statutory CSR compliance (India context) and reporting frameworks.
  
• Good project management, budget & resource management skills.
  
• Excellent communication, negotiation, presentation and analytical skills.
  
• Demonstrated leadership of teams and field operations across multiple locations.
  
• Knowledge of ESG frameworks / impact assessment / social audits is a plus.
  

Reporting & Interface

• Interface regularly with plant heads, operations, HR, environment & safety, procurement, finance.
  
• Reports to senior leadership and CSR Committee / Board.
  
• Liaison with local government, district administration, community groups, NGOs.