Head – Human Resources

Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer

Location: Noida (on-site, Monday to Friday)

Experience: 20+ years in HR, including at least 5 years in a leadership role

iFOREST is an independent, not-for-profit research and innovation organisation established in 2019. It identifies, promotes and scales up solutions for pressing environment–development challenges in India and other developing countries in Asia and Africa.

Our work is rooted in regional priorities. We accelerate environmental action at the sub-national level and use that regional knowledge to improve national policies and plans and strengthen international collaboration. We conduct independent, evidence-based research, develop new knowledge and innovative solutions, convene stakeholders to build consensus, and partner with think tanks, civil society, government agencies, philanthropies and industry to scale up solutions.

iFOREST is seeking a senior HR professional to build and lead the organisation’s people function. The Head – Human Resources will be a member of the senior management team and a close adviser to the CEO, aligning people practices with iFOREST’s mission and growth. The role covers the full employee lifecycle for a growing, multi-disciplinary and geographically distributed team of researchers, programme staff, fellows, consultants and support staff.

Success for Head-HR at iFOREST would mean iFOREST can attract and keep strong talent, its HR systems are fair, documented and compliant, and its culture supports high-quality, collaborative work.

HR strategy and leadership

• Lead the HR function and develop a people strategy aligned with iFOREST’s mission, growth plans and values.
• Advise the CEO and senior leadership on organisation design, workforce planning, roles and structures.
• Prepare and manage the annual HR budget, including recruitment, training and benefits costs.
• Lead, mentor and build the capability of the HR team.

Talent acquisition and onboarding

• Lead workforce planning with programme heads, for ongoing and new grants.
• Manage recruitments across levels – senior leadership, research, programme, internship and support roles.
• Design fair, efficient and well-documented hiring processes, from job descriptions and sourcing to interviews, reference checks and offers.
• Build iFOREST’s employer brand and outreach to universities, professional networks and peer institutions.
• Run structured onboarding and induction so new staff are productive quickly.

Performance, learning and careers

• Run the annual performance appraisal cycle, including goal setting, probation reviews and feedback mechanisms.
• Develop clear role levels, promotion criteria and career pathways.
• Identify learning needs and lead training, mentoring and capacity-building initiatives.
• Support leadership development and succession planning for critical roles.

Compensation, benefits and payroll

• Maintain a salary structure, administer employee benefits, insurance and leave in line with policies.
• Coordinate monthly payroll inputs with the Finance team and ensure accuracy and timeliness.
• Work with Finance on staff cost allocation across grants and on donor requirements for personnel costs.
• Maintain accurate HR records, attendance and leave data, and HR MIS.
• Ensure the confidentiality and security of employee data.

Policies, compliance and employee relations

• Develop, review and update the HR manual, policies and SOPs in line with good practice and applicable law.
• Ensure compliance with Indian labour and employment laws,
• Ensure compliance with the POSH Act, including a functioning Internal Committee, awareness sessions and annual reporting.
• Oversee employment contracts, consultant agreements, and HR documentation.
• Manage employee relations, grievance redressal and disciplinary processes fairly and confidentially.
• Manage exits, including exit interviews, full-and-final settlement and analysis of attrition trends.

Culture, engagement and inclusion

• Strengthen an open, collaborative and mission-driven organisational culture.
• Promote diversity, equity and inclusion in hiring, pay and progression.
• Support staff wellbeing, including in field and regional locations.

Essential

• Master’s degree in human resource management, Personnel Management or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 20+ years of progressive HR experience, including at least 5 years leading an HR function or team.
• End-to-end experience across recruitment, performance management, compensation and benefits, policies and compliance.
• Sound working knowledge of Indian labour laws and the POSH Act.
• Experience building HR systems and processes in a growing organisation.

• Experience in a think tank, research institution, non-profit, development organisation or consulting firm (desirable).
• Experience supporting a team spread across several locations.
• Strategic thinking, with the ability to turn organisational goals into practical people plans.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and stakeholder management skills, including with senior researchers and leadership.
• High integrity, discretion and professionalism in handling confidential matters.
• Fair and consistent judgement in employee relations.
• Ability to build systems from the ground up and improve them over time.
• Comfort working in a dynamic, multi-disciplinary and mission-driven environment.

iFOREST provides an inclusive and supportive work environment and is committed to professional development through education, training and capacity building.

We offer highly competitive salaries within the think tank space and recognise performance through annual appraisals. The final designation will depend on the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Remuneration

Competitive salary as per the candidate’s experience and proficiency. Final designation of successful candidate will be based on qualification and experience.

Application deadline & instructions

Apply online at iforest.global/careers. If you have difficulty applying online, send your CV and a cover letter to careers@iforest.global with “Head – Human Resources” in the subject line.

Immediate opening. Position open until filled.