Job Title: HR Associate Manager
Location: Bangalore (Hybrid)
Reports To: COO and CEO
Experience: 36 years
About the Role
We're looking for an HR Associate Manager who thrives at the intersection of people, process, and storytelling
You'll play a pivotal role in shaping how Thence attracts, engages, and grows exceptional design and product talent blending strategic HR, employer branding, and culture-building into one seamless experience.
This is a hands-on, high-impact role ideal for someone who believes HR is not just about process it's about people, potential, and purpose.
Key Responsibilities
1. Employer Branding & Recruitment Marketing
- Build and execute a strategic Employer Branding roadmap that positions Thence as a leading design and product destination.
- Lead recruitment marketing campaigns to attract top creative and product talent across digital and offline channels.
- Drive social media storytelling on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, Behance, and Dribbble spotlighting people, work, and culture.
- Collaborate with internal design and content teams to produce authentic and engaging brand stories, reels, and thought-leadership pieces.
- Represent Thence at design events, university programs, and community platforms to enhance talent visibility and reputation.
2. Talent Acquisition & Onboarding
- Manage the end-to-end hiring process across Design, Product, and Tech functions with speed and precision.
- Build strategic talent pipelines through proactive sourcing, referrals, and partnerships with design/product communities.
- Plan and execute campus drives and engagement initiatives to attract high-potential talent.
- Collaborate with hiring managers to define clear role requirements, assessment frameworks, and selection standards.
- Design seamless onboarding experiences that reflect Thence's design-first culture and set new hires up for success.
3. Engagement & Culture
- Own and lead the Engagement & Culture charter creating initiatives that build belonging, recognition, and continuous learning.
- Plan and execute an annual Engagement Calendar from cultural events and learning sessions to team offsites and open forums.
- Lead Rewards & Recognition (R&R) programs that reinforce company values and celebrate impact.
- Partner with leadership to define and amplify culture communication, ensuring Thence's ethos is lived every day, not just documented.
- Conduct periodic pulse surveys and one-on-one connects to identify engagement drivers and improvement opportunities.
- Act as a trusted culture champion balancing empathy with action when addressing employee feedback or challenges.
4. Talent Management & Development
- Design and drive performance management frameworks goal-setting, quarterly reviews, and feedback conversations.
- Support leadership in succession planning and identifying high-potential individuals.
- Plan and coordinate learning and development programs, mentorship initiatives, and capability-building efforts.
- Champion internal mobility and career progression opportunities that encourage long-term retention.
- Use people analytics and insights to track engagement, growth, and performance outcomes and translate them into actionable strategy.
Desired Skills & Attributes
- Exceptional interpersonal and storytelling skills comfortable engaging with creative and business teams alike.
- Strong understanding of creative talent markets and design-driven hiring.
- High energy, empathy, and ownership mindset with the ability to move from strategy to execution seamlessly.
- Data-driven, process-oriented, and passionate about building scalable
- people systems.Skilled in HR platforms (e.g., Keka, Zoho People, LinkedIn Recruiter etc.) and adept at using social media for talent and brand building.
Qualifications
- MBA/PGDM in Human Resources or equivalent.
- 46 years of HR experience, including at least 2 years focused on design/tech/product hiring.
- Prior experience in a creative, consulting, or high-growth product organisation preferred.
Why This Role Matters
- You'll directly shape how Thence is experienced internally by our people and externally by the design community.
- You'll get to experiment with new-age HR and culture-building approaches blending creativity with structure.
- You'll be part of a people-first, design-led culture where every initiative ties back to impact and growth.
