The HR Generalist plays a central and authoritative role in the day-to-day people operations of the apparel manufacturing unit. This position is chartered not merely to administer HR processes, but to enforce accountability across all levels of the organisation — from shopfloor workers to senior management. The incumbent will drive a structured revamp of the managerial body, anchor all statutory and regulatory compliance obligations, and serve as the single point of contact for HR policy governance.
This is a high-impact, independent-contributor role demanding equal parts policy rigour, interpersonal authority, and strategic operational thinking.
Key Responsibilities
HR Policy Governance & Accountability
- Own, maintain, and enforce the HR policy manual across all employee categories — workers, supervisors, managers, and senior leadership
- Conduct periodic policy compliance audits at all levels; no individual or level is exempt from accountability reviews
- Investigate and resolve policy violations in a fair, consistent, and documented manner, including at the managerial and leadership level
- Escalate systemic non-compliance patterns to the Factory Director/HR Manager with recommended corrective action plans
- Maintain a policy breach tracker and present quarterly compliance reports to leadership
Managerial Body Revamp
- Conduct a structured competency assessment of all current managers to identify skill gaps, leadership deficiencies, and behavioural concerns
- Design and implement a Management Development Programme (MDP) covering supervisory skills, people management, and compliance leadership
- Establish clear KPIs and behavioural benchmarks for each managerial role and integrate these into performance appraisal cycles
- Facilitate structured succession planning to identify and develop internal talent pipelines for supervisory and managerial positions
- Recommend restructuring of team hierarchies or role realignments where needed to improve accountability and operational effectiveness
- Lead onboarding and integration of newly appointed managers into the unit's HR culture and expectations
Statutory & Regulatory Compliance
- Ensure end-to-end compliance with applicable labour laws — Factories Act, Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, Payment of Wages Act, Minimum Wages Act, Maternity Benefit Act, POSH Act, EPF & ESI regulations, and applicable State-specific enactments
- Maintain all statutory registers, returns, and notices in current and audit-ready condition at all times
- Coordinate factory inspections by government bodies, labour officers, and social auditors; serve as the primary liaison
- Implement and maintain the POSH framework — constitute the Internal Committee, conduct mandatory trainings, and handle complaints with full confidentiality
- Administer welfare provisions mandated under the Factories Act (canteen, creche, restrooms, first aid, safety committees, etc.)
- Manage buyer social audit compliance (WRAP, BSCI, SA8000, SEDEX/SMETA), including documentation and corrective action reports
- Track legislative updates and proactively adapt internal processes accordingly
Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning
- Lead end-to-end recruitment for all positions — shopfloor operators, quality controllers, supervisors, and management roles
- Maintain a talent pipeline for seasonal capacity surges aligned with production calendars
- Manage contractual and third-party labour in compliance with the Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act
Performance Management
- Design and administer the annual and mid-year performance appraisal process across all employee categories
- Train managers on setting SMART objectives, conducting appraisal conversations, and giving structured feedback
- Ensure PIPs are applied fairly, consistently, and documentably before any disciplinary action is initiated
Employee Relations & Grievance Management
- Serve as the first point of escalation for employee grievances; all complaints acknowledged within 48 hours and resolved within prescribed timelines
- Conduct fair domestic enquiries and disciplinary proceedings as per the Standing Orders
- Maintain industrial relations health; proactively identify and defuse potential conflicts before escalation
- Manage separation processes (resignation, termination, retirement, retrenchment) in full legal and policy compliance
HR Operations & Administration
- Oversee accurate and timely payroll inputs — attendance, leave, overtime, and deductions
- Maintain complete, accurate, and confidential personnel files for all employees
- Generate monthly HR MIS reports on headcount, attrition, compliance status, grievances, and training
Learning & Development
- Conduct annual Training Needs Analysis across all functions and levels
- Design and deliver in-house trainings on HR policies, code of conduct, compliance, and management skills
- Coordinate skill-upgradation programmes with government ITIs or external training partners
Qualifications & Experience
- Relevant degree in Human Resources or equivalent
- 5–6 years of progressive HR experience, with at least 3 years in a manufacturing or industrial environment
- Direct apparel / garment industry experience is strongly preferred
- Demonstrated working knowledge of the Factories Act, EPF/ESI, Standing Orders, POSH Act, and buyer social audit frameworks (WRAP, SA8000, SMETA)
- Fluency in English, Hindi, and Bengali
