Manager - TA

We are looking for an experienced and dynamic Senior HR & Talent Acquisition Manager to lead and manage the end-to-end Human Resources function for a leading four-wheeler dealership group. The role will be responsible for developing and implementing HR strategies, driving talent acquisition, strengthening employee engagement, ensuring statutory compliance, and building a high-performance workforce across all dealership locations.

The ideal candidate should have strong experience in both strategic and operational HR, preferably in the automobile, automotive retail, dealership, or other multi-location retail industries. The candidate must be comfortable travelling across branches, interacting with business leaders, understanding ground-level operational challenges, and ensuring consistent HR practices across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

1. Talent Acquisition & Recruitment

• Lead the complete recruitment lifecycle, from manpower planning and requisition management to sourcing, interviewing, selection, offer management, onboarding, and joining.
• Drive hiring for all dealership functions, including Sales, Service, Workshop, Spare Parts, Customer Relations, Finance & Insurance, CRM, Administration, and Corporate Functions.
• Develop effective recruitment strategies to attract sales executives, service advisors, technicians, workshop managers, sales managers, and leadership talent.
• Build and maintain a strong talent pipeline through job portals, employee referrals, recruitment agencies, campus hiring, and local market networks.
• Partner with department heads and business leaders to forecast manpower requirements based on business plans and dealership targets.
• Monitor recruitment turnaround time, cost per hire, offer-to-joining ratio, and hiring quality.
• Develop and strengthen employee referral programmes and talent retention initiatives.

2. HR Operations & Employee Lifecycle Management

• Oversee end-to-end HR operations across all dealership locations.
• Manage employee onboarding, documentation, HRIS/employee records, transfers, promotions, confirmation, separation, and exit formalities.
• Establish standard HR policies, processes, SOPs, and documentation across branches.
• Ensure accurate employee data management, attendance, leave administration, payroll inputs, and employee lifecycle records.
• Coordinate with Finance and Accounts teams for payroll processing, salary revisions, incentives, reimbursements, and full-and-final settlements.
• Develop and implement efficient HR processes to improve operational effectiveness and employee experience.

3. Employee Relations & Engagement

• Act as the primary HR business partner to business heads, dealership managers, and department leaders.
• Address employee grievances, workplace conflicts, disciplinary matters, and employee relations issues in a timely and professional manner.
• Drive employee engagement initiatives, recognition programmes, employee communication, and workplace culture-building activities.
• Monitor employee satisfaction, absenteeism, attrition, and retention trends, particularly within sales and workshop teams.
• Conduct exit interviews, analyse attrition trends, and implement corrective action plans.
• Support the development of a positive, performance-oriented, and employee-centric work culture.

4. Performance Management & Talent Development

• Implement and manage the annual performance appraisal and review process.
• Work with department heads to establish performance goals, KPIs, and measurable outcomes.
• Support performance improvement plans, career progression, promotions, and succession planning.
• Identify training and development needs across sales, service, workshop, and support functions.
• Coordinate induction, behavioural training, managerial development, and role-specific learning initiatives.
• Help build a strong internal talent pipeline for critical operational and leadership positions.

5. Statutory Compliance & HR Governance

• Ensure compliance with applicable labour laws, employment regulations, and statutory requirements.
• Oversee coordination and compliance relating to PF, ESI, professional tax, gratuity, bonus, applicable wage and working-hour requirements, and other relevant statutory obligations.
• Ensure appropriate maintenance of employee registers, statutory records, employment documentation, and audit requirements.
• Coordinate with legal advisors, consultants, and relevant authorities as required.
• Ensure implementation of POSH policies, employee awareness initiatives, and Internal Committee requirements wherever applicable.
• Conduct periodic HR audits across branches and drive corrective actions to minimise compliance risks.

6. HR Strategy & Business Partnership

• Develop and implement HR strategies aligned with the organisation's business objectives and expansion plans.
• Prepare annual manpower budgets, recruitment plans, HR operating budgets, and workforce projections.
• Partner with management to improve employee productivity, reduce avoidable attrition, and strengthen organisational effectiveness.
• Provide HR insights and workforce analytics to support business decisions.
• Establish HR dashboards and management reports covering headcount, vacancies, attrition, recruitment, attendance, payroll, and compliance.
• Support new dealership launches, branch expansions, organisational restructuring, and workforce integration.
• Drive consistent HR standards and accountability across all dealership locations.

7. Multi-Location HR Management & Travel

• Travel regularly to dealership branches, sales outlets, service centres, and workshop locations.
• Conduct periodic HR reviews, employee interactions, compliance checks, and manpower assessments at each location.
• Work closely with location heads to resolve staffing gaps, employee issues, and operational HR challenges.
• Ensure consistent implementation of HR policies, recruitment standards, and employee engagement initiatives across locations.
• Identify location-specific workforce challenges and recommend practical, business-oriented solutions.
• Submit periodic HR review reports and action plans to senior management.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Recruitment turnaround time and fulfilment of approved vacancies.
• Offer acceptance and joining ratios.
• Employee attrition and retention rates.
• Manpower cost and adherence to approved budgets.
• Payroll accuracy and timeliness of HR deliverables.
• Statutory compliance and HR audit outcomes.
• Employee engagement and grievance resolution timelines.
• Completion of performance appraisals and training plans.
• Effectiveness of HR processes across all dealership locations.