Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)

Location: Kolkata

About the Role:

We are seeking an accomplished and business-oriented Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) to lead the Human Resources function for a leading FMCG organisation. Reporting directly to the Managing Director/CEO, the CHRO will be responsible for driving the people strategy, building a high-performance culture, strengthening leadership capabilities, and enabling sustainable business growth.

The role requires an HR leader with deep experience across the entire employee lifecycle and significant exposure to Sales HR, partnering closely with the Sales Leadership Team to build a high-performing frontline organisation across General Trade, Modern Trade, E-Commerce, Quick Commerce, and other emerging channels.

Key Responsibilities:

HR Strategy & Business Partnership:

- Develop and execute the organisation's people strategy aligned with business objectives.

- Act as a strategic advisor to the CEO, Executive Leadership Team, and Board on all people-related matters.

- Partner with business leaders to build organisational capability and drive long-term business growth.

- Lead organisational transformation, change management, and cultural initiatives.

Sales HR:

- Partner closely with the Chief Sales Officer and Sales Leadership Team to drive Sales HR initiatives.

- Design and implement HR strategies for frontline sales, distribution, GT, MT, E-Commerce, Quick Commerce, Institutional Sales, and Trade Marketing teams.

- Drive manpower planning, productivity improvement, sales capability building, workforce deployment, and organisational effectiveness across the sales organisation.

- Develop performance management frameworks and incentive programs aligned with sales objectives.

- Build leadership pipelines for Regional Sales Managers, Zonal Sales Managers, National Sales Managers, and other critical commercial leadership positions.

- Lead talent reviews, succession planning, and capability-building initiatives for the sales function.

Talent Management:

- Develop a robust talent acquisition strategy for leadership and critical business roles.

- Build succession pipelines across key functions.

- Drive leadership development, executive coaching, and talent review processes.

- Strengthen employer branding and employee value proposition.

Performance & Rewards:

- Lead performance management and goal-setting processes across the organisation.

- Design competitive compensation, benefits, and recognition programs.

- Ensure reward practices support business performance and employee engagement.

Learning & Organisational Development:

- Develop enterprise-wide learning and leadership development initiatives.

- Build future-ready capabilities across business and functional teams.

- Lead organisation design, competency frameworks, and career architecture.

Employee Relations & Culture:

- Foster a high-performance, values-driven, and inclusive workplace culture.

- Drive employee engagement, retention, and organisational health initiatives.

- Provide strategic oversight of employee relations while ensuring compliance with applicable labour laws.

HR Operations & Governance:

- Ensure robust HR policies, governance, compliance, and risk management practices.

- Drive HR digital transformation and leverage analytics for informed decision-making.

- Oversee HR technology, workforce planning, and operational excellence.

Desired Candidate Profile:

- MBA/PGDM in Human Resources or equivalent qualification from a reputed institution.

- 18-25 years of progressive HR leadership experience.

- Significant experience in the FMCG, Consumer Products, Foods & Beverages, Personal Care, Home Care, or FMCD sectors.

- Demonstrated experience leading the complete HR function at a business unit or enterprise level.

- Mandatory exposure to Sales HR, including partnering with large, geographically dispersed sales organisations.

- Proven experience supporting General Trade, Modern Trade, E-Commerce, Quick Commerce, Distribution, Trade Marketing, and Sales Capability functions.

- Strong expertise in talent management, succession planning, leadership development, organisational design, and change management.

- Experience working with Executive Leadership Teams and Boards.

- Strong understanding of compensation strategy, employee relations, labour laws, and HR governance.

- Demonstrated success in leading HR transformation initiatives and building high-performing HR teams.

Key Competencies:

- Strategic HR Leadership

- Sales HR

- Business Partnering

- Organizational Development

- Leadership Development

- Talent Management

- Succession Planning

- Change Management

- Performance Management

- Compensation & Benefits

- Employee Engagement

- Industrial & Employee Relations

- HR Analytics

- HR Digital Transformation

- Stakeholder Management

- Executive Presence

Experience:

- 18-25 years

Location:

- Kolkata