Position: Vice President of People & Culture

Location: Hyderabad, India

Department: People & Culture

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) / Founder

Employment Type: Full-Time

About the Company:

We are a trailblazing Electric Vehicle (EV) startup headquartered in Hyderabad, on a mission to accelerate India's transition to sustainable and intelligent mobility. As we scale our operations, technology, and team, we recognize that our people are our most powerful engine for growth. We're looking for a visionary leader to architect a world-class workplace where innovation thrives, and culture is our competitive advantage.

Position Overview:

The VP of People & Culture will be the chief architect of our human experience, responsible for building the foundational people strategies that scale with our hyper-growth. This is a strategic, hands-on role that goes beyond traditional HR to design and execute initiatives that attract, develop, engage, and retain top talent. You will be the cultural steward, ensuring our values are lived daily as we evolve from a startup to an industry leader.

Key Responsibilities:

a) Strategic Leadership & Organizational Design:

- Partner with the CEO and leadership team to align people strategy with business goals and growth trajectory (manufacturing, R&D, sales, etc.)

- Design and implement scalable organizational structures, job architectures, and career pathways

- Lead workforce planning, talent forecasting, and strategic hiring plans to support expansion

- Act as a trusted advisor to leaders on all people-related matters, including leadership coaching and team effectiveness

b) Talent Acquisition & Employer Branding:

- Oversee end-to-end talent acquisition, building a best-in-class recruiting engine to attract diverse, high-caliber talent in a competitive market (engineering, design, sales, operations)

- Craft and evangelize a compelling employer brand that resonates with mission-driven talent passionate about sustainability and technology.

- Develop innovative sourcing strategies and ensure an exceptional candidate experience

c) Culture & Engagement:

- Define, nurture, and scale our core values and culture as the company grows rapidly

- Design and implement comprehensive DEI strategies to build a truly inclusive and equitable workplace

- Drive employee engagement through surveys, feedback mechanisms, and initiatives that foster belonging, recognition, and well-being.

- Plan and execute initiatives that build community and connection in a hybrid work environment

d) Performance & Talent Development:

- Create a modern performance management framework focused on continuous feedback, growth, and impact

- Develop leadership development programs and a robust learning & development ecosystem to upskill/reskill teams

- Build succession planning and talent mobility frameworks

e) Compensation, Benefits & Operations:

- Design competitive and equitable compensation philosophy, structures, and equity/ESOP programs

- Curate benefits and wellness programs that reflect our employee-centric values and market trends

- Implement and optimize HR technology stack (HRIS, ATS, engagement tools) for efficiency and data-driven insights.

- Ensure legal compliance across all people operations and employment laws in India

Qualifications & Experience:

- 12+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, with at least 5+ years in a senior leadership role (Head of HR, Director, VP) in a high-growth technology, product, or manufacturing startup/scale-up

- Proven track record of building People/HR functions from the ground up in a scaling environment (50 to 500+ employees)

- Deep expertise in organizational design, talent strategy, and change management in a fast-paced setting

- Strong business acumen with the ability to translate business challenges into people solutions

- Exceptional leadership, communication, and influencing skills with high emotional intelligence

- Based in or willing to relocate to Hyderabad

Good-to-Have:

- Prior experience in EV, Automotive, Hardware, or CleanTech industries

- Experience supporting both corporate and blue-collar/plant workforce dynamics

- Strong network in the Hyderabad/Indian tech talent ecosystem

- Advanced degree in Human Resources, Organizational Psychology, or Business Administration

- Passion for sustainability and the EV mission