Job Description
Breakthrough is hiring a Director – People, Culture, Policies to lead its Human Resources function with strategic insight and direction. This is a full-time role based in Delhi, India, with regular travel to state and field offices as required. The position will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer of Breakthrough.
Breakthrough is looking for a people leader who believes that building an organisation is closely connected to building its people and who enjoys solving organisational challenges through HR strategy. The selected leader will steer the People, Culture, and Policies vertical, strengthen the existing HR function, and help prepare the organisation for future growth.
Breakthrough runs large-scale programmes that directly reach approximately 100,000 adolescents and around 12,000 young people across Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand. It also reaches more than 3 million adolescents through school systems in Punjab and Odisha. The organisation has nearly 300 employees and is growing rapidly. Breakthrough places its values at the centre of its work and aims to balance an inspired workforce with the consistent delivery of high-impact programmes.
The organisation already has a fully functional HR team that is aligned with its current requirements and aspirations. It is now seeking a strategic leader with the passion and experience to build the future of HR at Breakthrough. The role requires a people-focused professional who values human interaction and can manage the complexity of organisational development while maintaining strategic direction.
Key Responsibilities
Ensure alignment and coordination between national and state-level HR teams and build or realign systems wherever required.
Develop decentralised talent management mechanisms across the organisation.
Oversee recruitment, onboarding, and retention strategies for employees at national and state offices.
Support organisational leaders in troubleshooting recruitment, employee, and workforce-related challenges.
Establish standardised recruitment and performance management frameworks while allowing state-level adaptation.
Develop mechanisms to capture and strengthen diversity across recruitment and workforce processes.
Support succession planning and leadership development at national and state levels.
Remain accountable for organisational culture and promote a unified workplace culture rooted in Breakthrough’s values across all state offices.
Provide guidance and escalation support for complex employee relations cases arising at state offices and the national office.
Support timely and appropriate decision-making in sensitive employee matters.
Lead employee engagement, wellbeing, and care initiatives for geographically dispersed teams.
HR Operations and Legal Compliance
Ensure compliance with national labour legislation and applicable state labour laws and regulations.
Develop, update, implement, and enforce HR policies, procedures, the employee handbook, and the code of conduct for use across the organisation.
Oversee compensation, employee benefits, payroll coordination, and HR information systems across multiple locations.
Safeguarding, Ethics and Risk Management
Lead safeguarding, POSH, anti-harassment, and whistleblowing mechanisms across all offices.
Ensure consistent implementation of safeguarding policies and mandatory employee training across all locations.
Act as the focal point for sensitive employee cases while maintaining confidentiality, consistency, ethical standards, and legal compliance.
Capacity Building and HR Team Management
Lead, mentor, and strengthen the capabilities of HR employees working at national and state offices.
Conduct regular HR reviews, audits, and capacity assessments across state offices.
Promote knowledge sharing and adoption of HR best practices across locations.
Manage budgets and strengthen budgeting and reporting systems.
Develop and manage the national HR budget, including budget allocations for state offices.
Track HR metrics and workforce data across states and provide regular reports to senior management and the Board.
Strengthen HR systems to support multi-location operations, accurate reporting, and data consistency.
Qualifications and Experience
Candidates must hold a master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organisational Development, or a related field.
Applicants should have 15 to 20 years of progressive HR experience, including experience in a senior leadership role within a multi-location organisation.
Demonstrated experience managing HR functions across multiple states or regions is required.
Candidates must possess strong knowledge of national and state labour laws and compliance requirements.
Previous experience in the NGO or non-profit sector is strongly preferred.
Skills and Competencies
The candidate should have proven experience leading and coordinating decentralised teams.
Strong independent decision-making ability is required.
The role requires strong policy development and compliance management skills.
Applicants should possess excellent communication, negotiation, and conflict-resolution abilities.
High cultural sensitivity and the ability to work effectively across diverse geographical regions are essential.
Strong analytical and reporting skills are required.
The candidate should demonstrate a practical, solution-oriented mindset.
Values and Commitment
The selected candidate must demonstrate strong alignment with Breakthrough’s mission, impact objectives, and organisational values.
A clear commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, safeguarding, and ethical practices is required.
About Breakthrough
Breakthrough works to create cultural change by shifting social norms that prevent women and girls from reaching their full potential. The organisation works with adolescents and young people aged 11 to 25 years with the objective of enabling an entire generation to challenge restrictive norms and create change.
Over time, Breakthrough has worked with more than 5.4 million adolescents and young people between the ages of 11 and 25. Its work in schools and communities encourages aspiration, agency, leadership, and negotiation. The organisation also develops media tools that help shape public narratives.
This work has supported young people in making confident and intentional choices. Girls are negotiating to continue their education, delay marriage, pursue their life goals, and enter non-traditional career paths. Boys are increasingly contributing to, supporting, and upholding equal rights for all.
Breakthrough’s Culture
Employees at Breakthrough are expected to work in accordance with the organisational values of dignity, integrity, and equity.
Breakthrough is an equal-opportunity employer and considers applicants without discrimination based on race, colour, caste, religion, creed, gender, age, disability, economic status, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status. The organisation encourages applications from people belonging to marginalised communities, women, and people of other genders.
Breakthrough’s policies and procedures reflect its commitment to child safeguarding.
The organisation is committed to employee wellbeing and recognises that mental health can affect an individual’s ability to work. Breakthrough is committed to creating an environment that supports mental health and employee wellbeing. It views wellbeing not only as the absence of illness but also as the presence of conditions that support a fulfilling life.
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