Talent Operations Director - India

We are the leading provider of professional services to the middle market globally, our purpose is to instill confidence in a world of change, empowering our clients and people to realize their full potential. Our exceptional people are the key to our unrivaled, inclusive culture and talent experience and our ability to be compelling to our clients. You’ll find an environment that inspires and empowers you to thrive both personally and professionally. There’s no one like you and that’s why there’s nowhere like RSM.

Job Summary:

The Talent Operations Director – India is a senior leadership role with end-to-end accountability for the design, execution, and continuous improvement of Talent Operations across India. This includes ownership of HR operations, policies, statutory compliance, payroll and talent technology delivery at scale, while aligning with global operating models and standards.

The role is responsible for translating global talent strategies, policies, and programs into compliant, efficient, and scalable India execution. The Director will lead large, multi-layered teams and partner closely with India leadership, global Centers of Excellence (COEs), HR Business Partners, Finance, Legal, and Technology to ensure operational excellence, regulatory rigor, cost efficiency, and an exceptional employee experience.

This position plays a critical role in managing risk, driving automation and digital enablement, and building a resilient, future-ready Talent Operations capability for India.

Job Responsibilities: Key responsibilities for the role

Talent Operations & Service Delivery

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for centralized Talent Operations in India, covering areas such as workforce operations, payroll, talent technology, learning operations, helpdesk services, and strategic enablement.
• Set strategic priorities and roadmaps to guide operational execution and continuous improvement.
• Lead and manage teams responsible for day-to-day execution of high-volume, repeatable talent processes.
• Define and execute multi-year roadmaps to drive operational excellence, scalability, efficiency, and service quality across Talent Operations.
• Establish and govern service delivery models, SLAs, KPIs, dashboards, and performance metrics to ensure consistent, high-quality outcomes.

Process Design & Continuous Improvement

• Design, implement, and optimize global business processes, leveraging technology to drive efficiency and consistency.
• Identify inefficiencies and drive centralization, simplification, and automation of repeatable activities.
• Embed continuous improvement, experimentation, and innovation into the Talent Operations culture.
• Ensure knowledge transfer through robust documentation, training materials, and operational playbooks.

Stakeholder Management & Global Integration

• Serve as the senior India Talent Operations leader, partnering with India leadership and representing India in global forums.
• Collaborate closely with global COEs to translate strategy into executable, compliant India programs.
• Influence and challenge global process and system design where India regulatory, scale, or operational realities require adaptation.
• Build strong partnerships with HR Business Partners, Finance, Legal, IT, and external vendors.
• Act as a point of escalation for complex problems and ensure high-quality, client-focused service delivery.
• Track and report on operating results to ensure progress toward strategic, operational, and compliance goals.

People Leadership & Capability Building

• Lead, develop, and retain high-performing Talent Operations teams in India.
• Build functional depth, succession pipelines, and future-ready capabilities within the organization.
• Foster a culture of curiosity, experimentation, accountability, risk awareness, service orientation, and continuous learning.
• Encouraging the team to explore new technologies, methodologies, and approaches to improve talent operations.
• Coach leaders and teams through complexity, ambiguity, and change.
• Maintain a culture of operational excellence, identifying and addressing inefficiencies, and centralizing processes where possible.
• Ensure infrastructure and team structure can scale and adjust to business needs, with appropriate budget oversight and accountability.

Statutory Compliance & Risk Management

• Maintain full accountability for India statutory and labor law compliance, including but not limited to PF, ESI, Gratuity, Bonus Act, Professional Tax, Labour Welfare Fund, Shops & Establishments, and other applicable legislation.
• Oversee payroll tax compliance, including TDS, Form 16, Form 24Q, reconciliations, and statutory filings.
• Lead responses to statutory audits, labor inspections, and regulatory inquiries, partnering closely with Legal and Finance.
• Monitor and assess regulatory changes, including labor codes, and drive readiness, implementation, and change management.
• Design and maintain robust audit, control, and risk mitigation frameworks across Talent Operations.

Digital Enablement

• Lead India deployment, stabilization, and adoption of global HR technology platforms, ensuring alignment with global design while addressing local compliance and operational requirements.
• Partner with technology teams to ensure effective system configuration, integrations (payroll, finance, attendance, benefits), and data integrity.
• Drive digitization, automation, AI, and workflow-based solutions to streamline operations, reduce manual effort, and improve employee experience.
• Ensure strong user adoption through training, documentation, and change management across diverse employee populations.

Minimum Requirements

• 18-20+ years of progressive HR experience, with significant leadership experience in HR Operations, Payroll, Compliance, and HR Technology.
• Experience working in Professional Services industry, experience with a GCC or the accounting industry will be an added advantage
• Proven experience setting up and/or leading large-scale Talent Operations and Payroll functions in India.

• Deep, hands-on knowledge of India labor laws, statutory compliance, and payroll regulations.
• Demonstrated experience operating in complex, matrixed global organizations.
• Strong people leadership experience, including managing managers and building high-performing teams.

Preferred Requirements

• MBA in Human Resources, or equivalent
• Demonstrated leadership and interpersonal abilities with a proven capacity to motivate and influence others.
• Excellent consultative skills and effective communication across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Strong strategic orientation, analytical competency, and critical thinking skills.
• Proven leadership capabilities, including the ability to lead, influence, and motivate team members.
• Ability to transform curiosity into actionable insights and innovative solutions that drive business outcomes.
• Track record of working independently, managing multiple priorities concurrently, and showing initiative in unfamiliar or ambiguous situations.
• Exceptional interpersonal and written communication skills.
• Commitment to continuous learning demonstrated by engagement with emerging technologies.
• Advanced computer proficiency, with enthusiasm for adopting new systems, tools, and technologies.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Superior organizational skills with a focus on solution delivery.
• Capacity to perform effectively under pressure and meet established goals within high-volume, fast-paced environments.
• Solid business acumen.

At RSM, we offer a competitive benefits and compensation package for all our people. We offer flexibility in your schedule, empowering you to balance life’s demands, while also maintaining your ability to serve clients. Learn more about our total rewards at https://rsmus.com/careers/india.html.  

RSM does not tolerate discrimination and/or harassment based on race; colour; creed; sincerely held religious beliefs, practices or observances; sex (including pregnancy or disabilities related to nursing); gender (including gender identity and/or gender expression); sexual orientation; HIV Status; national origin; ancestry; familial or marital status; age; physical or mental disability; citizenship; political affiliation; medical condition (including family and medical leave); domestic violence victim status; past, current or prospective service in the Indian Armed Forces; Indian Armed Forces Veterans, and Indian Armed Forces Personnel status; pre-disposing genetic characteristics or any other characteristic protected under applicable provincial employment legislation.  

Accommodation for applicants with disabilities is available upon request in connection with the recruitment process and/or employment/partnership. RSM is committed to providing equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete an application, interview, or otherwise participate in the recruiting process, please send us an email at careers@rsmus.com.