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Artificial Intelligence / Natural Language Processing / Enterprise Software
About KnowDis
KnowDis AI is a research-driven startup building cutting-edge solutions in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Generative AI. Our AI tools are designed to automate and enhance business processes, including content generation, information retrieval, and document understanding. We work with clients across industries such as e-commerce, fashion, banking, and pharma, helping them unlock value through enterprise-ready AI solutions.
Role Overview
We are looking for a strategic, hands-on VP — HR to build and lead People and Talent functions during a high-growth phase. The role combines senior-level HR strategy (culture, org design, leadership advisory, total rewards) with operational ownership of hiring for technical (AI/ML/engineering) and commercial (sales, GTM) teams, ESOP design and implementation, and compensation structuring to attract and retain high-calibre talent. This is a founding-team HR leadership role with direct exposure to senior management stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
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Talent Acquisition Leadership: Design and execute an aggressive hiring plan for AI/ML, data engineering, product, and sales functions. Stand up a scalable talent acquisition function encompassing sourcing, employer branding, interview frameworks, and campus or industry channels.
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Compensation and Rewards: Create market-competitive compensation bands for tech and sales roles, design variable pay and OTE for sales, align total compensation packages with early-stage equity realities, and introduce performance-linked incentives. Conduct regular benchmarking against the market.
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People Operations and HR Systems: Implement HRIS, payroll systems, onboarding and offboarding workflows, statutory compliance adhering to Indian labour laws, employee policies, and track core HR metrics including time-to-hire, attrition, and engagement.
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Leadership Partnering and Culture: Act as strategic advisor to the CEO and executive team on organization design, leadership hiring, change management, and retention. Shape workplace culture and Employee Value Proposition (EVP) for a high-performance, research-driven AI organization.
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People Analytics and Governance: Establish people KPIs, run regular HR dashboards for executive and board reviews, and ensure audit-ready HR governance.
Required Skills and Experience
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10+ years of progressive HR experience with at least 4 to 6 years in senior HR leadership roles (Head, VP, or Director), ideally with hands-on experience in fast-growing tech or AI product companies.
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Demonstrated success in hiring and scaling AI/ML, data engineering, product, and enterprise B2B sales teams, with strong understanding of technical role requirements, hiring funnels, and evaluation frameworks.
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Strong expertise in compensation and total rewards design, including market benchmarking, compensation banding, performance-linked incentives, and variable/OTE structures for sales organizations.
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Hands-on operator capable of balancing strategic planning with day-to-day execution across recruiting, policy implementation, and HRIS rollout.
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Proven ability to operate effectively in a founder-led, fast-scaling environment while managing ambiguity and balancing strategic vision with operational execution.
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Excellent stakeholder management skills with founders, investors, senior product, engineering, and sales leaders, upholding high integrity and confidentiality.
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Strong familiarity with Indian labour law, statutory compliance, payroll processes, and managing contractors versus full-time hiring. Experience with remote or hybrid policies is an added plus.
Qualifications
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Bachelor degree in Human Resources, Business, Psychology, or a related field.
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MBA or Postgraduate degree in Human Resources or equivalent is preferred.
What Success Looks Like (First 6–12 Months)
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Built a hire-ready talent acquisition process and successfully closed key roles across engineering and sales against defined ramp targets.
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Implemented compensation bands and sales OTE frameworks backed by clear market benchmarking.
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Fully operational HRIS and live core people processes covering onboarding, payroll, and statutory compliance.
Selection Process Interested candidates are mandatorily required to apply through the listing on Jigya. Only applications received through this posting will be evaluated further. Shortlisted candidates may be required to appear in a screening interview administered by Jigya. Candidates selected after the Jigya screening rounds will be interviewed directly by KnowDis.
