Open To Work
Nikita Kajal
Gurgaon
Summary
Strategic HR Leader with 10+ years of progressive experience across India and GCC markets, specializing in retail (fashion & footwear), and hypermarket operations. Proven expertise in setting up HR functions from scratch, managing high-volume workforce, and partnering with business leaders to drive store performance and operational excellence. Strong track record in managing frontline-heavy workforces, reducing attrition, and enabling business growth through people strategy.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
HR Manager
Carrefour India - Hypermax City Pvt Ltd.
Gurgaon
12.2024 - Current
- Spearheaded end-to-end HR setup for Carrefour India, establishing frameworks for head office and retail operations.
- Instrumental in hiring core leadership team and executing bulk hiring for store operations.
- Managed employee lifecycle through engagement and retention strategies; structured onboarding programs and communication frameworks.
- Implemented HR policies and SOPs tailored for retail to streamline operations.
- Led manpower planning and budgeting to align workforce strategy with business expansion.
- Managed employee lifecycle through engagement and retention strategies; structured onboarding programs, employee welfare and communication frameworks.
- Oversaw payroll, attendance, and statutory compliance, ensuring error-free processing and audit readiness.
- Handled employee relations and disciplinary processes in fast-paced retail environments.
- Developed HR dashboards (attrition, hiring TAT, cost metrics) for leadership decision-making.
Assistant Manager - Human Capital
Apparel Group
Dubai
09.2021 - 09.2024
- Led end-to-end talent acquisition for both front office and back office functions, including workforce planning, recruitment, and onboarding across multinational footwear brands such as Dune London, Crocs, Adidas, Steve Madden, Hush Puppies, TOMS, Naturalizer, and E-commerce marketplace.
- Managed performance management framework, driving talent reviews, structured feedback sessions, coaching, and goal setting, resulting in performance improvement.
- Executed succession planning and leadership development programs, enabling 53% of roles to be filled through internal promotions, strengthening internal talent mobility.
- Spearheaded employee engagement initiatives, enhancing job satisfaction and morale while fostering a positive workplace culture across brands.
- Partnered with senior leadership to align strategic HR initiatives and policies with organizational goals, supporting business expansion plans.
- Championed Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) initiatives, achieving a 55% increase in workplace diversity, fostering an inclusive and progressive culture.
- Played a critical role in organizational change management, ensuring seamless transitions during mergers and acquisitions with minimal disruption to operations.
- Leveraged HR analytics and data-driven insights to identify trends in attrition, retention, and promotions, informing strategic workforce planning.
- Prepared and presented HR dashboards and reports to leadership, enabling informed decision-making and strategic workforce planning.
Manager - Human Capital
Modex Trading Pvt Ltd
Ahmedabad
07.2020 - 08.2021
- Established the HR function from ground up for GCC operations, defining HR strategy & frameworks aligned with overall Support Center objectives driving standardization of HR processes across GCC and India
- Directed recruitment strategy across GCC & India, implementing low-cost, direct sourcing methodologies to efficiently meet large-scale hiring needs.
- Designed and implemented a market-aligned compensation structure, including salary benchmarking, band creation, and internal parity frameworks to attract and retain top talent.
- Developed and enforced comprehensive HR policies for recruitment, onboarding, exit, travel, attendance, probation, performance management, employee referral, leave, and anti-harassment to ensure compliance and enhance organizational culture.
- Oversaw employee lifecycle management for India Support Center, enhancing engagement, facilitating grievance resolution, and implementing rewards & recognition initiatives to improve employee experience.
- Managed HR operations and administration, overseeing vendor management, procurement, compliance documentation, and office administration to support operational efficiency.
- Transformed HR operations for GCC, implementing streamlined processes such as onboarding, exit management, attendance systems, medical insurance, PRO coordination, and HRMS deployment.
- Led HR operations for a diverse workforce of 12,000+ employees across 7 countries.
- Built and led a high-performing HR team of 15 members, driving collaboration, capability building, and process efficiency.
Senior Executive - Human Capital
Apparel Group
Dubai
10.2015 - 07.2020
- Acted as a strategic HR Business Partner, driving employee lifecycle management including onboarding, engagement, performance management, retention strategies, and exit processes.
- Managed complex employee relations, including grievance handling, disciplinary actions, and Performance Improvement Plans (PIP) to ensure compliance and foster positive workplace culture.
- Led end-to-end talent acquisition for front office retail workforce, managing sourcing, interviews, offer negotiation, background verification, and onboarding.
- Spearheaded hiring for newly acquired brands (Levi’s & Juicy Couture), ensuring timely readiness of workforce.
- Partnered with global retail brands such as Athletes Co., Calvin Klein, Reebok, Skechers, Tommy Hilfiger, Levi’s, and Juicy Couture to support workforce of 700+ employees across the UAE.
- Delivered significant cost optimization, achieving 95% hiring through in-house sourcing channels, reducing dependency on external agencies and lowering recruitment costs.
- Served as in-house TALEO trainer, delivering training sessions on recruitment systems and HR processes to internal stakeholders.
Executive - HR & Marketing
Yellowstone Group
Dubai
06.2015 - 09.2015
Management Trainee
HDFC Standard Life Insurance Pvt Ltd.
Delhi
Education
Master of Business Administration - Human Resources
Amity University
Dubai, UAEBachelor of Business Administration -
GGS IP University
Delhi, INSkills
- Talent Acquisition & Management
- Employee Lifecycle Management
- Performance Management
- HR Business Partnering
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (D&I) Strategy
- Employee Engagement, Culture Building
- Stakeholder & Leadership Management
- HRMS/ Oracle/ Taleo
Certification
- Artificial Intelligence in Human Resources, Dr Ankur Narang, UAE
- LinkedIn Recruiter, LinkedIn, UAE
- Oracle Core HR & Recruitment Cloud, Oracle, UAE
- TTT Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Blooming Eloquence, UAE
Accomplishments
Won Best Customer Centricity Award 2023, Human Capital – Apparel Group – GCC
Hobbies and Interests
- Calligraphy
- Dancing
Languages
- Hindi
- English
Personal Information
- Title: HR Business Partner | HR Manager
- Date of Birth: 10/25/1992
- Gender: Female
- Nationality: Indian
- Marital Status: Married
Timeline
HR Manager
Carrefour India - Hypermax City Pvt Ltd.
12.2024 - Current
Assistant Manager - Human Capital
Apparel Group
09.2021 - 09.2024
Manager - Human Capital
Modex Trading Pvt Ltd
07.2020 - 08.2021
Senior Executive - Human Capital
Apparel Group
10.2015 - 07.2020
Executive - HR & Marketing
Yellowstone Group
06.2015 - 09.2015
Management Trainee
HDFC Standard Life Insurance Pvt Ltd.
Master of Business Administration - Human Resources
Amity University
Bachelor of Business Administration -
GGS IP University