Priya Tekwani
Head HR, Strategic HR Leader
Mumbai,MH
Summary
Head of HR Operations leading HR operations, HRIS governance, and employee lifecycle controls across a 11,000+ employee environment. Drives C&B, payroll, compliance, and service excellence through process standardization, automation, and analytics. Partners with business leaders on transformation, restructuring, and employee relations to improve operational effectiveness and organizational agility.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Head HR Operations
Writer Business Services Pvt. Ltd.
09.2025 - Current
- HR Strategy & Operations: Lead HR Operations strategy and transformation aligning people process excellence, cost optimization and organizational effectiveness in line with business objectives.
- HR Transformation & Change Management: Drive process re-engineering and organizational restructuring initiatives in partnership with business leadership, strengthening operational effectiveness and organizational agility.
- Compensation, Benefits & Payroll: Oversaw C&B, payroll administration, and employee benefits governance, ensuring compliance and accuracy while managing costs effectively.
- HR Technology & Analytics: Drove HR technology, automation, MIS, and analytics initiatives, enabling data-driven workforce decisions and enhancing operational visibility.
- HR Technology & Analytics: Drive HR technology, automation, MIS, and analytics initiatives, enabling data-driven workforce decisions and improved operational visibility.
- HR Transformation & Change Management: Led process re-engineering and organizational restructuring initiatives with business leadership, enhancing operational effectiveness and organizational agility.
- Team Leadership: Lead and develop the HR Operations team, strengthening accountability, capability, and service standards.
- Mumbai
- Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.
- Skilled at working independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
- Proven ability to learn quickly and adapt to new situations.
- Used critical thinking to break down problems, evaluate solutions, and make decisions.
General Manager Human Resources
Hitachi Cash Management Services Pvt. Ltd.
07.2012 - 08.2025
- Progression: Manager – HR (2012–15) → Senior Manager – HR (2015–18) → Deputy General Manager – HR, two-level promotion (2018–22) → General Manager – HR (2022–25)
- M&A Integration: Led the people agenda through Hitachi's acquisition of Writer Safeguard - employee communication, workforce planning, policy harmonization, SOP redesign and cultural integration from pre-merger due diligence through post-merger integration.
- People Integration Lead & HR SPOC for HCM's acquisition of WSG, driving seamless data management and resource transition while partnering with business and leadership teams to navigate people-related change, ensure organizational and cultural alignment, and sustain employee engagement and business continuity.
- Talent Acquisition Impact: Grew employee referral hiring from 9% to 38% and cut cost-per-hire by 45% across two consecutive quarters (Q4 2024–Q1 2025).
- Lead Talent management initiatives, including performance management, learning & development, talent identification, TIDP, Hi-Po talent management and succession planning.
- Compensation & Benefits: Led C&B, payroll and statutory compliance for 11,000+ employees; redesigned salary structure and implemented tax-efficient variable pay structure, enhancing compensation strategy.
- Retention & Engagement: Designed a retention framework combining Early Warning Indicators, skip-level meets, and R&R programs; ran stay interviews and pulse surveys.
- Culture & Values: Contributed to implementation and socialization of organization's Mission, Vision & Values, reinforcing alignment and enhancing organizational culture.
- Leadership Development: Supported implementation of Leadership Competency Framework, fostering focus on leadership capability and behavioural competencies to strengthen management effectiveness.
- Led cross-functional teams to achieve operational excellence and enhance productivity across multiple departments.
Manager HR Generalist
Pioneer Property Zone Pvt. Ltd. (ICS Realty Group)
06.2011 - 06.2012
- Key Deliverables:
- Employee Onboarding, L&D, Policy formulation & Implementation, HR Operations Comp & Benefit Administration, Payroll Management, Employee Engagement.
- Restructured salary framework by introducing flexible benefits and tax-free components to enhance employee satisfaction.
- Implemented employee engagement initiatives, including longevity celebrations and Fun Fridays, to foster workplace morale.
- Migrated payroll process from manual (Excel) to Cnergys (Zing HR) HRMS, streamlining payroll operations.
- Mumbai – Facility Management
Manager Organizational Development
The Indian Institute of Planning & Management IIPM
04.2010 - 05.2011
- Key Deliverables:
- Led Learning and Development initiatives. Developed and implemented training content, strategies, aids, and research for Career Development Managers and Program Counsellors, Sales Force, and Trainers across all locations.
- Led strategic planning initiatives to enhance academic programs and operational efficiency.
- Developed and implemented performance metrics to evaluate faculty effectiveness and student outcomes.
- Mentored department heads in developing curriculum strategies aligned with market trends and student needs.
Manager Training
Max New York Life Insurance Co. Limited
11.2008 - 03.2010
- Key Deliverables:
- Led the L&D vertical across four branches as Regional Trainer, driving Training Needs Analysis (TNA), training strategy, curriculum and module design.
- Conducted Train-the-Trainer (TTT), trainer audits, and training performance reviews with Branch and Business Leaders, enhancing training effectiveness across four branches.
- Facilitated career and agent recruitment seminars, contributing to talent acquisition and aligning with business growth objectives.
- Managed Reward & Recognition (R&R) programs and employee engagement initiatives, fostering team cohesion through celebrations and team-building activities across managed centers.
Assistant Manager HRTraining & Employee Engagement
Sutherland Global Services Pvt. Ltd.
12.2005 - 10.2008
- Delivered induction, product/process, V&A, and leadership training workshops while managing training audits, sampling plans, schedules, and learning content to enhance capability development; contributed to SOUL (Sutherland’s Opportunity for Unlimited Learning) through targeted training and coaching.
- Led recruitment, onboarding, and employee engagement initiatives, including R&R programs and team-building activities; achieved 18% reduction in recruitment costs through referral and campus hiring strategies and effective vendor negotiations.
- Led team in implementing process improvements, enhancing operational efficiency and service quality.
- Developed training programs for new hires, fostering skill development and knowledge retention.
- Managed performance reviews, ensuring alignment with company goals and employee growth.
Process Trainer
Intelenet Global Services Pvt. Ltd.
03.2004 - 11.2005
- Delivered banking and credit card collections training for new hires across four portfolios, including process, product, and refresher modules.
- Facilitated OJT and training-to-production transitions, enabling new hires to achieve competency levels and operational readiness.
- Identified skill gaps and bottom performers, providing targeted coaching and remedial training to enhance performance in challenging process areas.
Senior Collections Specialist
Ocwen Financial Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
03.2002 - 02.2004
- Managed credit card delinquency accounts and conducted collections calls, negotiating payment arrangements to meet assigned targets.
- Managed end-to-end collections processes, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and company policies.
- Developed and implemented strategies to reduce delinquency rates and improve overall recovery performance.
- Analyzed customer accounts to identify trends and recommend tailored payment plans for optimal recovery.
Education
PGDM - Human Resources
Welinkar Institute of Management
01-2009
Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.) -
Mumbai University, MMK College
Mumbai01-2002
Skills
Talent & succession management
Leadership development & OD
Performance management
Learning & development
Change management & culture transformation
Leadership competency framework
Succession planning frameworks
Learning needs analysis
Organizational design
Workforce planning
HR operations & shared services
Compensation & benefits
HR policy development
Employee relations
HRIS
Benefits administration
Employee engagement surveys
HR audit readiness
HR policy drafting
HR analytics
Compensation benchmarking
Accomplishments
Certified Recruitment Analyst (CRA) • Competency Mapping • RBNQA Quality Assessor • Microsoft Certified Lead Trainer • ONTRAC START Leadership Model • Six Sigma Yellow Belt (DMAIC)
SELECTED AWARDS & RECOGNITION
HR Excellence Award – Best HRD, Annual R&R, Writer Safeguard, Writer Corporation (2015), Dronacharya Award & Best “Manager – Training”, Utsaad Samarth, Max New York Life Insurance (2009), Diamond Globe Award for high performance and business impact, Sutherland Global Services (2008), Sutherland Leadership Award for Excellence, Sutherland Global Services (2007)
Timeline
Head HR Operations
Writer Business Services Pvt. Ltd.
09.2025 - Current
General Manager Human Resources
Hitachi Cash Management Services Pvt. Ltd.
07.2012 - 08.2025
Manager HR Generalist
Pioneer Property Zone Pvt. Ltd. (ICS Realty Group)
06.2011 - 06.2012
Manager Organizational Development
The Indian Institute of Planning & Management IIPM
04.2010 - 05.2011
Manager Training
Max New York Life Insurance Co. Limited
11.2008 - 03.2010
Assistant Manager HRTraining & Employee Engagement
Sutherland Global Services Pvt. Ltd.
12.2005 - 10.2008
Process Trainer
Intelenet Global Services Pvt. Ltd.
03.2004 - 11.2005
Senior Collections Specialist
Ocwen Financial Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
03.2002 - 02.2004
PGDM - Human Resources
Welinkar Institute of Management
Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.) -
Mumbai University, MMK College