IND_Associate Director - HR Compliance, Payroll & Operations

Innovate in Bengaluru

This position is based at our on-site office in Bengaluru. Lowe's offers an ultramodern work environment, complete with cutting-edge technology, collaborative workspaces, an on-site gym and clinic, and other perks to enhance your work experience.

About Lowe’s

Lowe’s is a FORTUNE® 100 home improvement company serving approximately 16 million customer transactions a week in the United States. With total fiscal year 2024 sales of more than $83 billion, Lowe’s operates over 1,700 home improvement stores and employs approximately 300,000 associates. Based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s supports the communities it serves through programs focused on creating safe, affordable housing, improving community spaces, helping to develop the next generation of skilled trade experts and providing disaster relief to communities in need. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

Lowe’s India, the Global Capability Center of Lowe’s Companies Inc., is a hub for driving our technology, business, analytics, and shared services strategy. Based in Bengaluru with over 4,500 associates, it powers innovations across omnichannel retail, AI/ML, enterprise architecture, supply chain, and customer experience. From supporting and launching homegrown solutions to fostering innovation through its Catalyze platform, Lowe’s India plays a pivotal role in transforming home improvement retail while upholding strong commitment to social impact and sustainability. For more information, visit Lowes India

About the Team

India HR Operations, Compliance & Payroll are part of HR Shared Services team at SSCB, supporting HR COE’s, people managers & associates at SSCB location. The team is responsible for executing all the HR processes spanning from Onbording to Exit including BGV, Employee File Management, HR Compliance, Associate Care Center (Tier1 Support), HR Invoices, Workday (HRMS) changes, Leave Management, Pre & Post Payroll activites, Statutory Compliance, Full & Final Settlements, Vendor management etc… and constantly thrives to improve the associate experience by standardizing & simplifying the HR processes.

Job Summary:

The Associate Director, HR Compliance, Operations & Payroll is Responsible for managing the people & processes associated with the HR Compliance, Operations & Payroll function within HR shared services organization. Assures the team deliverables meet or exceed organizational objectives and service level agreements. Supports the broader HR service delivery model with a focus on customer service and assures alignment with HR "Centers of Expertise" (COEs) such as Total Reward, Talent Acquisition, L&D and HR Business Partners and other stakeholders like Finance, Legal, Facilities etc. Maintain the utmost confidentiality in dealing with employee records, payroll records and business information. Direct and support the work of HR Compliance, Operations & Payroll Teams to meet the monthly, quarterly & annual deliverables with higher accountability & quality. As a Associate Director, HR Compliance, Operations & Payroll, this role has significant authority regarding personnel, payroll and organizational matters (e.g., performance evaluations, increases, bonuses, discipline, salary payments, taxes and/or promotions).

With a focus specifically on Associate Experience, this role provides advanced solutions to support & implement digital HR initiatives. This includes leading others responsible for translating business needs into effective & efficient solutions across various teams under HR Function. Individuals in this role operate with more and more autonomy and discretion and take on more responsibilities spanning across multiple HR functions.

Roles & Responsibilities:

Core Responsibilities:

• Oversee the team deliverables spanning from onboarding to exit , provide leadership, evaluate performance, and drive service expertise for all the processes under HR Compliance, Operations & Payroll team.
• Lead alignment meetings with different HR COEs as necessary to drive the process improvements & operational excellence to automate the processes.
• Conducts process reviews and data integrity reviews to ensure the turnaround time and quality expectations are being met, providing timely feedback and coaching to ensure performance metrics are being met or exceeded.
• Ensure monthly & off cycle payroll including FFS is processed on time without compromising the accuracy. Efficiently partner with payroll vendors and finance teams for a smooth payroll closure.
• Ensure all legislative & statuatory compliance norms (min wages, PF, etc.) are adhered. Coordinate with Compliance vendor for EPF issues, Challan submissions, return filling and inspections with ESIC, LWF, PT, etc.
• Manage the critical payroll events like investment declarations/Proof submissions/Issuance of Form 16/Quarterly IT filings & Annual returns to run the smooth year end activities
• Assure third party vendors perform according to service level agreements in support of HR service processes. Work with the internal HR Systems team or appropriate COE and vendors to identify and correct interface issues and implement fixes.
• Lead documentation of HR Compliance, Operations & Payroll processes to follow the standard practices. Organize and facilitate ongoing review, development, evaluation/testing, and maintenance of documentation (e.g., Standard Operating Procedures, Work Instructions) to ensure complete, accurate, and up-to-date depiction of processes.
• Handle escalated or sensitive requests/issues with utmost priority. Escalate particularly specialized or sensitive matters to the appropriate “Center of Excellence” teams to address them appropriately.
• Manage tasks of self and team to assure HR Compliance, Operations & Payroll deadlines are met according to established calendar timelines (Daily/Monthly/Quarterly/Annualy).
• Assure HR compliance programs, internal audits, external audits, and government audits adherence to Business Objectives.
• Conducts and facilitates internal and external audits to identify, evaluate, disclose and appropriately remedy risks and deficiencies.
• Serves as point of contact for interactions with regulatory agencies for defined matters.
• Create dashboards and metrics that reflect HR Compliance, Operations & Payroll activities, proactively communicate operational performance with the COE’s & HR Leadership.
• Provides leadership to the team by setting goals and communicating clear expectations, providing timely and constructive feedback as well as meaningful developmental opportunities, managing performance, providing resources and support as needed, and sponsoring and leading team members through change.
• Provides input for departmental budget and manages expenses associated with initiatives within scope of responsibility.
• Responsible for driving operational execution from HR perspective for new initiatives at enterprise level, bringing in COEs as relevant to drive evolving business objectives

A detail-oriented individual to oversee and ensure timely filing of statutory returns and adherence to labor law obligations. The ideal candidate will manage compliance requirements under various labor laws and acts while maintaining accurate records for audits and inspections.

Years of Experience:

10+ years of HR & Payroll experience required (e.g., HR Operations/service center, HR functional area, payroll & statutory compliance) preferably for a large global company as a Senior HR shared services manager or COE specialist/manager. In-depth knowledge of labor laws, statutory compliance, and filing requirements. Proficiency in using compliance management tools and software.

Education Qualification & Certifications (optional)

Required Minimum Qualifications:

List the education, certification, and work experience for an incumbent in the job. Enter the Minimum Qualifications and Preferred Qualifications as directed, and delete the areas not used.

List the education, certification, work experience and skills required to minimally qualify an individual for the job.

Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Business Management, Organization Development, or related field.

Skill Set Required

Primary Skills (must have)

• Expertise into managing India HR Compliance, Operations & India Payroll processes (Hire to Retire Processes)
• Strong people leadership skills and stakeolder management skills including COE’s, Finance, Legal etc….
• Experience delivering and improving HR transactional processes to maximize efficiency & deliver quality services.
• Experience working, monitoring, and interacting with third-party vendors.
• Experience with an ERP systems similar to Workday and Ticketing systems like ServiceNow, Salesforce etc.
• Ability to handle audits and inspections.
• Strong attention to detail and time management.
• Knowledge of state-specific regulations (e.g., Karnataka).

Secondary Skills (desired)

• Experience leading and mentoring a team and helping to foster/create a “great place to work.”
• Experience of successfully managing multiple priorities & projects through successful delivery & implementation under time, budget, and political pressure.
• Experience and understanding of enabling technologies (e.g., case management, manager self-service) and how they work within a customer service business environment.

Lowe’s is an equal opportunity employer and administers all personnel practices without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, gender, age, national origin, mental or physical disability or medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected under state or local law. Lowe’s wishes to maintain appropriate standards and integrity in meeting the requirements of the Information Technology Act’s privacy provisions.

Lowe's is an equal opportunity employer and administers all personnel practices without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, gender, age, ancestry, national origin, mental or physical disability or medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law.