Darsha Panicker

Strategic HR Business Partner with 6.5+ years of progressive experience aligning people strategy, organizational design, and full-lifecycle HR operations with commercial goals across international (UK and Australia) and domestic business units. Proven leadership track record mentoring HR teams, coaching business heads on workforce planning and performance turnarounds, and translating monthly people analytics into actionable retention frameworks. Adept at leading high-stakes Employee Relations investigations, Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) governance, policy modernization, and enterprise engagement programs—poised to drive organizational impact in an Assistant Manager – HRBP, Senior HRBP, or People Operations Lead role.

HR Business Partner (Senior Associate) - Befree Business Resource LLP

(2023-11)

Strategic HR Business Partner for UK & Australia Business Units; leading and mentoring a team of 2 HR professionals.

• Multi-Region Stakeholder Advisory (UK & AU): Partner directly with business unit heads across UK and Australian operations to forecast talent requirements, align people initiatives with commercial targets, and advise managers on organizational effectiveness and workforce scaling.
• Team Supervision & Capability Building: Lead, coach, and mentor a dedicated team of two HR professionals, overseeing daily HR service delivery, reviewing complex case resolutions, and elevating operational rigor across business units.
• Performance Management & PIP Governance: Drive end-to-end performance management cycles—spanning goal-setting, mid-year and annual appraisal calibrations, and career development plans—while spearheading structured Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) observations and employee turnarounds.
• Executive People Analytics & Retention Strategy: Compile and present monthly HR analytics, headcount utilization, and attrition diagnostic reports to senior leadership, translating turnover trends into targeted retention interventions.
• Employee Relations & Workplace Investigations: Act as a trusted advisor on complex employee relations matters; lead formal grievance handling, disciplinary proceedings, and workplace investigations with objective, compliant resolutions.
• L&D, Engagement & Recognition Architecture: Collaborate with business leaders to identify training needs (TNA) and execute structured Rewards & Recognition (R&R) and employee engagement programs that strengthen workplace morale.
• Policy Modernization & Cross-Functional Leadership: Formulate and revise location-level HR policies to ensure statutory compliance and business alignment, while contributing to cross-functional talent acquisition and infrastructure coordination with IT and Admin teams.

HR Executive – Operations - Experis IT Pvt Ltd - Bengaluru

(2021-10 - 2023-10)

Managed full-lifecycle HR operations, employee relations, and people analytics in Bengaluru.

• End-to-End Lifecycle Operations: Directed complete post-joining HR operations, including structured onboarding, new-hire induction programs, probation confirmation workflows, and compliant offboarding and exit formalities.
• Attrition Analytics & NPS Tracking: Delivered monthly joining and attrition analytics reports to management and tracked employee Net Promoter Score (NPS) metrics to diagnose and improve the employee lifecycle experience.
• Performance & Engagement Execution: Supported annual performance appraisal cycles, confirmation reviews, and branch-level employee engagement initiatives to foster cross-team collaboration.
• Payroll, Compliance & Grievance Resolution: Coordinated monthly payroll inputs, timesheet validations, attendance, and leave administration while resolving employee grievances and maintaining 100% audit-ready HR documentation.

HR Trainee - Arteria Technologies - Bengaluru

(2020-02 - 2021-06)

Supported talent acquisition, onboarding, and core HR lifecycle administration in Bengaluru.

• Recruitment & Onboarding Coordination: Facilitated candidate screening, interview scheduling, onboarding documentation, and structured orientation and training programs for incoming cohorts.
• Lifecycle & Appraisal Administration: Managed job confirmation and exit workflows, supported annual employee performance appraisals, and maintained accurate payroll, attendance, and leave records in the HR database.

HR Operations Intern - Hector Beverages Pvt Ltd (Paper Boat) - Bengaluru

(2019-04 - 2019-10)

Completed a 6-month corporate HR internship in Bengaluru focused on lifecycle operations and employee relations.

• Core HR Operations Support: Assisted the HR Operations team with onboarding and exit formalities, employee grievance tracking, and monthly payroll, attendance, and leave administration.

Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Human Resources - Krupanidhi School of Management, Bangalore University (2017 - 2019)

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) - Noorul Islam College of Arts & Science, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (2013 - 2016)