Dr. Jayashree Gharde

Strategic HR Leader with 18+ years of experience in HR Business Partnering, people strategy, talent management, employee engagement, performance management, workforce planning and organisation-wide transformation. Experienced in partnering with business leadership to translate business priorities into people strategies, strengthen organisational capability and build high-performing teams. Strong expertise in HR policies, compliance, employee relations, change management and HR process transformation.

Proven record of strengthening retention, leadership capability and HR systems, including ~95% retention over three years.

General Manager – Human Resource at R. RAHEJA PROPERTIES (2022-09 – Present)

• Partner with leadership to align HR strategy, policies and people initiatives with organisational and business priorities.
• Developed and institutionalised organisation-wide HR policies, processes and governance frameworks, strengthening consistency and compliance.
• Established structured performance management through KRAs and a transparent appraisal framework.
• Introduced structured training, development and skill-enhancement programmes to strengthen employee capability.
• Implemented employee benefit initiatives supporting engagement and retention.
• Digitised the entire payroll process, improving process efficiency, accuracy and employee experience.
• Created and standardised job descriptions across departments, strengthening role clarity and supporting workforce planning.
• Drove HR process improvement, automation and policy deployment as part of organisation-wide people transformation.

Group Head – HR at AUTO HANGAR INDIA PVT. LTD. (2019-12 – 2022-08)

• Led the Group HR agenda across multiple businesses, including automobile and insurance operations, partnering with business leadership on workforce and organisational priorities.
• Directed HR for a 600+ employee Mercedes-Benz network across 7 outlets, driving consistent people practices, workforce effectiveness and organisational alignment.
• Partnered with the insurance business leadership through a complete leadership-team transformation, strengthening capability and readiness for growth.
• Led senior-level recruitment for critical positions within the insurance business.
• Designed and drove training, upskilling and employee-engagement initiatives to strengthen capability and retention.
• Identified and developed existing internal talent for larger leadership responsibilities, enabling internal succession and leadership continuity.
• Restructured and strengthened the leadership team by assessing existing capabilities and aligning talent to critical business roles.
• Drove HR transformation across business units, improving workforce efficiency, cross-functional coordination and people practices.

Head – HR & Administration at KIRAN MOTORS MAHARASHTRA (2016-11 – 2019-11)

• Joined as the organisation's first employee and built the initial workforce from the ground up, hiring critical talent within the first 3–4 months to support the startup's launch and early-stage operations.
• Built the Mumbai HR function from the ground up, establishing people processes and HR infrastructure to support business expansion.
• Led workforce planning and high-velocity, cost-optimised recruitment aligned with business requirements.
• Built and led a high-performing HR team across multiple locations.
• Reduced employee attrition from 10% to below 5% through focused retention and employee-engagement interventions.

Senior Manager – HR & Operations at D.R. MOBILITY (2016-01 – 2016-10)

• Hired 50+ drivers through referral and missed-call sourcing, supporting rapid workforce deployment.
• Led driver training covering app usage and customer etiquette.
• Supported B2B client onboarding and growth activities through people and operational support.

Manager – HR & Admin at AUTO MARK MOTORS PVT. LTD. (2013-03 – 2015-12)

• Led HR integration during the Tornado Motors–Automark merger, ensuring smooth people transition and organisational integration.
• Established HR systems and enabled new showroom/workshop operations within two months.
• Improved recruitment efficiency through 60% referral recruitment, targeted outsourcing and ERP adoption.

Executive – HR & Admin at SAB TV (2007-12 – 2013-03)

• Supported the SAB TV–HDIL transition by hiring 160+ employees within six months, maintaining <5% attrition and full compliance.
• Streamlined HR operations by transitioning manual processes to automation, improving efficiency and consistency.

Ph.D. in SHRM – JJTU University (2025)

MBA in HR – Atharva School of Business (2012)

MA – Mumbai University (2021)

MA – Mumbai University (1997)

BA – Mumbai University (1995)