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Varsha Guntuk

@varshaguntuk

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Senior Human Resources Professional with 18+ years of experience.

India

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What I'm looking for

I am looking for a role that values strategic HR practices and offers opportunities for growth and development.

I am a strategic HR leader with over 18 years of experience in the Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, and Manufacturing industries. My expertise lies in employee relations, conflict resolution, and organizational restructuring, where I have successfully managed large-scale contractual workforces. I pride myself on my ability to partner with leadership across various geographies to align people practices with business goals.

In my current role at Balaji Amines Limited, I lead HR operations, compliance management, and employee engagement initiatives. I have effectively managed sensitive issues such as misconduct investigations and retrenchment processes, ensuring compliance with legal requirements while supporting impacted employees. My experience at MERCK further honed my skills in talent acquisition and performance management, where I successfully reduced external hiring costs and implemented global HR practices.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Lead – Employee Engagement, Talent Management & HR Compliances

Current

Balaji Amines Limited

Oct 2014 - Present (10 years 9 months)

Served as HR lead managing HR Operations, Compliance Management, HR policy design and execution, employee relations, grievance handling, union negotiations, and disciplinary processes across multiple plant locations. Oversaw approximately 500+ contract workforce, managing contractor compliance and ensuring Employer of Record equivalent controls and integration.

HR Operations Compliance Management Policy Design Employee Relations Grievances Employer Of Record Talent Management

COE – Sourcing & Recruiting Head

MERCK

Apr 2013 - Dec 2013 (8 months)

Instrumental in complete alignment of India Operations with Global HR Practices. Managed complex employee life cycle and grievance cases across 1000+ field staff and plant level operation staff, supporting disciplinary actions, performance improvement plans, and conflict mediation across business units.

Grievances Disciplinary Actions Performance Improvement Talent Acquisition SAP SuccessFactors

HR Business Partner – Consumer Health Care

MERCK

Aug 2012 - Mar 2013 (7 months)

Supported disciplinary actions, performance improvement plans, and conflict mediation across business units. Led India’s Talent Acquisition strategy across business units, reducing external hiring costs by over 60%.

HR Business Partnering Talent Acquisition Performance Improvement Employee Relations Workforce Planning SAP SuccessFactors Employer Branding

HR Business Partner – Talent Acquisition

MERCK

Sep 2006 - Jul 2012 (5 years 10 months)

Implemented SAP SuccessFactors & Taleo recruitment modules; drove campus strategy and workforce planning. Partnered with global HR teams to drive DEI initiatives and strengthen employer branding across India.

Talent Acquisition Recruitment Modules Implementation Campus Strategy Workforce Planning DEI Employer Branding HR Operations Compliance SAP SuccessFactors

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Sinhgad Institute of Management, Pune

MBA, Human Resources

Completed a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Human Resources. Gained comprehensive knowledge in strategic HR leadership, talent management, and organizational development.

Bharti Vidyapeeth, Pune University

Diploma, Labour Law

Obtained a Diploma in Labour Law, focusing on legal frameworks and compliance related to employment. Developed expertise in labor regulations, industrial relations, and dispute resolution.

DIADC, T.V. Rao Learning Systems, Bangalore

Certified Trainer, Training and Development

Completed a certification program to become a Certified Trainer. Focused on developing skills in training methodologies, instructional design, and facilitating learning sessions.