Poornadarshi Siriwardena
Depanama, Pannipitiya
Summary
HR professional with 19+ years of expertise in HR transformation, compensation strategy, HRIS implementation, and labor law compliance. Passionate about leveraging data-driven insights to optimize rewards, streamline HR operations, and drive talent development.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
HR Consultant
JF & I Packaging Ltd
05.2023 - Current
- Led the compensation & benefits strategy, developing grade-wise salary bands aligned with market trends to enhance talent acquisition and retention
- Designed and implemented policies for bonus, health insurance, promotion, employee recognition, mobile, vehicle benefits, and extra working allowance, ensuring compliance, fairness, and cost efficiency
- Developed people analytics dashboards, providing data-driven insights for HR decision-making and performance management
- Advised leadership on succession planning, identifying, and developing high-potential employees to strengthen future leadership pipelines
- Provided consultancy on rewards, analytics, performance management, and talent development, while upskilling the HR team on evaluation frameworks and succession planning
- Designed and launched a comprehensive Employee Recognition Scheme, enhancing engagement and fostering a culture of appreciation
- Offered expert guidance on employee relations, grievances, and performance improvement plans, fostering a positive workplace culture
- Collaborated with management to analyze and streamline compensation and benefits structures, identifying areas for improvement and ensuring competitiveness
- Strengthened rewards and people analytics capabilities, transferring knowledge on talent development, performance evaluation, and talent reviews to the HR team
Senior Manager HR/HR Business Partner
Pearson Lanka Pvt Ltd
08.2022 - 01.2023
- Formulated partnerships across management and employees to align with HR objectives
- Provided data for annual Compensation & Benefits Budgets, including economic indicators and market data, in optimizing compensation structures to remain competitive and aligned with industry standards
- Developed HR-related policies and provided guidance and interpretation to ensure alignment with organizational goals
- Implemented, improved, maintained, and reviewed payroll systems, overseeing the timely and accurate processing of payroll
- Managed HR operations, ensuring adherence to policies, procedures, local regulations, and statutory obligations
- Provided inputs to salary surveys and job mapping, assisting in market-based benchmarking and compensation strategy
- Led the Absences Module migration to Fusion, improving payroll accuracy and efficiency in line with system enhancements and HR operations
- Advised on HR systems, payroll, and benefits administration, ensuring consistent compliance with organizational policies
- Provided strategic HR partnership, facilitating employee relations and engagement initiatives to foster a positive organizational culture
Manager HR – Group Rewards & Analytics
Ceylon Biscuits LTD
08.2018 - 08.2022
- Provided inputs to finalize group Rewards & Recognition strategies and policies and ensured robust implementation
- Managed compensation & benefits surveys, implementing data-driven reward strategies
- Built rewards & HRIS capabilities in the organization
- Managed Annual bonus and increment cycles and communications for the CBL group
- Ensured proper management of CBL non-executive payroll (approx
- 1000 employees) & Inputs to executive Payroll
- Updated internal stakeholders regarding any salary and benefit-related regulation changes in the country
- Ensured proper grade structures in CBL group and provided guidelines to the group on job evaluation
- Managed headcount within the approved budget for CBL and explored efficiencies
- Reviewed HRIS & payroll system and implementation Cloud based HRIS system across the group
- Provided statistical information to the management regarding factory category employees' cost comparisons, demand comparisons of both ends, and was involved in Collective Bargaining discussions
- Implemented succession planning strategies, ensuring business continuity by identifying and developing high-potential talent
- Led collective bargaining discussions, ensuring fair employee representation
Manager HR - Compensation & Benefits
Nestle Lanka PLC
11.2010 - 07.2018
- Led salary and benefits budget management and preparation, ensuring financial alignment, cost efficiency, and competitive compensation strategies
- Designed and maintained salary structures, ensuring internal equity, market competitiveness, and talent retention
- Oversaw payroll management, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely disbursement while implementing continuous process improvements
- Conducted market-based salary benchmarking and collaborated with salary survey providers, securing reliable compensation data to drive informed decision-making
- Served as the HRIS/SAP module administrator for senior management, ensuring system optimization, security, and seamless HR operations
- Provided expert guidance on labor laws, taxation, and compensation regulations, mitigating legal risks and ensuring full compliance
- Managed expatriation policies and compensation, facilitating seamless global mobility and integration
- Led HR operations across the employee lifecycle, enhancing employee experience and operational efficiency
Assistant Director-Human Resources Management
SOS Children’s Village, Sri Lanka
04.2009 - 10.2010
- Company Overview: Not for Profit
- Led the end-to-end Human Resources Management function under the supervision of the National Director, overseeing talent acquisition, training & development, compensation & benefits, employee relations, and performance management, ensuring strategic alignment with organizational objectives
- Developed and implemented HR strategic objectives, collaborating with the regional office in India to drive consistency in HR policies, workforce planning, and talent management initiatives, enhancing operational efficiency and employee engagement
- Not for Profit
Executive - HR
Noyon Lanka (private) limited ( MAS Holdings)
02.2006 - 03.2009
- Led end-to-end talent acquisition and workforce planning, from manpower forecasting to timely vacancy fulfillment, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and annual manpower budget
- Managed full-cycle recruitment, including job analysis, candidate sourcing, interviewing, and selection, collaborating with external partners to attract top talent
- Executed the performance management system (Hay Methodology), ensuring timely performance reviews, appraisals, and continuous feedback mechanisms to drive a high-performance culture
- Developed, reviewed, and maintained job descriptions, ensuring role clarity and alignment with organizational objectives
- Managed employee lifecycle processes, including confirmation and promotion for operators and staff-level employees, ensuring transparency and merit-based career progression
- Ensured HR compliance, liaising with regulatory institutions such as the Labor Department, EPF, and ETF, to maintain adherence to employment laws and statutory requirements
Executive - HR
Ceylon Knit Trend (Pvt) Limited (Hirdaramani)
11.2003 - 01.2004
- Led the Training & Development function, conducting training needs analysis (TNA) and implementing targeted learning & development (L&D) strategies to bridge skill gaps
- Developed annual training plans in collaboration with department heads and facilitated training programs to enhance workforce capabilities
- Provided employee counseling and engagement initiatives to reduce absenteeism and labor turnover, supporting employees in personal and professional matters to foster a positive workplace culture
- Managed full-cycle recruitment and selection, including talent sourcing, rural recruitment campaigns, and workforce planning, ensuring the hiring of high-quality talent aligned with business needs
- Executed employee onboarding and contract administration, ensuring a smooth transition for new hires while maintaining compliance with labor laws and internal policies
- Ensured compliance with buyers’ regulations and audit requirements, maintaining adherence to ethical labor standards and organizational policies
- Supervised administrative operations, including cafeteria, transport, and lodging services, to enhance employee well-being and operational efficiency
Education
Bachelor of Business Management ( B.B.Mgt. Specialized HR) - Human Resource Management
University of Kelaniya
Sri LankaCIMA - Finalist
The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
UKSkills
- HR Strategy & Consulting
- Rewards & Compensation Benchmarking
- Performance & Talent Management
- HRIS Implementation (SAP SuccessFactors, Workday, hSenid)
- Policy writing
- Job Leveling & Workforce Planning
- Labor Law Compliance & HR Policy Design
- Employee Relations & Engagement
- HR Analytics & Data-Driven Decision Making
- Organizational Transformation
- HR compliance
- Data analysis
- International mobility management
School
Sri Sumangala Girls School, Panadura
References
- Mr. Shanaka Wijeweera, Senior Manager - HR Services, Nestlé Sri Lanka, 440, T B Jayah Mawatha, Colombo, 10, Sri Lanka, +94 112699991, +94 777533198
- Mr. Gehan Mendis, General Manager-HR, Ceylon Biscuits Limited, No.555, High-Level Road, Makumbura, Pannipitiya, Sri Lanka, +94 115000000 Ext. 1091, +94 772122007
Training Programs Attended
- Certification In IPE 3 Position evaluation system
- Hay Training on performance evaluation and preparation of Job Descriptions
- Auditing principles & Social Accountability Auditor Training course – BVQI
- Certificate Course in Training Methodology For Managers – University of Vocational Technology
- Certificate on Labour law & industrial relations - Employers Federation of Ceylon
- Yellow Belt Sensei in Lean Methodology – MAS Operating System
Personal Information
- Citizenship: Sri Lankan
- Date of Birth: 02/25/78
- Gender: Female
- Marital Status: Married
Timeline
HR Consultant
JF & I Packaging Ltd
05.2023 - Current
Senior Manager HR/HR Business Partner
Pearson Lanka Pvt Ltd
08.2022 - 01.2023
Manager HR – Group Rewards & Analytics
Ceylon Biscuits LTD
08.2018 - 08.2022
Manager HR - Compensation & Benefits
Nestle Lanka PLC
11.2010 - 07.2018
Assistant Director-Human Resources Management
SOS Children’s Village, Sri Lanka
04.2009 - 10.2010
Executive - HR
Noyon Lanka (private) limited ( MAS Holdings)
02.2006 - 03.2009
Executive - HR
Ceylon Knit Trend (Pvt) Limited (Hirdaramani)
11.2003 - 01.2004
Bachelor of Business Management ( B.B.Mgt. Specialized HR) - Human Resource Management
University of Kelaniya
CIMA - Finalist
The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
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