Manager, Head of People

The Manager, Head of People – Armenia is a senior people leadership role within EPAM’s Global People Organization (GPO). You will be the primary People leader for EPAM’s Armenian locations, responsible for planning, leading, and executing the full scope of HR strategy and operations for the country — including people partnership, compliance, performance management, and employee experience.

This role operates within EPAM’s global-local People model, partnering with GPO Centers of Excellence (Compensation, L&D, HR Operations, and others) to adapt and deliver global programs locally, while representing Armenia’s unique context, talent landscape, and business needs at the global level.

Armenia is a strategically important delivery hub for EPAM, and this leader will play a central role in shaping the culture, engagement, and organizational effectiveness of the location.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with senior business leadership to understand organizational goals and translate them into people strategies for Armenian locations
• Act as a trusted advisor and coach to local and regional leadership on people strategy, organizational design, and workforce challenges
• Identify strategic organizational and process gaps; design targeted, measurable programs to address them
• Develop and implement best practices for talent management, including performance cycles, succession planning, and leadership development
• Plan, lead, and implement HR policies, processes, and initiatives to support the organization's people strategy and compliance requirements
• Oversee or administer people programs including onboarding, offboarding, compensation and benefits, leave management, occupational health and safety, and recognition programs
• Monitor compliance with Armenian employment law and regulations; proactively update policies and practices to maintain full legal compliance
• Maintain current knowledge of regulatory changes, HR trends, and evolving best practices in the local market; communicate relevant changes to leadership
• Develop and manage the budget for the People function in Armenia
• Partner with the legal department to resolve complex employee relations issues — including harassment, discrimination, and disputes — in a balanced, fair, and objective manner
• Drive employee engagement and retention initiatives tailored to the Armenian context; monitor engagement data and act on findings
• Collaborate with GPO stakeholders and Centers of Excellence to implement corporate processes and programs locally, ensuring global consistency with local relevance
• Conduct research and analysis of local organizational trends using HRIS and people analytics tools
• Contribute to GPO-wide initiatives and cross-location people projects as a senior leader within the global organization
• Directly manage and develop the Armenia People team, setting a high bar for execution, collaboration, and professional growth
• Facilitate professional development, training, and certification activities for HR staff
• Champion AI adoption within the People function, modeling modern, tech-enabled approaches to HR work

Requirements

• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to engage and constructively challenge senior leadership
• Strategic thinking with the ability to translate business context into scalable people programs and solutions
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills — in Armenian, English, and ideally Russian
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities; data-driven approach to people decisions
• Proven leadership and team management capabilities
• Strong execution focus — ability to manage multiple priorities, navigate ambiguity, and meet demanding deadlines
• Thorough knowledge of Armenian labor legislation, employment law, and local HR regulations
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and HRIS / talent management systems
• Demonstrated interest in AI-enabled HR tools and workflows; ability to champion AI adoption within the People function
• Ability to handle confidential information with the highest degree of professionalism
• Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field required
• At least 10 years of progressive HR management experience required
• Proven track record in senior-level people leadership roles, ideally within a matrix organizational structure
• Experience in the IT or software engineering industry strongly preferred
• Experience within multinational companies or in cross-border HR roles is a significant advantage
• Fluency in Armenian required; professional proficiency in English required; Russian is a strong plus