Whole-time Director Job Description and KRAs

A Whole-time Director is a full-time director who devotes their whole working time to the company under a defined portfolio, such as finance, operations or technical. It is a statutory role under the Companies Act, counted among the key managerial personnel. They combine board duties with executive charge of their area. A good whole-time director delivers their portfolio's results, carries the legal duties of the office, keeps their area compliant, and gives the board an informed, honest view of the part of the business they run.

Detail	For this role
Department	Leadership and Senior Management
Level	Leadership
Reports to	Managing Director
Direct reports	Functional Heads, Department Heads
Experience	15+ years in the relevant function, with senior leadership experience

Whole-time Director job description template

Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.

Job title: Whole-time Director

Department: Leadership and Senior Management

Reports to: Managing Director

Location: [City], [office, branch or site]

About the role

Key responsibilities

Run the portfolio assigned by the board full time, such as finance, operations or technical.
Contribute to board decisions on strategy, budgets and major matters.
Deliver the targets for the area under their charge.
Carry the legal duties of a whole-time director as key managerial personnel.
Turn board decisions into plans and action within their portfolio.
Oversee risk, controls and compliance for the functions under their charge.
Sign filings and approvals that fall within their statutory charge.
Build and lead the senior team in their area.
Declare interests and manage the overlap of board and executive duties.
Report the portfolio's performance to the board and the Managing Director.

Requirements

Professional qualification or degree in the portfolio area
Meets the eligibility for a whole-time director under the Companies Act
A Director Identification Number is required to be appointed
15+ years in the relevant function, with senior leadership experience

KRAs and KPIs for a Whole-time Director

Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.

Key result area	How to measure it
Portfolio results	Targets for the assigned area met for the year
Board and statutory duties	Board attendance and statutory filings completed on time
Execution	Board-approved plans in the portfolio delivered on schedule
Compliance	No major compliance failures in the functions under charge
Team strength	Key roles in the portfolio filled and retained above target

Skills and tools

Business leadershipCorporate governanceDomain expertiseP and L or functional ownershipRisk oversightCompanies Act dutiesDecision makingTeam building

Tools used day to day: Board meeting papers, BI dashboards, Financial statements, MS Excel, Board portal software.

Reporting line and career path

Moves up from: Functional Head, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer
Next roles: Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer

Interview questions for a Whole-time Director

How do you balance your statutory board duties with running your portfolio full time?
What are your legal responsibilities as a whole-time director and key managerial person?
How do you keep your area compliant while still hitting its targets?
How do you bring an honest view of your portfolio to the board, including bad news?
Walk me through a major decision you owned as a whole-time director.
How do you handle a conflict between your portfolio's interest and the company's?

Managing a Whole-time Director in ZeniaHR

AttendanceA whole-time director is on the payroll and works General office hours with travel. Keep them on a General shift with punching not strictly enforced. A web or mobile app punch records presence, and late marks are usually waived for board-level leaders.LeavePlan leave away from board weeks, statutory deadlines and peak periods for their portfolio. Record time off in the leave calendar so the Managing Director and their teams know who covers their charge while they are away.Performance and KRAsThe board evaluates the director role, while the Managing Director reviews the portfolio. Set the portfolio KRAs above as weighted goals in an annual [review cycle](/hrms/features/performance/), with quarterly business reviews of the area.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a whole-time director?

A whole-time director is a director who works full time for the company under a defined portfolio such as finance, operations or technical. It is a statutory role under the Companies Act and counts among the key managerial personnel. They combine board duties with executive charge of their area and carry the legal duties of the office.

What is the difference between a whole-time director and a managing director?

A Managing Director is entrusted with substantial powers to manage the whole company. A whole-time director works full time on a specific portfolio rather than the entire business. Both are key managerial personnel under the Companies Act, but the Managing Director leads the company while a whole-time director leads a defined function within it.

Who does a whole-time director report to?

As a director, a whole-time director answers to the board and shareholders. As an executive, they usually report to the Managing Director or Chief Executive Officer for their portfolio. Because they are key managerial personnel, they also carry personal statutory duties that they cannot delegate away.