Director of People & Culture – Luxury Hospitality, Leinster

Red D are recruiting a Director of People & Culture for a leading luxury hospitality business in Leinster.

This is a genuinely influential senior leadership role for an accomplished People & Culture professional who wants the scope to shape how a large hospitality business attracts, develops, engages and retains its people.

With more than 300 colleagues and a substantial, multi-faceted operation, the business is looking for a Director of People & Culture who can bring fresh thinking to the people agenda while understanding the realities of running a busy hospitality operation.

Reporting directly to the General Manager and working as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, you’ll have a voice in the wider direction of the business. You’ll shape the people strategy, strengthen leadership capability, develop future talent and create an environment where great people want to join, stay and progress.

This isn’t a role that sits behind the scenes. You’ll be visible across the business, close to colleagues and managers and trusted by senior leadership. You’ll combine strategic thinking with sound judgement and a strong understanding of Irish employment law, while always keeping an eye on how people decisions affect the wider commercial performance of the business.

For an experienced hospitality HR leader looking for greater influence, autonomy and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact, this is an excellent next move.

The Role

People & Culture Strategy

• Lead and develop the overall People & Culture strategy in line with the business plan and future direction of the organisation
• Act as a trusted advisor to the General Manager, Senior Leadership Team and managers across the business
• Provide senior HR input into organisational planning, change and future workforce requirements
• Ensure the company’s values are reflected throughout the colleague experience
• Bring a strong commercial perspective to people decisions and priorities

Leadership & Organisational Development

• Lead, support and develop the People & Culture team
• Strengthen leadership capability through coaching, development programmes and succession planning
• Build talent pipelines for key management, specialist and leadership positions
• Identify skills gaps and future capability requirements across the organisation
• Oversee HR operations, systems, policies, training and colleague programmes
• Continually review how People & Culture processes can work more effectively for colleagues and managers

Talent, Performance & Engagement

• Lead the recruitment and talent strategy across the business
• Develop a strong and consistent approach to performance management and colleague development
• Improve retention and support internal career progression
• Drive colleague engagement, recognition, learning and wellbeing initiatives
• Support diversity, equity and inclusion across the organisation
• Strengthen the employer brand and overall candidate and colleague experience

Employee Relations & HR Governance

• Take ownership of the employee relations strategy
• Advise on and lead complex employee relations matters including investigations, disciplinary and grievance processes
• Ensure compliance with Irish employment legislation and HR best practice
• Maintain appropriate HR policies, procedures and governance
• Manage relationships with external HR advisors, statutory bodies and other relevant partners

Reward, Systems & People Insights

• Oversee reward and benefits strategy, including salary and benefits benchmarking
• Work closely with Finance to support accurate payroll processes and legislative compliance
• Use HR data and reporting to identify trends, risks and workforce requirements
• Provide meaningful people insights to the General Manager and Senior Leadership Team
• Ensure HR systems are being used effectively across the organisation
• Explore how technology and AI can sensibly improve HR processes, efficiency and the colleague experience

What We’re Looking For

This Director of People & Culture role requires an established senior HR professional with the credibility and experience to operate as part of a senior leadership team.

You’ll need:

• Significant senior HR or People & Culture leadership experience within hospitality or another large, service-led organisation
• Experience supporting a workforce of 300+ colleagues
• Strong knowledge of Irish employment legislation and HR best practice
• Proven experience across employee relations, recruitment, performance, engagement, organisational development and succession planning
• Strong commercial judgement and the ability to connect people strategy with wider business performance
• The confidence to challenge, advise and influence at senior leadership level
• Experience leading and developing an HR or People & Culture team

Previous experience within a four or five-star hotel, luxury hospitality or another premium service environment would be particularly relevant. Experience in organisational development or change management would also be an advantage.

The Person

The right Director of People & Culture will be credible, approachable and highly visible within the business. You’ll build relationships naturally at every level while being confident enough to have difficult conversations when required.

You’ll be commercially aware, practical and comfortable moving between long-term strategy and the day-to-day realities of a busy hospitality operation.

Good judgement is essential. So are discretion, resilience and a thorough understanding of Irish employment law.

Above all, this role needs someone who genuinely enjoys working with people and understands how much influence a strong People & Culture function can have on the performance of a hospitality business.

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity to take ownership of the people agenda within a significant luxury hospitality operation.

The Director of People & Culture will have the scope to influence leadership development, recruitment, retention, colleague engagement, succession planning, reward and the wider culture of the business.

For a senior hospitality HR professional who wants a role with genuine influence and a seat at the leadership table, it offers an excellent next move.

We can only consider candidates with full, unrestricted permission to live and work in the EU.

UK passport holders are also welcome to apply.

About Red D Recruitment

Red D Recruitment specialise in hospitality recruitment across Ireland, the UK and Europe.

We recruit for senior management and executive roles across hotels, restaurants, workplace catering, tourism and visitor attractions. Our clients range from luxury boutique hotels and leading restaurant groups to large-scale hospitality and catering operations.

Red D Recruitment is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from people of all genders, backgrounds and identities. Selection is based on merit, skills and experience.

Director of People & Culture Leinster, Director of People and Culture jobs Ireland, HR Director hospitality Ireland, Hotel HR Director jobs Ireland, Director of HR hotel Ireland, senior HR jobs Leinster, hospitality HR jobs Ireland, People and Culture Director Ireland, luxury hotel HR jobs Ireland, hospitality recruitment Ireland