Senior Director of People Operations - Corporate
6 days ago
New York
Job Description Company Overview Palette is a full-service hospitality management company built by owners for owners. We provide a wealth of resources to hotel owners including sales & revenue management, operations leadership, PIP and Capital expenditure expertise, risk management, construction management, human resources, and IT. Our corporate team is just under 30 people and growing. We currently manage a portfolio of 20+ hotels across six states. Our leadership team comes from a diverse range of backgrounds including major hotel brand operations, ownership, development, and tech startups. We are comfortable questioning the status quo to innovate and move the industry forward to provide the greatest value to our partners, owners, and employees. Job Overview The Senior Director of People Operations is the strategic leader responsible for shaping and executing the People & HR vision for a rapidly growing hotel management group with 20+ locations across multiple states. This role oversees People Operations, Human Resources, and HR Risk & Compliance in a people-first, hospitality-driven environment. As a key member of the Executive Team, this role partners with Operations, Finance, and Ownership to build a high-performing, values-aligned workforce. The Senior Director leads a distributed People Ops team – including the Director of Risk & HR and Managers of People & Compliance – while supporting both a remote corporate team and diverse on-property hotel teams. This role is ideal for an entrepreneurial and visionary strategist that is passionate about creating exceptional employee experiences aimed at elevating guest satisfaction and enhanced business performance. Success Profile The Senior Director of People Operations will succeed at Palette when they consistently show the following leadership behaviors, defining how we work and what we expect from one another: 1. Ownership and Accountability, 2. Builds Rather Than Maintains, approaching challenges with a creator's mindset, 3. Curates Culture & Models Our Values, shaping environments where people and performance flourish, 4. Things Strategically & Executes Through Innovation and Iteration, balancing long-term vision with agile action, 5. Maintains Poise Under Pressure, fostering strong working habits during periods of rapid change and growth Key Responsibilities Strategic Leadership & Organizational Development • Serve as the executive leader for all People Operations and HR functions, setting the long-term strategy for a people-first culture across a multi-state hotel portfolio., • Partner with the CEO and Executive Team to align People Ops strategy with organizational goals, growth plans, and operational priorities., • Build scalable systems, programs, and processes that support both remote corporate teams and on-site hotel operations., • Lead organizational design initiatives, workforce planning, and talent forecasting to support expansion and operational excellence. People Operations & HR Management • Oversee all core HR functions including talent acquisition, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, compensation, benefits, and HRIS optimization., • Develop innovative, hospitality-aligned People Ops programs that enhance engagement, retention, and career development., • Ensure consistent HR practices across all properties while allowing for local flexibility and state-specific compliance., • Champion a culture of inclusion, recognition, accountability, and continuous improvement. Leadership of People Ops Team • Directly manage People Operations Managers, the Director of Risk & HR, and Compliance Manager., • Provide coaching, mentorship, and development to build a high-impact, service-oriented People Ops team., • Foster strong partnerships with General Managers and property leadership teams to support on-site HR needs and operational success. Compliance, Risk, & Multi-State HR Governance • Oversee compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws across multiple states including Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, and Utah., • Support and guide Director of Risk & HR in implementation of mitigation strategies, including workers' compensation, safety programs, and employee claims management., • Ensure policies, handbooks, and procedures are current, consistent, and aligned with company values and legal requirements., • Partner with legal counsel as needed on complex employee relations matters. Culture, Engagement & Employee Experience • Design and implement culture-building initiatives that reinforce the company's people-first philosophy., • Lead employee engagement strategies, surveys, and action planning across all locations., • Create pathways for career growth and internal mobility within both corporate and hotel operations., • Promote a workplace environment that supports diversity, equity, belonging, and psychological safety. Compensation, Benefits & HR Technology • Oversee compensation strategy, pay equity, and competitive benchmarking for both hourly and salaried roles., • Evaluate and optimize benefits offerings to support employee well-being and retention., • Drive HR technology improvements, data analytics, and reporting to support decision-making and operational efficiency. Qualifications • 10+ years of progressive HR/People Operations leadership experience, including multi-state oversight., • Experience in hospitality, hotel management, or a similarly distributed service-driven industry is strongly preferred., • Proven success leading HR strategy in a high-growth, people-centric organization., • Demonstrated ability to lead remote teams and support on-site operational environments simultaneously., • Prior experience using a variety of Payroll, HRIS, and PEO systems including the implementation of new systems. Experience using systems like Workday, Paycor, Paychex, Infor, etc., • Deep knowledge of employment laws across multiple states; hospitality-specific compliance experience is a plus., • Exceptional communication, executive presence, and relationship-building skills., • Strong analytical, strategic planning, and problem-solving capabilities., • Ability to travel to hotel locations as needed Compensation & Other • Salary: $135-150,000.00, • Benefits: Medical, Dental, & Vision partially employer paid. 401(k) with an employer match. Employer paid basic life insurance and cell phone reimbursement. Flexible PTO program., • Reports To: Chief Executive Officer, • Direct Reports: 4, currently, • Location: Anywhere in the United States, ability to maintain office hours to cover Pacific, Mountain, Central, and Eastern Time zones is required. Palette Hotels, we are dedicated to creating and sustaining meaningful hospitality careers for our associates. We support our associates with highly competitive salaries, outstanding health benefits, extensive training and development programs, promotion from within the organization, and a positive team-based culture where people make the difference. Palette Hotels is an equal opportunity employer with policies prohibiting unlawful discrimination on the basis of any protected classification under applicable local, state and/or federal laws, which can include race, color, creed, sex, national origin, age, veteran status or physical or mental disability unrelated to job requirements. Palette Hotels policies also provide for a drug-free workplace, where the use, possession, or influence of illegal drugs or alcohol while on company time is generally prohibited. An employee's use (or abuse) of legally prescribed medication may also implicate company policy, where it impairs judgment or work performance or otherwise creates workplace safety risks. Palette participates in E-Verify to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. only after a job offer is accepted and Form I-9 is completed. For more information on E-Verify, please visit the Everify website.