Director of People & Culture

Overview

The beautiful Sandbourne Santa Monica, Autograph Collection is seeking an experienced Director of People & Culture to join our prestigious team. This role will oversee all HR functions, ensure compliance with labor laws, and foster a positive workplace culture aligned with the hotel's luxury service standards.

• Highly competitive salary of $140,000 - $150,000
• Performance bonus eligibility
• An exceptional benefit plan for eligible associates & your family members
• 401K matching program for eligible associates
• Flexible scheduling to allow you to focus on what is important to you
• Discounts with our Crescent managed properties in North America for you & your family members

• Develop and implement recruitment strategies to attract top hospitality talent for leadership and hourly positions across all departments, as needed.
• Oversee onboarding programs to ensure new hires are integrated seamlessly.

• Foster a positive, inclusive, and productive, issue‑free work environment.
• Serve as a credible, visible and trusted advisor to managers and associates on HR matters.
• Timely address and resolve associate concerns, ensuring compliance with company policies.
• Organize associate engagement and recognition programs in alignment with Crescent's associate recognition and communication initiatives.

• Facilitate training programs to enhance associate job skills and guest service focus and delivery.
• Oversee leadership development and succession planning efforts.
• Ensure timely and comprehensive compliance training for all associates.

• Manage payroll processes in collaboration with Finance to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Administer employee benefits programs, including health insurance, retirement plans, and wellness initiatives.
• Monitor industry trends to ensure competitive compensation structures.

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local labor laws.
• Maintain up‑to‑date associate records and HR documentation.
• Lead workplace investigations and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Oversee workplace safety programs and support risk mitigation strategies.

• 5+ years of HR leadership experience, with minimum 2 years at an HRD level in the hospitality or related industry is preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience working under a hotel union collective bargaining agreement is required.
• Proven knowledge of California wage and employment laws is required.
• Proven advanced knowledge of employment laws.
• Proven experience with UKG/Ultipro systems and payroll processing.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced, luxury hospitality environment.
• Proficiency in Spanish language is highly preferred.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.