Assistant Director

About the role The Assistant Director of People & Culture supports the day-to-day People & Culture function for Recess Hotel & Club , serving as the primary on-property resource for team members and leaders. This role operates within a shared People & Culture model supporting both Recess Hotel & Club and Hotel Bardo Savannah , working closely with the People & Culture team to ensure consistent execution, strong communication, and a thoughtful team member experience. This is a hands-on HR leadership role suited for an experienced generalist who is confident navigating employee relations, onboarding, compliance, investigations, manager support, and team member inquiries. The Assistant Director helps ensure that People & Culture practices are practical, consistent, legally compliant, and aligned with the service culture of the hotel. What you’ll do Serve as the primary on-property People & Culture contact for Recess team members and managers. Partner with the People & Culture leadership team to support consistent HR practices across the shared hotel environment. Provide day-to-day coaching and guidance to managers on employee relations, performance concerns, documentation, policy interpretation, and team member communication. Support employee relations matters, including intake, fact-finding, investigations, corrective action, follow-up, and documentation. Coordinate onboarding and new hire integration, ensuring team members have a smooth, welcoming, and organized introduction to the hotel, brand, and company standards. Maintain accurate team member records, HRIS data, personnel files, compliance documentation, and related reporting. Support compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, company policies, and required workplace procedures. Respond to team member questions regarding policies, benefits, payroll, timekeeping, workplace concerns, and general People & Culture matters. Support performance management processes, including documentation, follow-up, coaching conversations, and manager accountability. Assist with benefits administration, leave of absence coordination, workers’ compensation, and other routine HR processes. Support culture, engagement, recognition, and communication efforts that reinforce a positive and service-oriented work environment. Partner with managers to identify and resolve workplace issues before they elevate. Assist with training coordination as needed, including compliance training, orientation content, and manager support. Ensure the team member experience reflects the same level of care, consistency, and hospitality expected in the guest experience. Qualifications 4+ years of progressive Human Resources experience, preferably in hospitality, luxury service, or another high-touch service environment. Strong generalist background with hands-on experience in employee relations, onboarding, compliance, HR administration, and manager support. Experience handling sensitive employee matters with sound judgment, confidentiality, and professionalism. Working knowledge of employment laws, HR best practices, documentation standards, and workplace compliance requirements. Prior experience supporting a hotel, resort, restaurant, or multi-shift operational environment preferred. Experience with HRIS platforms required; Rippling experience preferred. Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Hospitality, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience will be considered. Strong communication, organization, follow-through, and problem-solving skills. Ability to balance approachability with accountability when supporting both team members and managers. Why Recess? Build something from the beginning. Join the opening team behind one of Savannah’s most anticipated lifestyle hotels and help shape the guest experience from day one. Take care of yourself. Medical, dental, vision, and wellness benefits for eligible full-time team members Company-matched 401(k) with fast vesting Up to 20 days of paid time off, paid holidays, and a paid birthday Complimentary daily team member meal Experience the brand. Complimentary two-night stay at HotelRecess & Club Savannah Team member discounts on dining, Saltgrass Spa treatments, retail, and The Cooking School at Saint Bibiana Complimentary fitness classes Travel farther. Employee rates at select Leading Hotels of the World properties Discounts at Highgate hotels worldwide Grow with Left Lane. Referral incentives and guest recognition programs Career development opportunities across a growing hospitality portfolio The opportunity to help shape one of hospitality’s most exciting lifestyle brands #J-18808-Ljbffr