Company OverviewPalette is a full‑service hospitality management company built by owners for owners. We support hotel owners with sales & revenue management, operations leadership, PIP/capex expertise, risk management, construction management, human resources, and IT. We currently manage a portfolio of over 20 hotels across multiple states with a growing corporate team. Our mission is to cultivate the full potential of our hotels and our team to deliver best‑in‑class hospitality services. Our vision is to become the preferred management company for brands and owners, achieved through our shared values: People First, Results Driven, and Owner Mindset. We’re also a culture of builders: scrappy, entrepreneurial, tech‑forward, remote‑first, and committed to progress, not perfection.
The RoleThe Senior Director of People Operations is the executive leader responsible for shaping and executing the People & HR vision for a rapidly growing, multi‑state hotel management platform. This role oversees People Operations, Human Resources, and HR Risk & Compliance in a people‑first, hospitality‑driven environment. As a key member of the leadership team, you will partner closely with Operations, Finance, and ownership stakeholders to build a high‑performing, values‑aligned workforce that improves both associate experience and hotel performance.
You will lead a distributed People Ops team (including People Operations managers and Risk/HR Compliance leadership) while supporting both a remote corporate team and diverse on‑property hotel teams.
This role is ideal for a builder‑leader: someone who can set strategy, design scalable systems, and also roll up sleeves to solve real problems quickly in a field‑based, hourly workforce environment.
What Success Looks Like at Palette (Leadership Behaviors)The Senior Director of People Operations is successful at Palette when they consistently demonstrate:
- Ownership & Accountability — you take responsibility for outcomes, not just activity.
- Builds Rather Than Maintains — you create scalable systems and simplify complexity.
- Curates Culture & Models Values — you reinforce People First / Results Driven / Owner Mindset in how you lead.
- Thinks Strategically & Executes Iteratively — you balance long‑term design with rapid improvement cycles (“progress, not perfection”).
- Maintains Poise Under Pressure — you lead calmly through rapid growth, transitions, and ambiguity.
Key Responsibilities1)
People Strategy & Org Development- Own the enterprise People strategy and operating model across a multi‑state hotel portfolio.
- Partner with the CEO and leaders to align People priorities with growth, performance, and operational needs.
- Lead organizational design, workforce planning, and talent forecasting to support expansion and operational excellence.
- Build scalable programs and playbooks that work for remote corporate and on‑property hotel environments.
2)
Core HR & People Operations- Oversee end‑to‑end HR: talent acquisition, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, learning & development partnership, compensation, benefits, and HRIS optimization.
- Ensure consistent HR practices across properties while allowing for local nuance and state requirements.
- Drive manager capability: improve how leaders hire, coach, document performance, and address issues early.
3)
Leadership & Team Development- Lead and develop the People Ops organization (People Ops Managers, Risk/HR leadership, Compliance).
- Establish clear service standards, internal SLAs, and a “hospitality‑grade” support experience for leaders and associates.
- Build strong partnerships with GMs and property leaders to improve retention, engagement, and execution at the hotel level.
4)
Compliance, Risk & Multi‑State Governance- Own compliance strategy and governance across federal, state, and local employment laws (multi‑state footprint).
- Guide HR risk mitigation: workers’ comp workflows, safety programs, claims management, investigations, audits, and incident reporting.
- Keep policies/handbooks current and consistent with company values and legal requirements; partner with counsel on complex matters.
5)
Culture, Engagement & Employee Experience- Design and deliver culture initiatives that make “People First” real at corporate and property levels.
- Lead engagement listening (surveys, roundtables, action plans) and measurable improvements in retention and manager effectiveness.
- Create pathways for development, internal mobility, recognition, and performance‑based growth.
6)
Compensation, Benefits & People Analytics / HR Tech- Own compensation philosophy and execution: benchmarking, pay equity, wage strategy, incentives where appropriate, and scalable job architecture.
- Evaluate and optimize benefits to support well‑being and retention.
- Drive HR technology improvements: HRIS/payroll/PEO optimization, reporting, dashboards, and decision support.
Qualifications (Must‑Have)- 10+ years progressive HR/People Operations leadership experience, including multi‑site and multi‑state oversight.
- Hospitality, hotels, or a distributed service industry experience strongly preferred (hourly + salaried workforce).
- Demonstrated ability to build scalable HR systems in a high‑growth environment (not just “run HR”).
- Strong employee relations judgment; able to manage complex investigations, performance situations, and leader coaching.
- Deep knowledge of employment law and practical compliance operations across multiple states.
- Experience implementing and optimizing HR tech ecosystems (HRIS/Payroll/PEO).
- Executive‑level communication and influence: can partner with C‑suite, GMs, and field leaders with credibility.
Travel: Ability to travel to hotel locations as needed.
Working hours: Remote role; must maintain office hours that effectively support multiple U.S. time zones.
Nice‑to‑Have- SHRM‑CP/SCP, PHR/SPHR, or similar certifications.
- Experience scaling manager training / frontline leadership development.
- Experience building compensation programs for field operations (wage strategy, pay bands, incentive structures).
Benefits & Other- Medical, Dental, Vision (partially employer‑paid)
- 401(k) with employer match
- Employer‑paid basic life insurance
- Cell phone reimbursement
- Flexible PTO program
Equal Opportunity / Workplace PoliciesPalette Hotels is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits unlawful discrimination based on any protected classification under applicable federal, state, and local laws. We maintain a drug‑free workplace. Palette participates in E‑Verify after offer acceptance and completion of Form I‑9.
