People & Culture Director (F/M/X)

We are currently seeking a Director of People & Culture (P&C) to lead, inspire, and champion our Orient Express teams, driving a culture of excellence, collaboration, and strategic growth. Reporting directly to the CEO of Orient Express, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and advancing all aspects related to People & Culture within the brand. You will play a unique role in guaranteeing the alignment of P&C vision across all Orient Express properties, fostering a unified culture and strategy for the brand.

PEOPLE & CULTURE STRATEGY

• Design, implement, and maintain P&C policies aligned with Group’s Global P&C strategy, compliance frameworks, and reporting structures that respect the high-luxury standards.
• Drive organizational transformation by aligning P&C strategies with business evolution, focusing on scaling organizational capabilities, leveraging HR technology, and modernizing corporate culture.
• Develop and manage core P&C functions to provide comprehensive support to Orient Express’ employees, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Partner closely with the executive committee to align human resources strategies with global business objectives.
• Lead the P&C track for all pre and post opening luxury property launches, ensuring successful opening organization and staffing. Prepare and introduce Standards Operating Procedures designed for each property to roll out the P&C processes locally.

TALENT EXPERIENCE

Talent Acquisition:

• Lead end-to-end recruitment, aligning hiring strategies with business growth and brand values and strengthen employer branding and DEI initiatives to attract diverse, high-caliber talent.

Learning and Development :

• Define and lead global L&D strategies. Design bespoke career pathing to accelerate high-potential talent pipelines, and architect robust succession planning frameworks for both Corporate and Property roles. Foster a culture of continuous learning by integrating growth opportunities into daily workflows.

Talent Management:

• Manage the Talent Cycle by overseeing and optimizing the annual talent management lifecycle, ensuring flawless execution of goal setting, continuous feedback, annual performance evaluations, strategic people reviews and salary reviews.

• Provide counsel, guidance, and day-to-day support to managers on performance management and disciplinary and grievance actions.

STRATEGIC WORKFORCE PLANNING & BUDGET

• Lead strategic workforce planning, personnel forecasting, and multi-year headcount modeling to align staffing resources with the Group’s long-term development pipeline.

• Co-pilot the annual HR budget in close collaboration with the Finance Department, ensuring close oversight of global payroll and HR-related spending, while identifying efficiencies and maintaining alignment with financial forecasts.

• Human Resources degree / Legal qualifications and a minimum of 10 years of progressive HR experience in a leadership role in a growing environment.
• Strong experience in the hospitality industry, preferably in international environments.
• Experience in pre-opening and opening experience for ultra luxury hotels.
• Ability to build and implement strategies as well as to manage projects in a complex environment.
• Demonstrated expertise in developing and implementing HR strategies, policies, and programs.
• Strong understanding of social relations practices and regulations, with experience in negotiating and managing labor agreements.
• Proactive and decisive.
• Strong ability to work independently.
• Effective leader with ability to inspire and communicate at all levels.
• Fluent in English and French.