Director of Human Resources

Company Description

Le Colonial is an upscale French-Vietnamese restaurant concept inspired by the seductive spirit and vivid flavors of 1920s Saigon. Founded in 1993 in New York City, it quickly became a renowned destination, hosting notable guests and pioneering the separation of lounge and dining spaces. Today, Le Colonial operates in major markets including Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Lake Forest, Delray Beach, Naples, and Denver. The brand is known for its meticulous attention to detail, romantic architecture, and luxurious atmosphere, offering guests an “escapist’s paradise” in some of America’s best cities. Ongoing expansion provides significant opportunities for hospitality professionals to grow alongside a distinctive and evolving restaurant group.

Role Summary

The Director of Human Resources is a full-time, on-site role based in the New York City Metropolitan Area, supporting Le Colonial’s growing multi-location restaurant organization. This role oversees the full HR function, including talent acquisition, onboarding, training, performance management, and workforce planning for both corporate and restaurant teams. The Director develops, implements, and updates HR policies and procedures, ensuring consistency across locations and alignment with the company’s culture and values. Daily responsibilities include advising leaders on employee relations, overseeing conflict resolution, fostering engagement, and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The role also handles compliance with labor and employment laws, manages benefits and HR systems, and collaborates with senior leadership on strategic initiatives related to people, culture, and organizational development.

Role Description

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute the company’s human resources strategy aligned with business objectives.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership.
• Build and maintain a high-performance, service-oriented culture.
• Lead organizational planning and workforce forecasting.

Talent Acquisition

• Develop recruiting strategies for corporate and restaurant leadership positions.
• Oversee hiring processes and onboarding programs.
• Improve recruiting metrics including time-to-fill, quality of hire, and turnover.
• Manage relationships with recruiting agencies and job platforms.

Employee Relations

• Lead investigations involving harassment, discrimination, ethics, retaliation, and workplace misconduct.
• Coach managers on employee performance, discipline, documentation, and conflict resolution.
• Ensure fair and consistent application of company policies.

Performance Management

• Design and administer performance review systems.
• Develop succession planning initiatives.
• Implement leadership development programs.
• Partner with operations leaders on performance improvement initiatives.

Compensation and Benefits

• Oversee compensation philosophy and wage structures.
• Conduct market salary benchmarking.
• Manage employee benefits programs.
• Develop/Suggest changes to incentive and bonus plans for management.

Compliance

• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws, with particular focus on: Wage and Hour regulations (FLSA, tip credit, tip pooling, and service charges), Meal/rest breaks, predictive scheduling, and fair workweek mandates, Workplace guidelines (EEOC, ADA, FMLA, OSHA, and I-9 immigration requirements).
• Coordinate legal matters with outside employment counsel when necessary with the COO.

Training and Development

• Develop relevant company-wide leadership training.
• Oversee company-wide onboarding processes.
• Ensure compliance training is completed annually.
• Track and support completion of food safety (ServSafe) and responsible alcohol service certifications across locations.
• Support career development and internal promotions.

HR Operations

• Oversee HRIS systems and personnel records.
• Maintain employee handbook and company policies.
• Develop SOPs and HR best practices.
• Manage HR reporting and analytics.

Culture and Engagement

• Promote company values and employee engagement.
• Conduct employee surveys and analyze results.
• Develop recognition programs.
• Develop PTO and line level benefit plans.
• Support diversity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Direct and develop the Human Resources Department.
• Establish departmental goals and KPIs.
• Manage HR budgets.
• Collaborate with Operations, Finance, Legal, IT, Marketing, and Payroll.
• Support restaurant openings, acquisitions, and organizational growth.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field required.
• Master’s degree and advanced HR certifications (such as SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP or PHR/SPHR) preferred.
• 8–10 years of progressive HR leadership experience in a luxury, fine dining hotel/restaurant environment.
• Demonstrated expertise in Human Resources (HR) operations and HR Policies, with experience building and scaling HR frameworks in a multi-location environment.
• Strong Employee Relations skills, including conflict resolution, coaching, and supporting an inclusive, respectful workplace culture.
• Proficiency in Performance Management, including goal setting, feedback processes, and development planning for diverse teams.
• Solid understanding of Labor and Employment Law, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations in the hospitality industry.
• Ability to build trusted partnerships with senior leadership and frontline team members, with excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience with HRIS systems, data-driven decision making, and HR metrics to support strategic planning and continuous improvement.

Benefits

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Salary Range

$120,000 - $135,000