Human Resources Business Partner – Hospitality & Food and Beverage

Onni Group of Companies•Seattle, WA

21d•$80,000 - $100,000•Onsite

About The Position

ONNI Group is hiring an HR Business Partner to provide strategic, hands-on HR leadership for hospitality operations. Based in Seattle, the role supports hotel, restaurant, and food and beverage operations and requires occasional travel across the United States. The HRBP partners with General Managers, Executive Chefs, Directors of Operations, and department heads, supporting leaders and team members across the employee lifecycle in a fast-paced, guest-focused, 24/7 environment. The position supports front-of-house, back-of-house, and support teams in a diverse, multi-shift, seasonal, and often tipped workforce. The successful candidate will bring a strong work ethic and genuine interest in hospitality, and will advance property and departmental success through scalable HR practices, data-informed strategies, and service-minded leadership. The role also supports regional labor relations and compliance, including consistent and lawful application of HR policies, collective bargaining agreements, wage and hour requirements, investigations, and employee advocacy.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience resolving complex employee and labor relations issues.
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Hospitality Management, Business, or a related field.
At least 3 years of professional human resources administration experience.
Current, in-depth knowledge of HR and employee management requirements in hospitality, including wage and hour and tipped employee rules, workers’ compensation, union relations, and federal and state employment laws.
Working knowledge of food safety, health department, and alcohol service compliance as they relate to employee training and certification.
Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and varying shifts, and to be present on property during peak operating periods.
Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage with associates and leaders at every level.

Nice To Haves

Experience resolving complex employee and labor relations issues in hospitality, restaurant, food and beverage, or other shift-based service environments.
Experience in labor relations.
Experience supporting hourly, tipped, and unionized workforces, including multi-outlet or multi-property operations.
SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP certification.
Bilingual English/Spanish skills.

Responsibilities

Build trusted partnerships with General Managers, Executive Chefs, Food & Beverage Directors, and other operational leaders, providing solutions aligned with guest experience, service standards, and business objectives.
Manage the employee lifecycle in a high-volume hiring environment, including sourcing, onboarding, engagement, retention, and offboarding; support seasonal ramp-ups, banquet and event staffing, new outlet openings, and pre-opening hiring.
Support a culture of hospitality, accountability, performance, and trust across front-of-house, back-of-house, and support departments.
Serve as a primary contact for employee concerns, performance issues, and workplace conflicts, including guest-related complaints, harassment, and conflicts in shift-based service environments.
Lead objective, people-first inquiries and ensure timely, well-documented resolution of issues.
Partner with operations on labor cost management, including scheduling, overtime, meal and rest break compliance, tip pooling and tip credit practices, service charge distribution, and productivity metrics.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws and union regulations, including wage and hour requirements, minimum and tipped wages, minor labor rules, responsible beverage service certifications, and food handler card requirements.
Maintain accurate records for legal, compliance, and internal audit requirements, including EEO, FMLA, I-9, E-Verify, workers’ compensation, OSHA logs, and training and certification tracking.
Assist with contract preparation, audit, and documentation for union negotiations, collective bargaining agreement administration, HR policies, grievance handling, and seniority, bidding, and scheduling provisions.
Partner with Safety and Operations to promote workplace safety and injury prevention in kitchens, banquets, housekeeping, and other high-risk areas; support return-to-work and accommodation processes.
Input, monitor, and analyze HR metrics and trends, including departmental turnover, time-to-fill, labor cost percentage, absenteeism, and engagement, to identify risks and opportunities for intervention.
Provide HR reporting and insights to support property- and regional-level leadership decisions.