Director, People NYC

THINK FOOD GROUP LLC•New York, NY

1d•$140,000 - $160,000•Onsite

About The Position

José Andrés Group (JAG) is a hospitality company led by Chef José Andrés, known for outstanding guest experiences, innovation, and a values-driven culture. Our teams bring world-class food and warm hospitality to life across acclaimed concepts worldwide. We are seeking a people-centered, highly capable HR Director to support our New York City restaurant teams by championing strong employee relationships, thoughtful compliance, and consistent, high-quality HR execution. This role is deeply embedded in the day-to-day reality of restaurant operations and requires a strong, visible presence in our restaurants and offices across the New York market. The ideal candidate has significant experience within luxury hospitality settings and understands how exceptional people practices underpin elevated guest experiences, brand integrity, and operational excellence. This individual pairs emotional intelligence with strong technical and administrative HR expertise, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. Fluency in both English and Spanish is required to effectively support our diverse workforce.

Requirements

Luxury hospitality expertise. Significant experience supporting HR functions within luxury or premium hospitality environments, with a strong understanding of service standards, discretion, pace, and cultural nuance.
Strong technical and administrative HR skills. Deep experience with HR operations, compliance documentation, employee records, audits, and process execution—paired with exceptional attention to detail and consistent follow-through.
Employee relations leadership. Demonstrated ability to navigate complex employee situations with empathy, consistency, and sound judgment while protecting both people and the business.
New York labor law proficiency. Working knowledge of wage and hour laws, hospitality wage order, tipped laws, employee rights, workers’ compensation, and related compliance requirements, with the ability to apply them practically in restaurant operations.
Bilingual communication. Fluency in English and Spanish, with the ability to communicate clearly and respectfully across a diverse workforce.
Operational mindset. Strong understanding of multi-unit restaurant operations and the realities of fast-paced, high-volume environments.
Trusted partner presence. Ability to build credibility quickly with managers and leaders, offering guidance that is pragmatic, thoughtful, and aligned with both people and business needs.
Hands-on leadership style. Comfortable being visible in restaurants, addressing issues in real time, and maintaining accountability until matters are fully resolved.
Experience & education. Typically, 7–10 years of progressive HR experience, preferably within hospitality or multi-unit restaurant organizations, and a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
Location & availability. This role must be based onsite in New York City. Regular presence in restaurants and offices across the New York market is required, with the ability to travel locally and up to 25% as needed to support operations.
Must be able to sit, stand, walk for extended periods of time, climb stairs, as is necessary to travel around properties.

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted, approachable point of contact for employee relations matters across all New York locations.
Listen to employee concerns with empathy and professionalism, guiding fair, timely, and consistent resolutions.
Mediate conflicts and support respectful workplace relationships rooted in dignity, accountability, and hospitality values.
Partner with restaurant leaders to strengthen employee engagement, morale, and retention.
Help shape and reinforce a positive workplace culture that reflects our standards of care—for both employees and guests.
Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local labor laws, with particular focus on New York regulations.
Provide clear, practical guidance to managers on wage and hour practices, workplace safety, anti-discrimination, and employee rights.
Develop, maintain, and communicate HR policies and procedures that are compliant, operationally realistic, and people-forward.
Conduct regular audits and reviews to identify compliance risks early and ensure corrective actions are implemented and tracked through completion.
Ensure completion of all required trainings, including sexual harassment prevention and LMS-based coursework.
Support managers with coaching and guidance on HR processes, employee conversations, documentation, and best practices to drive consistency across locations.
Partner with operations and HR teams to support recruiting, onboarding, and staffing needs across New York restaurants.
Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential employee records with exceptional attention to detail.
Ensure HR documentation, approvals, and processes are completed thoroughly and on time, with strong follow-up and accountability.
Work closely with restaurant leadership to assess workforce needs and support effective staffing and planning across the region.
Lead or support sensitive matters such as investigations, complaints, or workplace incidents with discretion, care, and professionalism.
Serve as a key liaison to the VP of HR on escalated employee relations or compliance matters, providing clear documentation, thoughtful analysis, and sound recommendations.