Senior Director of Human Resources

Key Responsibilities Include but are not limited to:

Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning

·       Own the US talent strategy — finding and hiring exceptional people at every level, from hourly team members to senior management

·       Lead recruitment for management roles and above; build the tools and processes that enable GMs to hire effectively at hourly level

·       Build and maintain pipelines for critical roles — GM, Head Chef, senior management

·       Work with the Director of Operations and COO to anticipate headcount needs as the business grows and new sites are added

Employee Relations & Compliance

·       Own all US employment compliance — federal and multi-state labour law, wage and hour, leave entitlements, discrimination, harassment, and documentation

·       Manage all ER matters with speed, consistency, and care — investigations, performance improvement plans, terminations, grievances

·       Ensure all employment documentation is accurate, complete, and legally sound across every site

·       Build a consistent, fair, and legally defensible approach to people

·       Stay ahead of regulatory changes in New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts

Performance Management & Development

·       Own the performance review cycle across the US business — cadence, quality, and follow-through

·       Ensure GMs have the right tools, frameworks, and coaching to have great performance conversations

·       Identify high-potential people across the US portfolio and build visible development pathways

·       Partner with the Director of Operations and COO to build succession plans for every critical role

Culture & Engagement

·       Protect and develop the Hawksmoor culture in the US through the standards and environment created every day

·       Own US employee engagement data — surveys, exit interviews, retention trends — and take genuine action on what it reveals

·       Partner with the Head of Purpose (global) on cultural initiatives and ensure they land meaningfully in the US context

·       Create a work environment that attracts and retains the best people in hospitality —through the quality of leadership and the culture of the business

HR Operations & Systems

·       Own the US HR infrastructure — HRIS, onboarding processes, documentation standards, and data management

·       Ensure employment records, right-to-work documentation, and compliance paperwork are accurate and complete at all times

·       Manage the US HR team — setting clear expectations, developing capability, and ensuring consistency of standards across all sites

·       Oversee payroll in partnership with Finance — accuracy, compliance, and on-time delivery are non-negotiable

New Restaurant Openings

·       Lead the people workstream for every new US restaurant opening

·       Work closely with the GM of each new restaurant to ensure the culture is right from day one

·       Coordinate with Finance and Operational Services to ensure employment setup, payroll, and benefits are in place ahead of opening

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

·       Significant HR leadership experience in multi-site hospitality, food service, or retail — ideally with deep exposure to US employment law across multiple states

·       Strong knowledge of US federal and multi-state employment law — particularly New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts — and a track record of operating compliantly at pace

·       A demonstrable record of building HR teams that are genuinely respected by operational leaders

·       Experience managing complex ER matters from investigation through to resolution — with legal precision and human care

·       A genuine feel for hospitality culture — they understand why this business is different and why that matters

·       The ability to influence without authority across a fast-moving, operationally led business where people are always the priority

Key Responsibilities Include but are not limited to:

Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning

·       Own the US talent strategy — finding and hiring exceptional people at every level, from hourly team members to senior management

·       Lead recruitment for management roles and above; build the tools and processes that enable GMs to hire effectively at hourly level

·       Build and maintain pipelines for critical roles — GM, Head Chef, senior management

·       Work with the Director of Operations and COO to anticipate headcount needs as the business grows and new sites are added

Employee Relations & Compliance

·       Own all US employment compliance — federal and multi-state labour law, wage and hour, leave entitlements, discrimination, harassment, and documentation

·       Manage all ER matters with speed, consistency, and care — investigations, performance improvement plans, terminations, grievances

·       Ensure all employment documentation is accurate, complete, and legally sound across every site

·       Build a consistent, fair, and legally defensible approach to people

·       Stay ahead of regulatory changes in New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts

Performance Management & Development

·       Own the performance review cycle across the US business — cadence, quality, and follow-through

·       Ensure GMs have the right tools, frameworks, and coaching to have great performance conversations

·       Identify high-potential people across the US portfolio and build visible development pathways

·       Partner with the Director of Operations and COO to build succession plans for every critical role

Culture & Engagement

·       Protect and develop the Hawksmoor culture in the US through the standards and environment created every day

·       Own US employee engagement data — surveys, exit interviews, retention trends — and take genuine action on what it reveals

·       Partner with the Head of Purpose (global) on cultural initiatives and ensure they land meaningfully in the US context

·       Create a work environment that attracts and retains the best people in hospitality —through the quality of leadership and the culture of the business

HR Operations & Systems

·       Own the US HR infrastructure — HRIS, onboarding processes, documentation standards, and data management

·       Ensure employment records, right-to-work documentation, and compliance paperwork are accurate and complete at all times

·       Manage the US HR team — setting clear expectations, developing capability, and ensuring consistency of standards across all sites

·       Oversee payroll in partnership with Finance — accuracy, compliance, and on-time delivery are non-negotiable

New Restaurant Openings

·       Lead the people workstream for every new US restaurant opening

·       Work closely with the GM of each new restaurant to ensure the culture is right from day one

·       Coordinate with Finance and Operational Services to ensure employment setup, payroll, and benefits are in place ahead of opening

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

·       Significant HR leadership experience in multi-site hospitality, food service, or retail — ideally with deep exposure to US employment law across multiple states

·       Strong knowledge of US federal and multi-state employment law — particularly New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts — and a track record of operating compliantly at pace

·       A demonstrable record of building HR teams that are genuinely respected by operational leaders

·       Experience managing complex ER matters from investigation through to resolution — with legal precision and human care

·       A genuine feel for hospitality culture — they understand why this business is different and why that matters

·       The ability to influence without authority across a fast-moving, operationally led business where people are always the priority