People & Culture Manager

As People & Culture Manager, you will build and lead the community that brings Earth Riyadh to life. This is not a traditional hotel HR role. Earth is built around experiences, community, wellness, creativity, and connection, and none of that happens without the right people. You will create a workplace that people actively choose to join and choose to stay in, not simply because it is a job, but because it is the best place they have ever worked. You will lead the complete pre-opening People journey for the hotel, from the manning guide and opening recruitment to onboarding, payroll, compliance, and culture. You will build and lead the hotel’s People & Culture team and set the policies and rituals that will define Earth Riyadh from day one. What on Earth Will You Do? • Build and deliver the People & Culture pre-opening plan and critical path, aligned with the hotel opening timeline and pre-opening budget. • Develop the hotel manning guide and organisation chart with the General Manager and Heads of Department, covering headcount, grades, salary scales, and Saudization targets for every department. • Phase recruitment by opening milestone, from the executive committee and Heads of Department to supervisors and line-level teams, so every department is staffed in time for training and trial runs. • Lead the opening recruitment drive, including recruitment campaigns, open days, assessment centres, and local and international sourcing, building the full hotel team on time, on budget, and on brand. • Track manning progress against plan and pre-opening payroll against budget, reporting weekly to the General Manager. • Plan new joiner mobilisation with government relations: visa quotas, work permits, arrivals, employee accommodation, and transport. • Set up the People foundations from scratch: policies, procedures, HRIS, trackers, and employee files. • Deliver an opening induction and culture immersion so every employee walks in on day one knowing what Earth stands for. • Deliver a smooth, organised, and genuinely Earth candidate experience from first contact to first day. • Build talent pipelines with local universities, hospitality schools, and community partners. • Lead the hotel’s Saudization plan and Nitaqat compliance, building pipelines of Saudi talent through Jadarat and HRDF programmes. • Build a culture that is collaborative, inclusive, entrepreneurial, and accountable. • Make the Earth culture and service mindset visible in everyday interactions and processes. • Foster an environment where employees feel empowered to contribute ideas and shape the guest experience. • Plan and deliver employee engagement activities, internal communication, recognition, and culture initiatives. • Run regular employee forums and engagement surveys, turning feedback into clear actions with Heads of Department. • Lead the resolution of employee relations matters, including grievances and disciplinary cases, with fairness, discretion, and confidentiality. • Ensure employee facilities, including the canteen, locker rooms, accommodation, and transport, are well run and reflect Earth standards. • Oversee onboarding, learning, and development programmes that build capability and support career growth. • Work with Heads of Department on training needs and departmental training plans, from pre-opening training to ongoing development. • Drive performance management processes that ensure accountability, recognition, and continuous improvement. • Ensure strong succession planning and talent development throughout the property. • Ensure full compliance with Saudi Labor Law, MHRSD regulations, internal People procedures, and industry best practice. • Ensure employee files, records, and HRIS data are accurate, complete, and confidential. • Administer compensation, rewards, and benefits programmes, ensuring fairness, competitiveness, and compliance. • Oversee attendance, leave, and scheduling administration delivered by the People & Culture team. • Oversee monthly payroll inputs, ensuring attendance, leave, new joiners, leavers, salary changes, deductions, and variable payments are accurately captured and submitted on time. • Partner with Finance for timely and accurate payroll processing, including WPS submissions through Mudad and GOSI contributions. • Review and approve payroll reports, adjustments, and reconciliations, resolving discrepancies and employee queries. • Oversee end-of-service calculations, final settlements, and offboarding in line with company policies and Saudi labour regulations. • Recruit, lead, and develop the hotel’s People & Culture team, including talent acquisition, training, payroll, and HR administration roles. • Set clear priorities, responsibilities, and service standards for the team, delegating day-to-day administration while staying hands-on where it matters. • Coach and develop team members, building a clear successor for the People & Culture Manager role. • Act as an active member of the hotel leadership team, contributing to daily briefings and Heads of Department meetings. • Partner with the General Manager to recruit, inspire, and develop a high-performing hotel leadership team. • Manage the People & Culture department budget, including recruitment, training, and employee engagement costs. • Provide People reports and KPIs to the General Manager and the corporate People & Culture team, including headcount, manning costs, turnover, and Saudization. • Continuously improve People processes so they stay simple, consistent, and efficient. • Operate in a safe and environmentally responsible manner, safeguarding employee health and contributing to sustainability.

Saudi nationalization targets and regulatory compliance experience is required, including Saudization/Nitaqat, Jadarat and HRDF programmes. Pre-opening People & Culture leadership experience in hospitality/hotel environment. Experience delivering end-to-end HR operations: payroll, visas/work permits, onboarding, HRIS, employee relations, training, performance, and succession planning. Strong collaboration with government relations and finance. Ability to manage a budget and lead a multi-disciplinary team. Familiarity with Saudi Labour Law, MHRSD regulations, and local labour practices. Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Lead the pre-opening People & Culture function for Earth Riyadh, including manning, recruitment, onboarding, payroll, compliance, culture, policies, HRIS and records. Build and own the opening plan, organisation structure, salary scales, Saudization targets, and vendor partnerships. Manage end-to-end recruitment campaigns, induction, and onboarding experiences; ensure staffing readiness for training and trials. Plan visas, work permits, relocation, housing and transport for new joiners. Set up HR foundations and culture initiatives from scratch; deliver induction and culture immersion. Manage payroll inputs, budget alignment, and weekly reporting to General Manager; collaborate with Finance for payroll processing and regulatory submissions. Lead Saudization plan and Nitaqat compliance; build pipelines of local Saudi talent. Develop learning and development, performance management, succession planning, and employee engagement activities. Oversee employee relations, facilities, payroll accuracy, end-of-service, and offboarding. Build and mentor the People & Culture team; participate in hotel leadership; manage the department budget and KPIs; deliver regular People reports. Drive continuous improvement of People processes and ensure safe, compliant, and sustainable operations.