Director of People, West Coast

Position: Director of People, West Coast

Location Based: Las Vegas, NV

Reports To: VP of People

Department: Human Resources

About the Company

José Andrés Group (JAG) is a mission-driven, award-winning restaurant group founded by Chef José Andrés. With a commitment to hospitality excellence, sustainability, and innovation, JAG operates renowned dining concepts around the world and continues to lead the industry in creating unforgettable culinary experiences.

About the Role

At José Andrés Group, our purpose is to change the world through the power of food—and that begins with how we care for our people. Across our restaurants, we are guided by a culture of hospitality, humanity, and service, where respect, empathy, and accountability are not just values, but daily practices.

We are seeking a Director of People for our West Coast portfolio who will serve as both a strategic partner and a cultural steward—someone who understands that preserving what makes JAG special is just as important as building what comes next. This is a highly visible, hands-on role that requires balancing operational excellence with a deep commitment to people.

The ideal candidate brings strong experience in complex, multi-state employment environments and knows how to translate legal and compliance requirements into thoughtful, consistent practices that support both the business and the employee experience. Just as importantly, you lead with emotional intelligence and integrity, building trust across all levels and navigating sensitive situations with care, fairness, and discretion.

You are someone who takes ownership, follows through, and isn’t afraid to lean into the details—but always with a bigger-picture mindset. You’ll play a critical role in strengthening HR infrastructure, supporting leaders, and ensuring that as we grow, we remain grounded in the culture, values, and sense of purpose that define José Andrés Group.

Key Responsibilities

Employee Relations & Culture

• Serve as a trusted, highly visible HR resource across all West Coast locations — genuinely known and accessible to both hourly and salaried team members.
• Investigate complaints, mediate conflicts, and resolve employee relations matters with empathy, consistency, and thorough documentation that withstands scrutiny.
• Partner closely with restaurant leaders to diagnose engagement and morale challenges and develop solutions grounded in the realities of restaurant operations.
• Champion and reinforce a workplace culture that reflects our commitment to dignity, inclusion, and hospitality — for employees and guests alike.

Compliance & Labor Law

• Own multi-state compliance across the West Coast portfolio, with deep, applied expertise in complex state employment law environments — including wage and hour, meal and rest break requirements, pay transparency, predictive scheduling, anti-discrimination, leave laws, and workers' compensation — across all applicable jurisdictions.
• Translate complex legal and regulatory obligations into clear, practical guidance that managers can act on in real-time restaurant environments.
• Conduct regular compliance audits, close identified gaps, and maintain documentation to the standard required for any internal review, agency inquiry, or litigation hold.
• Monitor state and local regulatory developments and proactively surface relevant changes to leadership before they become operational issues.

HR Operations & Process Development

• Own the end-to-end HR operations lifecycle across the West Coast market: onboarding, offboarding, records management, policy administration, documentation, and process execution — completed with accuracy and consistent follow-through.
• Build and improve HR systems and processes where gaps exist, and document everything to a standard that scales across a growing multi-unit portfolio.
• Maintain full personal accountability for your own workflows — this role operates with a lean support structure, and thoroughness in execution is expected at every level.
• Partner with operations and the VP of People on recruiting support, staffing strategy, workforce planning, and new restaurant opening HR readiness.
• Serve as the go-to HR resource for managers across the region — proactive, accessible, and solutions-oriented rather than reactive.
• Coach managers on HR processes, employee conversations, documentation best practices, and people leadership to build consistency and confidence across locations.
• Drive completion of all required trainings across the West Coast market, including sexual harassment prevention and LMS-based coursework.
• Develop tools, templates, and resources that make manager behavior more consistent and compliant without adding unnecessary friction.

Escalated & Sensitive Matters

• Lead or co-lead sensitive HR matters — including workplace investigations, formal complaints, and complex separations — with discretion, sound judgment, and full documentation.
• Serve as the primary liaison to the VP of People and outside counsel on escalated employee relations and compliance matters, delivering clear analysis and well-reasoned recommendations.

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of progressive HR experience, with significant time in luxury or premium hospitality or multi-unit restaurant environments.
• Strong, hands-on knowledge of multi-state employment laws, especially in highly regulated environments. This includes wage and hour laws, meal and rest breaks, leave policies, and pay transparency. Knows how to translate compliance into real-world, sustainable practices across multiple locations.
• Ability to lead with emotional intelligence and know how to connect with people at all levels—from hourly team members to senior leadership. Can build trust quickly and navigate conversations with empathy and clarity.
• Strong employee relations track record, including experience leading investigations, navigating complex conflict resolution, and managing sensitive separations with care and consistency.
• Proven history of building and improving HR infrastructure.
• High proficiency in HR operations and administration, with exceptional attention to detail and personal ownership of follow-through.
• Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish, preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build credibility quickly across all organizational levels.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field — or equivalent professional experience.
• Must be based on the West Coast, with regular presence across restaurant locations and availability for local and regional travel as needed.
• Ability to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods and navigate restaurant environments, including stairs.

Pay Range and Compensation Package

The salary range for this role is $130,000 – $160,000 annually, commensurate with experience. This position is benefits-eligible, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, along with dining privileges across José Andrés Group concepts. This role is based on-site in Las Vegas, NV. Regular in-restaurant presence is expected.

José Andrés Group is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We participate in the federal E-Verify Program.

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