People & Culture Manager chez Hotel Emma

Hotel Emma is more than a hotel it’s a cultural landmark rooted in purpose and personality. Located in San Antonio’s vibrant Pearl district, we are known for authentic experiences, deep hospitality, and our Emma Strong values that guide everything we do. We believe hospitality is a noble profession, and we are passionate about making Hotel Emma the place to build meaningful, fulfilling careers.

Hotel Emma is seeking a strategic, people-focused People & Culture Manager to join our People & Culture team and play a vital role in supporting both our current hotel operations and the development of a new hotel project.

This is not just a support role you’ll be a key team member in building the new property’s team and culture from the ground up, while also cultivating a best-in-class associate experience at Hotel Emma.

Reporting to the Director of People & Culture, you'll help lead recruitment, onboarding, associate relations, benefits, and training, with an eye on driving engagement, performance, and compliance across the organization. You’ll be an advocate, a culture builder, and a trusted resource for both associates and leaders.

Culture & Associate Experience

• Help drive and implement initiatives that reinforce Emma Strong values, our Service Promises, and our culture of connection, care, and excellence.

• Support the execution of associate engagement programs, recognition initiatives, and community-building events.

• Be a visible and approachable presence for associates, conducting regular 1:1s and collecting feedback to enhance the workplace experience.

Recruitment & Onboarding

• Own full-cycle recruitment for assigned roles at Hotel Emma and assist with high-volume hiring for the new hotel project.

• Collaborate on recruitment strategies to attract top talent who align with our culture and values.

• Represent Hotel Emma at community hiring events, job fairs, and recruiting missions.

• Assist with onboarding and orientation programs to ensure a seamless start for new Storymakers.

• Support onboarding plans and HR system integration for the new property.

New Hotel Project – A Major Focus

• Play a central role in people operations for upcoming new hotel property.

• Assist with planning, recruiting, onboarding, and cultural integration for the new location.

• Help develop SOPs, job descriptions, training calendars, and HR compliance processes for the new team.

• Be on-site as needed to support hiring, training, and the roll-out of company culture at the new hotel.

• Serve as a bridge between the current and future hotel teams to ensure cultural and operational consistency.

Discipline, Coaching & Associate Relations

• Assist the Director in managing employee relations matters, including disciplinary conversations, coaching sessions, and documentation.

• Guide leaders on fair and consistent application of policies and progressive discipline.

• Help mediate associate concerns with professionalism, empathy, and discretion.

• Support exit interviews and offboarding processes with a focus on retention insights and improvements.

Training & Development

• Assist with the facilitation and scheduling of leadership development sessions, compliance trainings, and T&C Toolkit programming.

• Support the Talent Development Manager in executing onboarding and Emma Strong Culture Training.

• Develop or deliver training related to recruiting, interviewing, coaching, and associate experience best practices.

Benefits, Compliance & HR Operations

• Support administration of benefits programs including enrollments, leaves of absence (FMLA, STD/LTD), and 401(k) processes.

• Assist with ACA compliance, ERISA reporting, and records management.

• Maintain accurate records in UKG/HRIS, support reporting requirements, and help manage audits.

• Assist with unemployment claims, TWC responses, and other compliance matters.

Required:

• 3–5 years of HR or People Operations experience in a leadership or generalist capacity

• Experience with full-cycle recruitment, associate relations, and training delivery

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust across all levels

• Organized and detail-oriented with strong follow-through and time management

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and HRIS systems (UKG preferred)

• Ability to work on-site, including in hotel operations and at the new property as needed

• Willingness to work flexible hours, including some weekends and holidays

Preferred:

• Experience in hospitality or a luxury service-based environment

• Bilingual (Spanish/English)

• Familiarity with benefits administration, HR reporting, and compliance processes

• Experience with hotel pre-opening, transitions, or expansions is highly valued