Head Of Human Resources

OUR CLIENT

OTO Development is an industry-leading hotel development, acquisition, and management company headquartered in Spartanburg, SC. OTO was formed in 2004 upon the sale by founders of their first hospitality company, Extended Stay America, where the team developed and managed 475 hotels. Since forming OTO, the team has developed and acquired 95 hotels. Today, OTO owns 44 best-in-class upscale select-service hotels in premier locations such as Times Square, downtown DC, San Francisco Bay Area, Santa Monica, and Southern California, and 11 beach resorts in Florida and the Carolinas. OTO is franchise partners with Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, and IHG. The company has added 22 hotels to its portfolio in the past 4 years and supports an active development/acquisition pipeline. OTO third-party manages 23 hotels and, with 2,500 employees, provides best-in-class hospitality to 10,000 guests a day. The company’s Guiding Principles are a central element of OTO’s culture, and they are fundamental to its long history of success. They provide the foundation of OTO’s decision making and strategic execution.

THE ROLE

The Head of Human Resources, based in Spartanburg and reporting to the CEO, will lead all areas of human capital management. This executive will advise the CEO on strategic HR issues and work closely with the senior leadership team to ensure HR initiatives support a growing high-performance organization. This role, as a strategic member of the executive team, cannot be remote. The Head of HR will:

• Assess current human resources department capabilities, talent, and structure. Advise senior leadership of potential opportunities to strengthen HR services in support of OTO’s goals. Continually assess HR related metrics including employee turnover, employee-impacted guest scores, and succession preparedness.

• Create and execute a broad staffing & recruiting strategy including workforce planning, career events, ATS management, and coaching hiring managers in interview techniques.

• Maximize training and professional development through the newly created Corry Oakes Academy: create career development and mentorship programs, manage employee communication, and manage the performance review system for all employees.

• Champion associate engagement across the company. Infuse the hotel teams with ideas, vision, and purpose. Create dynamic associate experience and improve employee engagement aimed at increasing retention.

• Lead compensation and benefits strategy efforts in concert with support from The Johnson Group.

• As OTO’s subject matter expert, maintain human resource policies and procedures, ensure the company’s legal compliance with applicable federal and state laws.

• Lead employee wellness initiatives, foster positive workplace experiences, and ensure workplace safety through the implementation of risk management procedures.

• Promote our Guiding Principles and company culture through employee engagement initiatives and best practices.

• Play a leadership role in further developing a positive, creative, and ethical environment; champion best practices approach and continues to drive that philosophy throughout the company.

THE PERSON

The successful candidate will be a collaborative, thoughtful human resources executive recognized for strong technical human capital skills. The person should be seen as an entrepreneurial “common sense” problem solver and team player who routinely engages in open and creative discussions. The candidate should thrive in a performance-driven, “roll up your sleeves,” entrepreneurial setting. Specific to this, the successful candidate will have:

• At least five years human resources leadership roles in hotels, restaurants, and/or other consumer services setting.

• Obvious proficiency, knowledge, and experience in all HR processes: selection and employment (sourcing strategies, interviewing skills, employment laws, recruitment, on- boarding), employee relations, compensation, benefits administration, worker’s compensation, and talent management.

• Thorough knowledge of Human Resources practices and procedures as well as considerable knowledge of Federal, State and Local laws and regulations pertaining to Human Resources matters.

• Experience in union avoidance is highly desired.

• General knowledge of hotel operations, security and safety programs, personnel and labor relations, hospitality law, and long-range planning.

• Strong knowledge of corporate learning and training initiatives including e-learning efforts.

• Upbeat, open, visible communication skills, a person known to bring humor, energy and integrity to the business and community arenas.

• Recognition within his/her current company and the industry as a person of the highest integrity, ethical grounding, and professional bearing.

• Availability for national travel.

• An undergraduate degree is required.

THE OPPORTUNITY

This role offers the opportunity to solidify and expand a well-established company culture and build out a long-term human capital framework for a financially strong and entrepreneurial hotel developer and operator. A compensation and benefits package includes a competitive base salary and bonus, relocation assistance, paid time off, medical/dental/vision/HSA plans, matching 401k, and brand travel discounts.