People & Culture Director (F/M/X)

People & Culture Director (F/M/X)

About Orient Express

Artisan of travel since 1883, Orient Express sublimates the art of travel with its luxury trains, hotels, and sailing yachts. The brand launched its first hotel, Orient Express La Minerva, in Rome – which was followed by Orient Express Venezia. The experience continues with the recent launch of La Dolce Vita Orient Express train, followed by Orient Express Corinthian in 2026, the first of two Orient Express Sailing Yachts, and finally, the return of L’Orient Express train to railways. Since 2022, Orient Express is part of Accor Group’s leading collection of luxury brands with a century-old legacy in the hotels and fine- dining sectors. In 2024, Accor and LVMH entered into a strategic partnership to accelerate the development of Orient Express. Follow the journey at @orientexpress on Instagram or visit the website at www.orient-express.com. 

We are currently seeking a Director of People & Culture (P&C) to lead, inspire, and champion our Orient Express teams, driving a culture of excellence, collaboration, and strategic growth. Reporting directly to the CEO of Orient Express, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and advancing all aspects related to People & Culture within the brand. You will play a unique role in guaranteeing the alignment of P&C vision across all Orient Express properties, fostering a unified culture and strategy for the brand. 

PEOPLE & CULTURE STRATEGY 

• Design, implement, and maintain P&C policies aligned with Group’s Global P&C strategy, compliance frameworks, and reporting structures that respect the high-luxury standards.  
• Drive organizational transformation by aligning P&C strategies with business evolution, focusing on scaling organizational capabilities, leveraging HR technology, and modernizing corporate culture.  
• Develop and manage core P&C functions to provide comprehensive support to Orient Express’ employees, ensuring alignment with organizational goals. 
• Partner closely with the executive committee to align human resources strategies with global business objectives.  
• Lead the P&C track for all pre and post opening luxury property launches, ensuring successful opening organization and staffing. Prepare and introduce Standards Operating Procedures designed for each property to roll out the P&C processes locally.  

TALENT EXPERIENCE 

Talent Acquisition:  

• Lead end-to-end recruitment, aligning hiring strategies with business growth and brand values and strengthen employer branding and DEI initiatives to attract diverse, high-caliber talent. 

Learning and Development :  

• Define and lead global L&D strategies. Design bespoke career pathing to accelerate high-potential talent pipelines, and architect robust succession planning frameworks for both Corporate and Property roles. Foster a culture of continuous learning by integrating growth opportunities into daily workflows. 

Talent Management:  

• Manage the Talent Cycle by overseeing and optimizing the annual talent management lifecycle, ensuring flawless execution of goal setting, continuous feedback, annual performance evaluations, strategic people reviews and salary reviews. 

• Provide counsel, guidance, and day-to-day support to managers on performance management and disciplinary and grievance actions. 

STRATEGIC WORKFORCE PLANNING & BUDGET 

• Lead strategic workforce planning, personnel forecasting, and multi-year headcount modeling to align staffing resources with the Group’s long-term development pipeline. 

• Co-pilot the annual HR budget in close collaboration with the Finance Department, ensuring close oversight of global payroll and HR-related spending, while identifying efficiencies and maintaining alignment with financial forecasts. 

Qualifications

• Human Resources degree / Legal qualifications and a minimum of 10 years of progressive HR experience in a leadership role in a growing environment. 
• Strong experience working in international environments, preferably in the hospitality industry/luxury industry.  
• Experience in pre-opening and opening experience for ultra luxury hotels.  
• Ability to build and implement strategies as well as to manage projects in a complex environment. 
• Demonstrated expertise in developing and implementing HR strategies, policies, and programs. 
• Strong understanding of social relations practices and regulations, with experience in negotiating and managing labor agreements. 
• Proactive and decisive. 
• Strong ability to work independently.  
• Effective leader with ability to inspire and communicate at all levels. 
• Fluent in English and French. 

Additional Information