Director of People Excellence

The Director of People Excellence, along with their direct reports, provides operational leadership and functional human resource generalist support to our restaurant employees (field operations), the Restaurant Support Center (RSC), and the Distribution Center (DC). Reporting directly to the Chief People Officer, this role requires close partnership with department heads, the Leadership Team, the Executive Team, and Field Leadership. This role provides vital oversight for People Excellence (PEx) processes spanning the entire employee lifecycle, ensuring alignment with departmental initiatives and business plans. The Director has direct functional responsibility for employee relations, employee engagement, performance management, field compliance, training implementation, employment analytics, risk management, and safety protocols. The Director will be responsible for executing and sustaining a culture that celebrates teamwork and individual growth. Serving as a hands-on leader, employee advocate, and subject matter expert, the Director will maintain a genuine partnership with the restaurant operations team to cultivate an excellent workplace rooted in the day-to-day reality of our field operations. People Promote an Open-Door environment with all employees, serving as an active, unbiased listener. Champion employee relations consistent with company values. Establish and maintain credible partnerships with field and department leaders. Provide direct, hands-on guidance and coaching to the PEx Field Managers to solve complex problems and elevate field performance Collaborate with Operations to create a culture of safety where risk is actively prevented, not just mitigated. Partner with management to document disciplinary actions, terminations, and exit interviews. Spearhead employee engagement efforts by strengthening the connection between work, colleagues, and the organization. Provide clear performance management guidance to management (e.g., coaching, counseling, career development, disciplinary actions). Coach people managers to enhance performance and solve problems. Frequently communicate and provide feedback to Leadership, Area Directors, and Operators regarding people development opportunities within the field. Advocate for a positive new employee onboarding and assimilation experience. Assist with the identification and selection of employees. Thought Serve as the primary operational advisor to managers on coaching, counseling, and investigations in alignment with internal policies and employment law. Monitor legislation and legal changes impacting operations to identify when external counsel guidance or policy updates are required. Partner with key leaders to ensure enterprise risks are considered in planning. Support crisis management and emergency responses as the PEx and Safety stakeholder. Coordinate responses to employment-related claims (EEOC, DOL, worker's compensation, general liability) and manage the liaison relationship with external legal counsel. Partner with leadership to align business objectives with people-related initiatives. Harness surveys and focus groups to improve engagement and retention. Support and execute organizational change management efforts. Analyze employee trends and metrics to develop data-driven operational insights proactively. Track, analyze, and report enterprise-wide safety and claim metrics. Establish team performance measurements to support strategic goals. Assist with organizational development and succession planning. Results Conduct investigations and recommend proactive solutions. Chair the cross-departmental Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Committee, facilitating framework discussions to help other departments identify, track, and close their risks, while owning direct accountability for HR and Safety related risk metrics. Oversee and manage liability and workers’ compensation claims, including working with outside counsel and applicable insurance carriers to nego…

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