People & Culture Manager (F/M/X)

We are looking for a People & Culture Manager to lead the People & Culture function and shape a best-in-class employee experience for our onboard crew and operational teams.

Reporting to the General Manager, the People & Culture Manager will drive strategic HR initiatives to foster a high-performance, inclusive and compliant workplace. The role is central in managing end-to-end HR strategy,the employee lifecycle, crew workforce planning, and labour relations — all with an unwavering commitment to our luxury standards and guest service excellence.

Strategic Leadership & HR Operations ​

• Define and deliver the HR strategy in alignment with the General Manager and the corporate guidelines of Orient Express. ​

• Lead the full spectrum of HR functions: talent acquisition, onboarding, performance management, learning & development, compensation & benefits, payroll, and personnel administration. ​

• Translate business priorities into effective people strategies and operational HR solutions. ​

• Ensure a culture of continuous improvement and alignment with the brand’s identity and luxury positioning. ​

• Update, review and ensure compliance with LQA/Forbes. ​

Workforce Planning ​

• Co-lead with Finance the planning and monitoring of employment costs, ensuring alignment with operational budgets and staffing forecasts. ​

• Manage the People & Culture department budget, balancing service excellence with cost-effectiveness. ​

• Monitor key crew-related KPIs, including resources, absenteeism, shift coverage, and compliance with rest periods and working time regulations. ​

• Work closely with the Operations team to ensure service continuity, responsiveness to unexpected changes, and agility during peak periods. ​

• Contribute to the development of scalable workforce planning processes and tools to support future network expansion and evolving regulatory frameworks. ​

Industrial & Union Relations ​

• Maintain structured, constructive relationships with trade unions and employee representatives representing the company in all collective and individual labour matters. ​

• Manage individual and collective disputes, disciplinary processes, and grievance cases with discretion and compliance. ​

People Engagement & Workplace Culture ​

• Promote a culture of well-being, engagement, and excellence across all departments. ​

• Oversee the onboarding journey to ensure every new team member feels welcomed, trained, and aligned with brand values. ​

• Support managers in developing positive team dynamics, implementing action plans to improve collaboration and service culture. ​

• Deploy initiatives that bring to life the Orient Express values and elevate the candidate and employee experience. ​

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.

• Minimum 5 years of experience in a senior HR role.

• Experience within luxury hospitality is mandatory.

• Deep knowledge and hands-on experience in industrial and union relations, including collective bargaining and employment law.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; fluent in Italian and English (written and spoken).

• Entrepreneurial spirit with strong organizational and project management abilities.

• Hands-on and strategic, able to operate effectively across both day-to-day execution and long-term planning.

• Proficiency with HR systems and tools (HRIS, ATS, scheduling software, payroll platforms, etc.).

• Gross annual salary range:50.000 - 60.000 € + bonus

• Staff cantine

• ALL - Heartist® Program: Employee benefit card offering discounted rates at all ACCOR locations and partner venues worldwide.

• Learning & development: Opportunity to develop your talent and grow within your property and across the world!

• Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: We are an inclusive company and our ambition is to attract, recruit and promote diverse talent.