People & Culture Manager

Earth Hotels; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 320,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Earth Riyadh is seeking a People & Culture Manager to spearhead the pre-opening HR journey and build a culture that reflects Earth’s ethos. You will design policies, establish an HRIS, and lead the P&C team from day one.

You will drive recruitment campaigns, Saudization targets, and onboarding while partnering with Finance to ensure payroll accuracy and compliance across the hotel opening.

Qualifications

• Experience leading People & Culture in a hospitality or pre-opening context.
• Solid knowledge of Saudi Labour Law and Saudization targets.
• Proven ability to plan, recruit, onboard, and mobilise teams for opening.
• Strong payroll management, compliance, and HR administration skills.
• Leadership to build and nurture a high-performing People & Culture team.

Responsibilities

• Lead the complete pre-opening People journey from manning to onboarding and payroll.
• Build and run the P&C team, policies, HRIS, trackers and employee files from scratch.
• Drive Saudization alignment, Jadarat/HRDF programs and local sourcing pipelines.
• Oversee recruitment campaigns, candidate experience, and onboarding for day one readiness.
• Partner with Finance for payroll accuracy, WPS submissions, and compliance.

Skills

People & Culture leadership

Pre-opening HR management

Saudization compliance

Payroll & payroll controls

HRIS & employee data management

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

Tools

HRIS

Payroll software

Job description

As People & Culture Manager, you will build and lead the community that brings Earth Riyadh to life.

This is not a traditional hotel HR role. Earth is built around experiences, community, wellness, creativity, and connection, and none of that happens without the right people. You will create a workplace that people actively choose to join and choose to stay in, not simply because it is a job, but because it is the best place they have ever worked.

You will lead the complete pre-opening People journey for the hotel, from the manning guide and opening recruitment to onboarding, payroll, compliance, and culture. You will build and lead the hotel's People & Culture team and set the policies and rituals that will define Earth Riyadh from day one.

What on Earth Will You Do?

• Build and deliver the People & Culture pre-opening plan and critical path, aligned with the hotel opening timeline and pre-opening budget.
• Develop the hotel manning guide and organisation chart with the General Manager and Heads of Department, covering headcount, grades, salary scales, and Saudization targets for every department.
• Phase recruitment by opening milestone, from the executive committee and Heads of Department to supervisors and line-level teams, so every department is staffed in time for training and trial runs.
• Lead the opening recruitment drive, including recruitment campaigns, open days, assessment centres, and local and international sourcing, building the full hotel team on time, on budget, and on brand.
• Track manning progress against plan and pre-opening payroll against budget, reporting weekly to the General Manager.
• Plan new joiner mobilisation with government relations: visa quotas, work permits, arrivals, employee accommodation, and transport.
• Set up the People foundations from scratch: policies, procedures, HRIS, trackers, and employee files.
• Deliver an opening induction and culture immersion so every employee walks in on day one knowing what Earth stands for.
• Deliver a smooth, organised, and genuinely Earth candidate experience from first contact to first day.
• Build talent pipelines with local universities, hospitality schools, and community partners.
• Lead the hotel's Saudization plan and Nitaqat compliance, building pipelines of Saudi talent through Jadarat and HRDF programmes.
• Build a culture that is collaborative, inclusive, entrepreneurial, and accountable.
• Make the Earth culture and service mindset visible in everyday interactions and processes.
• Foster an environment where employees feel empowered to contribute ideas and shape the guest experience.
• Plan and deliver employee engagement activities, internal communication, recognition, and culture initiatives.
• Run regular employee forums and engagement surveys, turning feedback into clear actions with Heads of Department.
• Lead the resolution of employee relations matters, including grievances and disciplinary cases, with fairness, discretion, and confidentiality.
• Ensure employee facilities, including the canteen, locker rooms, accommodation, and transport, are well run and reflect Earth standards.
• Oversee onboarding, learning, and development programmes that build capability and support career growth.
• Work with Heads of Department on training needs and departmental training plans, from pre-opening training to ongoing development.
• Drive performance management processes that ensure accountability, recognition, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure strong succession planning and talent development throughout the property.
• Ensure full compliance with Saudi Labor Law, MHRSD regulations, internal People procedures, and industry best practice.
• Ensure employee files, records, and HRIS data are accurate, complete, and confidential.
• Administer compensation, rewards, and benefits programmes, ensuring fairness, competitiveness, and compliance.
• Oversee attendance, leave, and scheduling administration delivered by the People & Culture team.
• Oversee monthly payroll inputs, ensuring attendance, leave, new joiners, leavers, salary changes, deductions, and variable payments are accurately captured and submitted on time.
• Partner with Finance for timely and accurate payroll processing, including WPS submissions through Mudad and GOSI contributions.
• Review and approve payroll reports, adjustments, and reconciliations, resolving discrepancies and employee queries.
• Oversee end-of-service calculations, final settlements, and offboarding in line with company policies and Saudi labour regulations.
• Recruit, lead, and develop the hotel's People & Culture team, including talent acquisition, training, payroll, and HR administration roles.
• Set clear priorities, responsibilities, and service standards for the team, delegating day-to-day administration while staying hands-on where it matters.
• Act as an active member of the hotel leadership team, contributing to daily briefings and Heads of Department meetings.
• Partner with the General Manager to recruit, inspire, and develop a high-performing hotel leadership team.
• Manage the People & Culture department budget, including recruitment, training, and employee engagement costs.
• Provide People reports and KPIs to the General Manager and the corporate People & Culture team, including headcount, manning costs, turnover, and Saudization.
• Continuously improve People processes so they stay simple, consistent, and efficient.
• Operate in a safe and environmentally responsible manner, safeguarding employee health and contributing to sustainability.