Senior Manager of Workplace Relations and Culture

LOCATION

Evans Hotels
Since 1953, Evans Hotels has been a hospitality leader in San Diego and Southern California. Its portfolio includes two properties on Mission Bay, Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa and Bahia Resort Hotel, as well as the AAA Five Diamond property in the prominent seaside community of La Jolla, The Lodge at Torrey Pines.

Evans Hotels is a family-owned and operated business committed to supporting and enhancing employee well-being through a variety of programs that nurture our staff professionally and personally. We offer hands-on manager and leadership training, employee appreciation days, and staff awards and recognition. Our team is also dedicated to serving our community through initiatives like company-wide beach clean-ups and volunteer opportunities.

SUMMARY
The Senior Manager of Workplace Relations and Culture (”Gerente Senior de Relaciones Laborales y Cultura Organizacional”) reports to the Chief Human Resources Officer and, at the direction of in-house counsel, partners with leaders throughout the organization, including the Directors of Human Resources and General Managers at each property, to strengthen associate relations and culture across our three San Diego resort hotels, laundry facility, and corporate office.

The Senior Manager leads workplace investigations and issue resolution, serving as the organization’s senior subject matter expert and owning matters that are challenging, escalated, sensitive, or beyond what a property can resolve on its own. Investigations are often conducted at the direction of counsel, with the Senior Manager following counsel’s direction on scope, method, documentation, and communications. Throughout, this leader ensures that every associate who raises an issue is treated with dignity and respect, heard without judgment, and given a clear answer in a reasonable time.

The role proactively strengthens culture. It steps into departments facing challenges and also engages healthy teams through pulse checks, team chats, state-of-the-team conversations, and associate focus groups. The Senior Manager turns those insights into coaching and mentoring that build department leaders’ skills and engagement, and into advice that helps senior leaders strengthen culture across the organization.

PAY & PERKS 

• Compensation: $85,000 - $115,000 DOE**
• Earn $1000 for Culinary, Engineering, Housekeeping, and $350 for all other roles for each hired referral at any Evans Hotels property.
• Discounted Hotel Rooms for you, family and friends
• Free Employee Parking and/or discounted MTS Pronto card
• Free Meals & Refreshments during working shifts
• Career advancement opportunities!
• Health (including SIMNSA), Dental, Vision, 401k with match, life insurance, sick and vacation time.
• Discounts on cell phone bills, shoes, gym memberships, and more!

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Serves as the escalation point for complaints, concerns, and associate issues that are challenging, sensitive, high risk, unresolved at the property level, or that an associate is not comfortable raising locally.
• Triages each matter appropriately, determining what can be resolved directly, what should return to the leader or property Human Resources with coaching and support, what requires formal investigation, and what must be referred to in-house counsel before any investigation begins, then routes it without delay.
• Remains accessible and visible across all properties and shifts so that associates and leaders know this resource exists and how to reach it. Tours property and operational areas regularly, speaking with leaders and associates to assess climate and surface issues early.
• Under the direction of counsel, conducts prompt, thorough, and impartial investigations into complaints of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, workplace violence, policy violations, and other associate concerns.
• Under the direction of counsel, develops investigation plans, conducts interviews, gathers and preserves evidence, assesses credibility, and reaches reasoned findings.
• Reviews investigative findings with in-house counsel and Chief Human Resources Officer, and with senior leadership as the matter warrants, before a matter is concluded, so that conclusions are tested by people with a wider view and the company’s response is sound, fair to everyone involved, and consistent with our values, objectives, and policies.  For counsel-directed matters, reports findings directly to counsel and counsel determines whether, when, and how findings are shared.
• Develops and recommends corrective action with counsel which are suited to the facts of the matter, using policy and precedent as guides rather than constraints where the company’s standards or expectations have moved forward. Consults with Human Resources leadership, in-house counsel, and senior operational leadership so that outcomes in sensitive, complex, or precedent-setting matters are well considered and reflect both what our policies require and what is right.
• Maintains a centralized case management system; keeps case status, actions taken, and next steps current; tracks matters through closure and monitors for trends, patterns, and recurring risk areas.
• Prepares the written record for each investigation at counsel’s direction, including the investigation plan, interview summaries, the findings or closure memorandum, and the documentation supporting any resulting corrective action.
• Produces concise, objective, fact based written reports and summaries that are clear, complete, and immediately usable. Written work is a core function of this position, not an incidental one.
• Prepares associate relations reporting on case volume, type, source, escalation patterns, cycle time, outcomes, and trends by property and department. Identifies recurring issues and departments requiring intervention, presents findings and recommendations to senior leadership, and uses data to drive proactive intervention rather than reactive response.
• Serves as the primary advisor to department heads, managers, and supervisors on performance management, discipline, accommodation requests, leaves of absence, attendance, and terminations.
• Resolves associate concerns early and directly where possible, through coaching, mediation, facilitated conversation, and practical problem solving, reserving formal investigation for matters that require it.
• Supports property Human Resources teams with guidance, backup, and escalation support without displacing local ownership.
• Designs and implements the structure, tools, and standards that support a culture of accountability, including documentation templates, decision frameworks, escalation paths, and consistent standards of practice across properties.
• Equips leaders to manage and coach their teams for success, shifting the organization from reactive discipline toward proactive development and clear expectations.
• Designs, leads, and facilitates associate engagement meetings, pulse checks, roundtables, listening sessions, and open-door forums across all locations on a regular, rotating schedule.
• Supports the full engagement survey cycle, including communications, administration, results analysis, and action planning; analyzes survey findings, exit interview data, and case trends to develop actionable recommendations and measurable initiatives, partnering with property leadership to drive implementation.
• Promotes consistent application of policy across properties and departments, so that comparable situations produce comparable outcomes regardless of location, department, or leader.
• Perform additional duties and responsibilities as directed by the leadership team.

QUALIFCATIONS

• Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university, preferably in Human Resources, Business Administration, Industrial Relations, Communications, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• At least 7 years of progressive Human Resources experience is required, with at least 4 years focused on employee relations and workplace investigations, including demonstrated experience conducting and documenting complex, sensitive investigations and supporting counsel-directed investigations under privilege protocols.
• SPHR, SHRM-SCP, or equivalent certification preferred.
• Formal investigation training, such as AWI certification, preferred.
• A combination of experience, education, and/or training may be substituted for either requirement.
• Experience in hospitality or another multi-site, hourly workforce environment is preferred.
• Experience in training, learning and development, facilitation, or formal coaching is highly desirable.
• Availability to work on weekends and holidays is required.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) required.
• Proficiency with HRIS and case management systems.
• This position will be on-site and requires visiting all three Evans Hotels properties and the company laundry facility in the San Diego area.
• Ability to always maintain a friendly, professional, team-oriented, positive demeanor and diplomatic attitude, especially under stress or challenges.
• Ability to stand, kneel, squat for prolonged periods of time, up to and including, the entire shift and lift up to 25 lbs.
• The following position will be filled in accordance with the process set forth in California Labor Code Section 2810.8 and San Diego Municipal Code 311.0101 et. Seq.

**The pay scale posted is the salary or hourly wage range that the employer reasonably expects to pay for the position during the first year of employment. The posted range does NOT include potential additional types of compensation, such as gratuities, service charges, commissions, or bonuses. Actual compensation offered may fluctuate based on qualifications and/or experience.