Head of People and Culture

at  Hotel Westport Westport House

ABOUT WESTPORT ESTATE: - FOR JOB ADVERT - NOT JD

Nestled in the vibrant heart of Westport Town, Westport Estate is an iconic destination with over 300 years of history, now embarking on an ambitious new chapter. As we transform our brand and expand our product offerings, we are poised to become a premier cultural and historic landmark, not just in County Mayo but on the international stage. We are currently totally refurbishing our Hotel and are looking forward to the launch of the new Grace Hotel early 2026. This exciting journey will elevate the Westport Estate experience, making it a must-visit destination for visitors from around the world.

JOB SUMMARY:

This is a senior management role responsible for leading the business through a period of innovative growth and positive transformational change whilst ensuring operational efficiencies and the provision of best-in-class customer experiences. To deliver you will need to be a strong visionary HR leader that inspires, managers and motivates others to deliver to the highest possible standards.

Main Responsibilities:

• Shaping the organisations culture to reflect its values and mission by fostering an inclusive work environment. Implement initiatives to create a work environment that supports employee wellbeing creating an inclusive and supportive workplace by focusing on the employee’s experience within the organization to create a positive work environment.
• In this role you will be responsible for developing, leading, and executing a strategic HR plan to actively develop and lead a performance culture which ensures that all objectives and targets are met through continuous and strategic training and development.
• Contribute to the development of a robust culture through role modelling values and behaviours which drive a culture of engagement of all employees and build a strong organisational commitment and staff retention.
• Build a culture of performance across the organisation with oversight and continued development of the Performance Review & Development framework to maximise leadership capability to motivate and lead operational teams to continuously review performance standards, development and engagement improve processes, innovate, and develop SOP’s and capabilities to enhance performance and exceed targets.
• Managing HR policies, employee relations, recruitment, benefits, training and compliance to comply with best industry standards and legal requirements.
• Set high standards, instil operational excellence, model accountability, integrity, and ethical behaviour.

REQUIRED SKILLS

Demonstrate excellent communication skills both internally and externally and be able to demonstrate a proactive approach.
Be approachable, personable, energetic with the highest standard of integrity, discretion, and confidentiality. A people person with a growth mind-set, accessible and open to our team members, always willing to
listen, assist and support.
Ability to write (as necessary), plan and direct the development and maintenance of training programmes for all levels of staff.
Knowledge and experience of introducing new ideas to improve employee engagement.
Organised, innovative and results driven with the ability to manage multiple assignments in a dynamic, fast paced environment.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

A degree/masters in HR or related discipline, with CIPD qualification desirable.
Minimum 5+ years in a senior role as HR Manager
Strong communicator; and comfortable in contributing to the overall Hotel/Estate strategy.
Hospitality industry experience and knowledge of Alkimii system is a strong advantage.
Attention to detail, commercial awareness with a pragmatic approach to problem solving.
Westport Estate is an equal opportunity employer.
We strive to create and maintain a diverse workforce where everyone is respected and included.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

We are now actively seeking an experienced Head of People & Culture to manage the day-to-day leadership of all HR functions across Westport Estate and The Grace Hotel to contribute to the vision and strategy for Westport Estate as a world-class tourism destination. As Head of People & Culture you will work with and develop the entire team to establish an offering/experience that enable exceptional guest services and consistently exceed the highest possible standards.

Main Responsibilities:

• Shaping the organisations culture to reflect its values and mission by fostering an inclusive work environment. Implement initiatives to create a work environment that supports employee wellbeing creating an inclusive and supportive workplace by focusing on the employee’s experience within the organization to create a positive work environment.
• In this role you will be responsible for developing, leading, and executing a strategic HR plan to actively develop and lead a performance culture which ensures that all objectives and targets are met through continuous and strategic training and development.
• Contribute to the development of a robust culture through role modelling values and behaviours which drive a culture of engagement of all employees and build a strong organisational commitment and staff retention.
• Build a culture of performance across the organisation with oversight and continued development of the Performance Review & Development framework to maximise leadership capability to motivate and lead operational teams to continuously review performance standards, development and engagement improve processes, innovate, and develop SOP’s and capabilities to enhance performance and exceed targets.
• Managing HR policies, employee relations, recruitment, benefits, training and compliance to comply with best industry standards and legal requirements.
• Set high standards, instil operational excellence, model accountability, integrity, and ethical behaviour