People & Culture Manager

About Orient Express 

ORIENT EXPRESS embodies the refined and nomadic spirit of travel. Its exceptional assets portfolio includes experiences such as The Orient Express — its iconic carriages reinvented as a modern-day tribute to French luxury, with ARSENALE Group owner — La Dolce Vita, a train celebrating the elegance of Italian art de vivre, and a collection of luxury hotels opened in Rome – La Minerva – and soon in Venice – Palazzo Donà Giovannelli, and with Sailing Yachts  - the O.E Corinthian, the world’s largest sailing ship.  

While redefining the future of luxury hospitality, Orient Express places particular emphasis on the employee experience, development, and engagement. 

As a symbol of ultra-luxury hospitality, the brand is currently undergoing an ambitious phase of rebirth and expansion accelerated since 2024 as a Joint Venture between ACCOR and LVMH. 

Now, as Orient Express grows under the steam of its 140-year own glorious reputation and brand, it stands unique and identifiable from the other luxury brands under the Accor brands, aiming to become a pioneer of contemporary luxury hospitality, creating immersive experiences that combine exceptional design, impeccable service, culinary excellence, wellness offerings, cutting-edge technology, sustainability, and authentic local experiences, while also actively engaging in local community initiatives and support social causes, making a positive contribution to the destinations its properties operate in. What remains distinctly Orient Express is its spirit of adventure, sublime service and enchanting storytelling. Refreshing and reinvigorating, Orient Express is loved by those with an adventurous spirit and a taste for the very best, linking travel and destinations as part of the same journey. 

About Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli 

Orient Express will open its second hotel in Italy at the exceptional Palazzo Donà Giovannelli in Venice, in partnership with the Italian luxury hotel group Arsenale. Architect and interior designer Aline Amar d’Amman, alongside her studio Culture in Architecture, has been entrusted to design and decorate the space. 

Venice, once the gateway to Constantinople and a mythical stop on the legendary Orient Express train – that opened its doors in 1919 with the completion of the Simplon tunnel linking Switzerland to Italy – will be the home of the second Orient Express hotel, set to open in 2026. 

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 HR 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 operations, including crew workforce planning, shift scheduling, 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 and Arsenale.  

• 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. 

Crew Planning & Workforce Scheduling  

• Lead the planning and roster design for onboard crew, ensuring alignment with service requirements, legal constraints, and the brand’s operational and quality standards.  

• Oversee and coordinate the Crew Control team, a dedicated function within the HR Department responsible for daily crew allocation and shift management.  

• Monitor key crew-related KPIs, including resource utilization, 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 (RSA/RSU, RLS), representing the company in all collective and individual labour matters.  

• Lead negotiations and ensure implementation of collective labour agreements and company-level agreements, in line with legal obligations and company values.  

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

• Keep up to date with Italian labour legislation, proactively advising management and mitigating legal risks.  

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 onboard and back-office employee experience.  

Compensation, Benefits & Well-being  

• Supervise compensation, benefits, and recognition programs, ensuring fairness, transparency, and market alignment.  

• Manage payroll processes in coordination with external providers and internal stakeholders.  

• Champion employee well-being, designing programs that support physical, mental, and emotional health.  

Budget Management  

• 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.  

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

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

• Proven track record in crew planning or complex shift management, ideally in railway, aviation, cruise, or luxury travel sectors.  

• 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.).  

• A competitive package (base salary and yearly bonus) 

• Medical Insurance, integrating Collective Labor Agreement one and extended to the family 

• Ticket Restaurant 

• Annual leave 

• 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.