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SSP America · 12 hours ago

Senior People Director

United States

Full-time

Hybrid

Director/Executive

$185K/yr - $195K/yr

10+ years exp

SSP America is seeking a Senior People Director to lead the Regional People Leader team across the United States and Canada. This role serves as a strategic partner to Field Operations leadership, ensuring high-quality execution of people processes, including talent management, employee relations, and culture across the field organization.

Food & Beverages

No H1B

U.S. Citizen Only

Hiring Manager

Matthew Bowser

Responsibilities

Build, lead, coach, and hold accountable a high-performing team of Regional People Leaders to deliver consistent, high-quality HR support across all locations

Set clear performance expectations, regularly review results, and take decisive action to address performance gaps

Foster a strong sense of teamwork, collaboration, and shared accountability across the People team and with Operations partners

Champion and embed SSP’s values of Passion, Ownership, Team, and Curiosity across the field organization

Drive measurable improvements in engagement, retention, and morale through targeted listening and action planning

Coach field leaders to lead with empathy, clarity, and accountability

Ensure leaders consistently model SSP values and are held accountable when behaviors do not align

Promote meaningful recognition by encouraging leaders to actively celebrate wins, reinforce positive behaviors, and acknowledge effort

Own the execution and consistency of employee relations practices, ensuring fair, timely, and legally compliant resolution of issues

Provide strategic guidance to leaders on performance management, corrective action, investigations, and terminations

Analyze trends with curiosity and rigor to proactively address root causes and reduce repeat issues and risk

Lead execution of the region’s talent processes including performance reviews, talent reviews, Individual Development Plans, and succession planning

Identify and develop high-potential talent by guiding leaders to make thoughtful and consistent, forward-looking decisions that strengthen bench and build readiness

Challenge leaders to think differently and creatively about development and succession, promoting internal mobility and growth

Develop the capability of the Field HR teams by building foundational KSAs, providing coaching, and ensuring they are prepared to effectively support and deliver leadership development training in the field

Partner with the Learning and Development team by driving the regional strategy, execution, and continuous improvement of key development initiatives

Equip field leaders with the skills, tools, and knowledge needed to lead effectively, manage performance, and foster high‑performing teams

Partner closely with Labor Relations to support collective bargaining strategy and execution

Ensure consistent execution of union initiatives, contract administration, and day-to-day union relationship management

Coach leaders on taking ownership of labor strategy, grievance handling, and contract compliance

Ensure full compliance with all federal, state, provincial, and local employment laws and regulations

Proactively identify, escalate, and mitigate people-related risk across the field organization

Hold leaders accountable for compliance and appropriate people practices

Own and lead the administration and consistent application of all SSP HR policies, procedures, and programs in the field

Ensure policies are clearly understood, followed, and enforced by field HR and operations leaders

Partner with Operations and Support Center teams to drive consistency and execution excellence

Serve as a strategic partner to Operations and Field Leadership, influencing organizational design, workforce planning, and decision-making

Apply curiosity to understand business challenges and translate strategy into people solutions that drive performance and scalability

Ensure all core field HR processes (hiring, onboarding, performance management, discipline, separations, leaves, accommodations, etc.) are executed with accuracy, consistency, and urgency, and in compliance with state, federal, provincial, and local laws, as well as any applicable collective bargaining agreements (CBAs)

Drive continuous improvement in HR service delivery, effectiveness, and efficiency

Bring passion to improving the team member experience at every stage of the lifecycle

Model ethical behavior, sound judgment, and SSP values at all times

Coach and develop leaders to build strong, accountable, respectful, and inclusive teams

Establish, monitor, and act on key people metrics (turnover, engagement, compliance, time to fill, ER trends, training completion, etc.)

Use data and curiosity to identify gaps, challenge assumptions, and drive better outcomes

Hold People Leaders and field leaders accountable for results, not just activity

Lead the planning, execution, and delivery of complex, cross-functional HR and organizational projects with clear timelines, milestones, and measurable outcomes

Drive accountability for project results by establishing governance, tracking progress, and ensuring alignment with SSP’s strategic priorities

Apply curiosity and analytical rigor to identify risks, remove barriers, and implement solutions that accelerate project success

Foster collaboration across People, Operations, and Support Center teams to ensure seamless execution and stakeholder engagement

Champion continuous improvement by capturing lessons learned and applying best practices to future initiatives

Qualification

HR Business Partner experienceHRIS proficiencyProject ManagementEmployee relationsTalent managementLabor relationsTeam leadershipCoaching skillsAnalytical skillsCommunication skillsConflict managementAdaptability

Required

Minimum high school diploma/certificate required (or international equivalent)

Proven experience in human resource related project management, including planning, execution, and delivery of cross-functional initiatives with measurable outcomes

Strong proficiency in HR systems (HRIS), timekeeping platforms, and related technologies; ability to leverage systems for reporting, analytics, and process optimization

Advanced computer literacy, including Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word), project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet), and collaboration platforms

Ability to manage heavy workloads. Effectively manage conflict situations leading to successful outcomes. Must be able to work under high pressure situations and meet tight deadlines

Flexible schedule as business demands

Must be able to establish and maintain eligibility to perform work in the US without sponsorship, and be able to travel and work ~60% within the US and Canada as needed, with overnight and extended stay

Must be able to pass and maintain a criminal background check, and as required, meet airport security requirements (e.g., Transportation Security Administration (TSA) clearance, comprehensive Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Transport Canada, etc.)