People Development Manager

Job description

St Michaels Hotel & Spa is one of Cornwall’s leading 4 star hotels. It is stylish and contemporary, with a vibrant, friendly atmosphere which embraces the local community. It overlooks a sandy, blue flag beach, and a wonderful stretch of coastline. It is within walking distance of the vibrant, creative Falmouth recently voted 4th best place in the UK to live (Sunday Times, 2014)

The hotel has benefitted from a £5 million investment programme over the past 10 years and been awarded Cornwall Hotel of the Year in 2009 (Gold) and 2012 (Silver); South West Large Hotel of the Year 2015 (Bronze) Best Cornwall Spa in 2013 and 2014; Gold in GTBS and Silver IIP. We have also recently gained 2 AA rosettes for our food.

St Michael’s has acquired the site of the former Falmouth Beach Hotel next door and is set to embark on a major investment programme to build a brand new luxury spa with associated facilities; re-invigorated health club; 30 new bedroom suites and c 55 apartments.

We are currently recruiting for the exciting role of People Development Manager. Someone with the enthusiasm and drive to lead our training and development initiatives, and to ensure that the most important aspect of our business, our people, are able to maximise capability and love what they do.

Through close working with the Heads of Department, General Manager and Proprietor the People Development Manager will have a vital role in delivering our aspiration to make St Michael’s Hotel and Spa a first choice employer, where an environment is created for our staff to flourish, develop and be recognised for truly great performance.

Role scope & general purpose

• To ensure that St Michael’s is able to recruit and retain the best available staff, who quickly become well trained and provide a welcoming and exceptional guest experience; our processes should be developed to deliver this every timeDevelop a culture where managers inspire and motivate their teams to be 'St Michael’s people’ and help individuals and teams reach their true potential


• To effectively manage every step within the journey of our people from the initial meeting through to their eventual departure


• Provide strong functional HR leadership on all people processes to ensure St Michael’s has a reputation as a place that people want to work, and as a first choice employer


• Develop focused and pragmatic HR solutions that are aligned to business needs and objectives


• To work closely with external advisors and provide support and a channel of communication to the business, management and employees in areas of employment legislation, company HR policies and best practice


• Maintain, develop and create meaningful and measureable development plans for teams and individuals, to support the culture of personal and professional improvement whilst realising business opportunity


• To work closely with training providers and build up trusted working relationships from which the most effective people development systems can be built


• To manage internal budgets and external funding support ensuring that only meaningful and strategic training is implemented to reach agreed objectives and an all-round great delivery


• Develop and maintain employee feedback, engagement and satisfaction systems to achieve set targets


• Implement on-going skills training to ensure service standards are upheld


• Manage and monitor appraisal & review procedures and standards


• Manage and constantly aim to improve our Qualmark and other guest experience measures and targets


• Develop staff retention and team motivation initiatives


• Monitor and manage the staff benefits and bonus schemes and recommend every opportunity for further dual benefits to be trialled and or implemented


• Provide support to disciplinary, performance management and control processes and situations


• In conjunction with the General Manager and external advisors, develop and maintain the staff handbook, policies and guidelines


• Take a lead role in the management of any occupational health issues to ensure the health and safety of employees, protect the business and identify problems and solutions


• Effectively manage sickness/absence and produce regular management reports

Experience/Qualifications

• An experienced HR/training professional who has proven to have made an impact on the performance of their business through people


• You will have experience of successfully developing and implementing multi-faceted training programmes, preferably within a hospitality environment and with guest excellence at the centre.


• Preferably, you will have wider HR experience within a similarly sized company in addition to the core element of training and development


• Ideally working towards or have gained CIPD qualifications

Personal Attributes

• You will be a people person through and through and have a natural ability to generate the best of all employees and teamsHighly organised and able to apply structure and measures to all that you do


• An influencer; able to engage and steer at all levels of the business


• Sound commercial judgement and a demonstrated understanding of the wider business mechanics and objectives


• A real passion for guest excellence in all areas of the hotel


• Inspirational and able to energise individuals and teams


• Great interpersonal skills, charm and a naturally strong communicator


• Hard working, passionate, bright


• Outgoing, personable, fun and a great sense of humour.


• IT literate and used to working with systems


• Flexible and able to work under pressure


• A team player who is confident in themselves but also keen to encourage a participative and supportive management team


• Quality oriented with experience of implementing new standards


• Extremely honest and trustworthy with high standards of integrity

Salary/ Bonus:

Very dependent upon experience but a basic of between £20,000 and £25,000 plus an attractive bonus structure.