People & Culture Manager

Wairakei Resort Taupō is seeking an experienced and passionate People & Culture Manager to lead our people agenda and foster a high-performing, engaged and positive workplace culture across our resort.

Wairakei Resort Taupō offers great service, comfortable accommodation, and plenty of leisure facilities amid the forested slopes of Wairakei Thermal Valley in the centre of New Zealand’s North Island. Guests can enjoy golf on our 9-hole course, play tennis on floodlit courts, and visit the fitness centre for a game of squash. Two geothermally heated swimming pools and 2 outdoor hot tubs are complemented by an on-site spa, we have 187 Guest accommodation rooms as well as our conference spaces.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who is passionate about hospitality, people and creating an employee experience that reflects the same level of care we provide to our guests.

As People & Culture Manager, you will be a trusted advisor to the General Manager and leadership team, providing strategic and practical guidance across the full employee lifecycle. You will lead our People & Culture function while partnering closely with department leaders to build capability, strengthen performance, support employee wellbeing and ensure best-practice employment standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver the People & Culture strategy aligned with Wairakei Resort and Accor objectives
• Partner with the General Manager and leadership team on workforce planning, organisational development and people priorities
• Provide expert guidance across Employment Relations, performance management, disciplinary processes and workplace investigations
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, retention and recognition initiatives
• Develop and deliver training and development programmes to build leadership and team capability
• Drive a strong culture of learning, accountability, inclusion and continuous improvement
• Oversee employment compliance, policies, procedures and HR documentation
• Support leaders in managing performance and developing their teams
• Lead employee wellbeing initiatives and contribute to a positive and safe workplace culture
• Partner with managers on WHS, wellbeing and risk-related people matters
• Monitor people metrics including turnover, absenteeism, leave, training completion and workforce trends, providing meaningful insights to leadership
• Maintain strong relationships with Accor and contribute to wider Accor People & Culture initiatives
• Lead and develop the People & Culture team, ensuring a responsive and professional HR service to all departments
• Ensure a consistent and positive employee experience from recruitment through to exit

We are looking for a confident and approachable People & Culture professional who can balance commercial awareness with genuine care for people.

You will bring:

• Proven experience in a People & Culture or HR management role, preferably within hospitality
• Relevant Human Resources qualification preferred
• Strong knowledge of New Zealand employment legislation and Employment Relations
• Experience managing workplace investigations, performance matters and complex employee relations
• Strong recruitment, onboarding and employee engagement experience
• A passion for leadership development and building high-performing teams
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• The confidence to influence and coach managers at all levels
• A practical, solutions-focused approach with strong attention to detail
• The ability to remain calm, fair and professional in challenging situations
• Experience working within a fast-paced hospitality or service environment
• A genuine passion for creating an outstanding employee experience

Please note: Applicants must have legal working rights in New Zealand. This position will not be sponsored. 

At Wairakei Resort Taupō, you will have the opportunity to make a genuine impact on our people, culture and future.

You will be part of the Accor network, with access to world-class learning, development and career opportunities across New Zealand and internationally.

You will also enjoy:

• Accor employee benefits and worldwide hotel discounts
• Opportunities for professional development through Accor training programmes
• Employee recognition and reward initiatives
• Staff benefits across food, beverage and hotel services
• A supportive and collaborative leadership environment
• Opportunities to shape and improve our People & Culture practices
• Access to employee wellbeing and EAP support
• Career progression opportunities within Accor
• The opportunity to work in one of Taupō's established resort properties

Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: We are an inclusive company, and our ambition is to attract, recruit and promote diverse talent. We offer reasonable adjustments to support you. If you require an adjustment to be made during the recruitment process, you're welcome to let us know.