Director of Human Resources -Dollywood Parks & Resorts - Exempt - HERSCHEND FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION

Description

At Dollywood Parks & Resorts, we create memories worth repeating. We do this every day across all properties, all located in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. Ask anyone who has visited Dollywood Parks & Resorts and they will tell you this place is different. It’s not a difference that you can touch or see - it’s a difference you can feel. We are seeking candidates who will embody the heart and soul of our mission of creating memories worth repeating while bringing families closer together. This person also brings a spirit of fun, authenticity, collaboration, creativity and genuine hospitality to the lives of our guests.

Ask anyone who has visited Dollywood Parks & Resorts, and they will tell you this place is different. It’s not a difference you can touch or see - it’s a difference you can feel. We are seeking a(n) Director of Human Resources for Dollywood Parks & Resorts who will embody the heart and soul of our mission of creating memories worth repeating while caring deeply about our brand.

We want to work alongside someone who acts as an extension of our mission, values, and culture. This individual is driven to create meaningful experiences for our hosts, guests, and community while ensuring the success and profitability of our unique offerings. They also bring fun, authenticity, collaboration, creativity, and genuine hospitality to their life and work. The right Director of Human Resources checklist will include equal parts curious learner, innovator, administrator, detail driver, mentor, and motivator.

This role is responsible for the strategy and implementation of all aspects of HR compliance within the organization, including payroll processing, HRIS, employee relations programs, and benefits administration. This role is crucial in ensuring that the company adheres to all relevant labor laws, regulations, and internal policies. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in HR compliance, excellent leadership skills, and a keen eye for detail.  All of this will be done in a manner consistent with the mission, values and standards of the Dollywood Company to help make our organization a great place to work for great people all while furthering the organization’s goals and initiatives.

Additionally, the ideal candidate will be able display and live out Lead with Love qualities, strongly rooted in the Dollywood Company culture, by being patient, kind, humble, respectful, trusting, unselfish, truthful, forgiving, and dedicated.

Summary of Essential Functions & Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and monitor strategy for all HR compliance programs and policies
• Lead and programs to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations
• Direct team regular audits and assessments to identify and mitigate compliance risks
• Provide guidance and training to HR staff and leadership on Host and compliance-related matters
• Oversee the investigation and resolution of compliance issues and complaints
• Collaborate with business partners and hosts to determine the best people strategies in line with our culture and values
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of industry trends and regulatory changes
• Collaborate with legal counsel and external partners
• Develop and implement strategy for HR’s role in payroll processing for all hosts, ensuring accuracy and compliance with federal, state, and local regulations
• Lead strategy for host benefits programs at the property level, including health insurance, onsite family healthcare center, retirement plans, and other company-sponsored benefits
• Develop and implement payroll and benefits policies and procedures, including regular audits of payroll and benefits records to ensure compliance and identify areas for improvement
• Collaborate with HR, Finance, and other departments to ensure seamless integration of payroll and benefits processes
• Direct strategies to manage and resolve complex employee relations issues, including investigations and disciplinary actions
• Monitor and analyze employee relations trends and metrics to identify areas for improvement
• Promote a positive and inclusive workplace culture
• Work collaboratively with the entire HR Team to achieve common goals and assist with team functions and responsibilities
• Ensure compliance with all applicable labor laws
• Ensure compliance with corporate and property policies and procedures
• Prepare and adhere to annual budgets
• Routinely serve as HR Person-in-charge of HR operations and Senior Manager on Duty for Dollywood theme park
• Collaborates with HR leadership team to review available data (i.e., GP6, eNPS, host satisfaction survey, etc.) and create a plan for continuous improvement to host engagement and retention
• Responsible for leveraging people analytics to drive data-informed decision-making
• Review, analyze, and interpret HR data to identify trends, measure the effectiveness of HR initiatives, and provide actionable insights to improve employee engagement, retention, and overall organizational performance

Management reserves the right to change and/or add to these duties at any time.

Education and Experience Required

• Seven (7) years of Human Resources experience, including a track record of success leading payroll, HRIS, employee relations and HR compliance strategies in a large organization required
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field; Master’s degree preferred
• In-depth knowledge of employment laws and regulations
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Proven ability to lead and manage a team
• Certification in HR compliance (e.g., SHRM-CP, PHR) is a plus
• Demonstrated ability to fairly resolve employee concerns and successfully develop teams and individuals
• Theme Park experience preferred
• Successful experience leading and supervising 3-5 exempt hosts
• Excellent reading, writing, speaking, and presentation skills
• Strong knowledge of common office software such as word processing, presentation design, and spreadsheet software required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Able to make a friendly impression when speaking to or corresponding with guests, vendors, and other employees
• Must reflect Dollywood’s image by being genuinely friendly and caring and by taking pride in work
• Must be self-motivated and disciplined
• Must be able to prioritize and complete work assignments on a timely basis
• Must maintain strict confidentiality and judgment regarding privileged information
• Must be committed to continuous improvement
• Must have professional appearance with good personal hygiene
• Must promote and support a “team” work environment by cooperating and helping co-workers
• Must be productive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Must maintain dependable work attendance and flexibility with assigned work schedules including any required overtime, evenings, weekends and holidays
• Must be sensitive to the needs of our Guests and feel empowered to act to meet their needs within company guidelines
• Must be able to utilize effective communication, problem solving, conflict management and interpersonal skills
• Must show appreciation of others
• Able to get along with other employees to work out problems and resolve conflicts
• Able to comprehend instructions and retain information
• Able to perform duties consistent with creating a safe and secure environment for hosts and guests
• Able to be flexible to handle frequent changes in priorities
• Able to add, subtract, multiply and divide with accuracy
• Able to communicate effectively using standard English grammar and punctuation
• Must be able to retain information and make logical decisions that are consistent with company culture
• Be able to resolve conflict
• Be organized
• Be enthusiastic and positive
• Be a change agent and have a sense of urgency to get things done
• Be logical in decision making
• Strong business acumen and highly developed analytical skills
• Able to lift up to 40 pounds
• Able to tolerate various temperatures while working indoors and outdoors
• Able to operate/drive a company vehicle with valid driver’s license and insurance
• Able to meet the physical demands of the job     

The Dollywood Company is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. The Dollywood Company drives a welcoming culture where ideas and decisions from all people support our efforts to be relevant in an ever-changing world.       

Qualifications