Reporting to the Financial Controller, the Senior HR Officer
is a key contributor to the success of the Culinary Institute of Jamaica by utilising
their HR expertise and business acumen to manage the full employee lifecycle and
build the people practices, culture, and structure needed to support the
company's growth in the culinary, catering, and culinary education industry.
Accountabilities
Strategic HR & Business Partnership
- Act as
the primary HR point of contact for the business, advising on
people-related decisions, risk, and opportunities.
- Translate
company vision and culture into HR policies, practices, and day-to-day
decisions.
- Identify
gaps in current HR practices and proactively design and implement
solutions, including policies, handbooks, and workflows.
- Serve
as a trusted bridge between frontline, teaching, and kitchen staff and
ownership, surfacing concerns upward and communicating decisions downward
with clarity and tact.
Recruitment & Onboarding
- Manage
full-cycle recruitment for culinary, teaching, and administrative roles,
including job postings, screening, interviewing, and offer management.
- Design
and continuously improve onboarding so new hires, including instructors
and culinary staff, are set up for success quickly.
Employee Relations & Culture
- Handle
employee relations matters independently, including conflict resolution,
performance concerns, and disciplinary processes, escalating only when
genuinely necessary.
- Champion
a positive, professional workplace culture consistent with a hospitality
and education environment.
- Conduct
or oversee performance review cycles and support managers and instructors
in giving effective feedback.
Compliance & Administration
- Ensure
HR policies and employment practices comply with relevant Jamaican
employment legislation and support the monitoring of employee
certifications or other workforce-related regulatory requirements where
applicable.
- Own HR
documentation, including contracts, personnel files, handbooks, and policy
updates.
- Coordinate
payroll-related HR inputs, benefits administration, and leave management.
- Maintain
a sound working knowledge of statutory deductions, payroll legislation,
and employment-related taxation to accurately respond to employee queries
and liaise effectively with Finance on payroll matters.
- Monitor
workforce scheduling, attendance, and overtime patterns to support
efficient staffing levels and provide management with insights to optimize
labour utilization while maintaining operational requirements.
HR Systems & Reporting
- Maintain
HR records and introduce or improve HR systems and tools appropriate for a
growing SME.
- Provide
ownership with regular reporting and insight on headcount, turnover,
hiring pipeline, and employee relations trends.
Requirements
Education and Experience
- Bachelor's
degree in Human Resources, Business, Psychology, or a related field
(Master's degree a plus).
- A
minimum of 3 years' experience in a generalist or HR officer role,
preferably within hospitality, food service, or another fast-paced,
people-heavyenvironment.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Working
knowledge of Jamaican employment legislation, statutory deductions
(including PAYE, NIS, NHT, and Education Tax) and payroll administration.
- Solid
working knowledge of core HR functions: recruitment, employee relations,
performance management, and employment law fundamentals.
- Familiarity
with performance management frameworks and tools, and the ability to run a
fair, consistent review cycle.
Benefits
Why Join Us
- Real
ownership of the HR function from day one; your fingerprints will be on
how this company grows.
- Direct
access to ownership and a real seat at the table for business decisions.
- The
opportunity to build, not just administer, HR practices in a
values-driven, mission-led company.
- A
dynamic, people-centred industry where the work is tangible, and the
impact is visible.
SALARY: JMD $3.5M per annum
