Assistant Director of People & Culture

Situated in Downtown’s Second Street District, Austin Proper Hotel and Residences is an iconic luxury destination just steps from Lady Bird Lake, ACL Live, and the city’s best shopping. With expressive interiors by Kelly Wearstler and culinary concepts by McGuire Moorman Lambert Hospitality, the hotel offers 238 design-forward rooms and suites, a rooftop pool, immersive wellness experiences, and menus built around local farms, vibrant produce, and nutrient‑rich ingredients.

Wellness, design, and culture, seamlessly woven into every stay.

At Proper, we believe hospitality is more than a profession — it’s an opportunity to make lives better. The Assistant Director of People & Culture is a key steward of that belief, partnering closely with the Director of People & Culture to build and sustain a workplace where every colleague feels seen, supported, and inspired to do their best work.

This role leads day-to-day People & Culture operations across HR, employee engagement, talent acquisition, learning and development, and employee relations. The right candidate brings a genuine love for people, a commitment to excellence, and the resourcefulness to craft thoughtful solutions in a fast-moving, design-forward hospitality environment. Guided by the Pillars of Proper — Care Proper, Achieve Proper, Imagine Proper, and Present Proper — you will help shape a culture that inspires and transports not just our guests, but our team.

• Oversee day-to-day HR operations including employee relations, payroll coordination, benefits administration, and HRIS management.
• Ensure consistent compliance with local, state, and federal employment laws, company policies, and industry best practices.
• Maintain accurate, confidential employee records in adherence to all applicable data privacy regulations.
• Implement HR programs and policies that improve operational efficiency and uphold Proper’s standards of excellence.

• Partner with the Director of People & Culture to design and deliver engagement initiatives that reinforce the Pillars of Proper and foster genuine belonging.
• Manage employee listening programs — surveys, feedback loops, and recognition initiatives — and translate insights into meaningful action.
• Champion a workplace culture where colleagues feel cared for, heard, and motivated to grow.
• Address employee concerns with sensitivity, fairness, and a sense of urgency, escalating issues when appropriate.

• Lead recruitment and onboarding processes that reflect the Proper experience from first contact, ensuring new colleagues feel welcomed from day one.
• Collaborate with department leaders to identify talent needs, close gaps, and build proactive sourcing strategies.
• Manage the full candidate pipeline: screen, interview, and extend offers to top-tier hospitality professionals.
• Develop onboarding experiences that connect new hires to the Proper mission, culture, and team.

• Support the performance management cycle, including goal setting, coaching conversations, and development planning.
• Identify high-potential colleagues and contribute to succession planning and leadership pipeline programs.
• Advise managers and supervisors on performance issues and the development of improvement plans.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning by developing and delivering training programs across the organization.

• Serve as a trusted, objective resource for employee relations matters including conflict resolution, disciplinary processes, and workplace investigations.
• Navigate sensitive situations with emotional intelligence, fairness, and clear alignment to Proper’s values and policies.
• Foster open communication between colleagues and leadership, helping to resolve concerns before they elevate.
• Support the administration of competitive, equitable compensation and benefits programs across health, retirement, and wellness.
• Monitor market trends to ensure Proper remains a compelling destination for top hospitality talent.
• Assist with benefits enrollment,…