HR Director – Charleys

About Charleys
Since 1986, Charleys has redefined the Philly Cheesesteak experience. With over 850
locations and counting, we proudly serve the #1 Cheesesteak in the World®, always grilled
to order and made with high-quality, fresh ingredients. Alongside our loaded Gourmet Fries
and Real Fruit Lemonades, we are growing rapidly with support from 535+ franchise
partners and a shared commitment to delivering great food and meaningful impact.

 

Position Summary
The HR Director is a strategic and operational leader responsible for the full people
lifecycle, including talent acquisition, employee relations, compliance, performance and
succession, labor relations, and HR operations. This role is also the enterprise champion
for culture, learning, and leadership development—building the systems and rituals that
help every team member thrive. The ideal candidate is a hands-on builder and trusted
advisor who translates business goals into scalable people programs across a fast-paced,
multi-unit, franchise environment, aligned with Charleys’ Mission, Vision, and 7 Objectives.

 

Key Responsibilities
 Lead all aspects of employee relations and ensure consistent, fair, and legally
compliant application of company policies and procedures.
 Champion culture and employee experience by translating Charleys’ Mission,
Vision, and 7 Objectives into daily behaviors, recognition, and operating rituals,
driving measurable gains in eNPS, retention, and internal mobility.
 Design and operationalize onboarding from pre-hire through day 90 to ensure
cultural immersion and role readiness across company-owned and franchise
locations.
 Build and scale a learning ecosystem with role-based curricula, learning paths, and
certification standards; launch and evolve a Manager Academy focused on
coaching, accountability, performance conversations, labor compliance, and
financial acumen.
 Own LMS governance, content strategy, vendor selection, and adoption metrics;
measure learning e􀆯ectiveness and ROI, linking development to outcomes such as
sales, speed, quality, and turnover.
 Lead succession planning and career pathing, strengthening bench depth, internal
mobility, and diversity of leadership pipelines.
 Serve as a strategic business partner on organizational design, headcount planning,
and workforce analytics to align people strategy with business goals.
 Lead performance management cycles emphasizing clear expectations, continuous
feedback, coaching, and equitable outcomes.
 Optimize talent acquisition and employment branding while ensuring compliance
with EEO, OFCCP, and A􀆯irmative Action requirements; implement e􀆯ective
retention and DEI strategies.
 Ensure consistent, fair, and legally compliant application of policies; manage
complex employee relations matters, investigations, disciplinary actions, and ethics
reports in partnership with Legal.
 Oversee HRIS accuracy, data privacy, reporting, and workflow simplicity to enable
data-driven decisions and e􀆯icient operator experiences.
 Manage labor relations programs and represent the company in union matters when
applicable.
 Review and respond to unemployment and workers’ compensation claims in
collaboration with Legal and Payroll.
 Hire, coach, and develop a high-performing HR team aligned with Charleys’ culture
and business priorities.
 Manage HR communications to ensure clear, timely, and consistent messaging
across the organization.
 Collaborate on annual budget planning and manage HR departmental expenses
with discipline and transparency.
 Perform other duties as needed to support the company’s continued success and
growth.

 

Required Qualifications
 Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational
Behavior, or a related field; Master’s degree or HR certifications (e.g., SHRM-SCP,
SPHR) strongly preferred
 Minimum 5+ years of progressive HR leadership experience in a multi-unit or
franchised organization
 Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and HR best
practices
 Demonstrated experience in employee relations, investigations, and performance
management
 Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability
to e􀆯ectively influence at all levels of the organization
 Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop HR teams
 Proficiency with HRIS platforms and data-driven HR practices
 Experience managing labor relations is a plus
Core Competencies
 Strategic thinker with a hands-on approach
 Strategic and systems thinker with a builder’s mindset grounded in operational
realities.
 Culture carrier who models our values and turns them into systems, rituals, and
behaviors.
 Data-driven, outcomes-oriented, and accountable.
 Collaborative, adaptable, and calm under pressure.
 Excellent judgment, discretion, and integrity.
 Passion for people, food, and operational excellence.

 

Total Rewards
 Competitive base salary and performance bonus
 Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
 401(k) with company match
 Generous paid time o􀆯 (vacation, holidays, personal days)
 Short-term disability and voluntary life insurance
 Tuition and wellness reimbursement programs
 Opportunities for ongoing professional development

 

Join Us
Be part of a purpose-driven company that’s building the future of the world’s favorite
cheesesteak brand. Apply today at www.charleys.com.
This position may be filled at the Senior Manager of Human Resources level depending on
the qualifications, experience, and skills of the selected candidate. Charleys is committed
to equitable hiring practices and encourages all qualified individuals to apply