Interim HR Director, International Hospitality Group
The Client
A global hospitality group, known for its international footprint and high service standards, was struggling. Staff turnover was rising, training quality had slipped and regional teams were drifting apart. People across the organisation were tired, and it no longer felt like one business.
The Requirement
The executive team decided it urgently needed an interim HR Director to stabilise the organisation, rebuild confidence and bring regional teams back together. HR expertise was essential, but so were warmth, emotional intelligence and the credibility to work with frontline employees as comfortably as with senior stakeholders.
The group wanted someone with experience of complex, fast-moving environments, who could strengthen training, tighten people processes and handle sensitive employee relations issues with care. Above all, it needed a good listener.
The Solution
Novo spent time with the group’s leadership to understand the culture, the operational pressures and what the role would demand. We then ran a targeted search for senior HR leaders with global hospitality or customer-centric experience, prioritising those with a record of rebuilding team morale.
Our process included:
- Reviewing HR leaders with credentials in multi-region hospitality operations
- Evaluating experience of cultural alignment, training and behavioural change
- Assessing communication style and emotional intelligence
- Testing whether each candidate could build trust quickly
The Outcome
The interim HR Director began by listening. Frontline teams felt heard again and managers felt supported rather than scrutinised. Training was refreshed, onboarding became consistent and complex HR issues were handled with patience and clarity.
Confidence returned and service levels improved. When the permanent HR leader joined, the culture had steadied and the organisation was ready to move forward. Find out more about our interim management service.
