Culinary Project Manager Jobs in Austin, TX (NOW HIRING)

About us

Since 1942, SkyChefs has taken culinary excellence to new heights. As a trusted partner to the nation’s leading airlines and retailers, we proudly deliver millions of meals and exceptional service experiences every year across 43 sites throughout the United States. Built on a legacy of operational excellence, culinary expertise, and continuous innovation, we are committed to setting the industry standard in aviation culinary, airline services, last-mile logistics, and retail commerce. From the kitchen to the runway, our teams work together to deliver quality, reliability, and service at every altitude. Our people are the heart of everything we do. At SkyChefs, a career is more than a job – it’s an opportunity to grow, lead, and make an impact in a fast-paced, team-driven environment. Join America’s first, foremost, and finest and take your career to new heights.

Position Overview

Sky Chefs is seeking a strategic and hands-on Human Resources Manager to lead all HR functions within a fast-paced airline catering and hospitality operation. The HR Manager serves as a trusted business partner to leadership and employees, driving employee engagement, labor relations, talent acquisition, compliance, workforce planning, and performance management.

The ideal candidate will have strong experience supporting large hourly workforces in a unionized environment. This role requires a proactive leader who can balance operational priorities with employee advocacy while ensuring compliance with federal, state, local, and labor contract requirements. Strong communication, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills are essential, along with the ability to navigate labor issues, drive positive workplace culture, and support business objectives in a fast-paced operational setting.

• Work location: Onsite @ our SkyChefs facility near Austin Bergstrom Airport
• Work schedule: Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm.
• We operate 24/7, 365

What You'll Do

Employee & Labor Relations

• Serve as the primary HR partner to operational leadership and employees.
• Foster a positive employee relations culture while maintaining alignment with company policies and business objectives.
• Interpret and administer collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) and ensure compliance with labor contract provisions.
• Partner with union representatives to address grievances, investigations, disciplinary actions, and workplace concerns.
• Conduct employee investigations and provide recommendations on corrective actions.
• Support conflict resolution and promote fair and consistent employment practices.

Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning

• Lead recruitment efforts for exempt union positions. Support recruiting efforts and the hiring process with assigned Talent Acquisition Specialist for non-union positions.
• Partner with hiring managers to develop staffing strategies and maintain workforce plans.
• Oversee onboarding and orientation programs to ensure a positive new hire experience.
• Monitor staffing metrics, turnover trends, and retention initiatives.

Performance Management & Employee Development

• Coach managers on performance management, employee engagement, and leadership development.
• Support performance review processes and succession planning initiatives.
• Identify training needs and coordinate learning and development programs.
• Promote a culture of accountability, inclusion, and continuous improvement.

Compliance & HR Administration

• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws, including FMLA, ADA, EEO, FLSA, and other applicable regulations.
• Maintain accurate employee records and HR documentation.
• Monitor compliance with company policies, safety programs, and regulatory requirements.
• Support audits, reporting requirements, and HR analytics initiatives.

Compensation, Benefits & HR Programs

• Administer compensation and benefits programs in partnership with Corporate HR.
• Provide guidance to employees regarding benefits, leave programs, and HR policies.
• Assist with annual compensation reviews, employee recognition programs, and engagement initiatives.

Leadership & Business Partnership

• Partner with operational leaders to align HR strategies with business goals.
• Utilize workforce data and HR metrics to drive decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Support organizational change initiatives and workforce transformation projects.
• Lead and mentor HR team members, as applicable.

What We Look For in a Candidate

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Industrial Relations, or related field.
• 5+ years of progressive Human Resources experience.
• 3+ years of HR leadership experience supporting a large, hourly workforce.
• Experience managing employee relations investigations and corrective actions.
• Strong knowledge of employment law and HR best practices.
• Proficiency with HRIS systems and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.

Preferred

• Bilingual in English and Spanish highly preferred, but not required.
• Experience supporting unionized labor environments is highly preferred.
• Prior experience in airline catering, food manufacturing, hospitality, logistics, transportation, or other 24/7 operations.
• Experience interpreting and administering collective bargaining agreements.
• PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP certification preferred.

Physical & Work Environment

• Ability to work in a fast-paced operational environment, such as warehouse, production, or distribution center
• May require walking production floors, standing for extended periods, and occasional travel.
• Ability to work flexible hours as business needs may require, including support for a 24/7 operation.