We recruit the best talent and invest in their ongoing development through training and mentoring. We provide opportunities to work across our national network. dnata catering U.S. is looking for a People & Culture Manager to join our JFK team supporting the JFK & EWR airports.

The People & Culture Manager plays a strategic and operational leadership role in supporting the full employee lifecycle across one or more units within dnata Catering USA. This role is responsible for delivering effective HR practices aligned with the company’s people strategy, values, and compliance standards. Acting as a trusted advisor and leader of HR team members, the Manager drives initiatives that promote employee engagement, culture, performance, and legal compliance. This role holds direct accountability for ensuring all HR activities uphold dnata’s Group HR and Global Values.

dnata is one of the world’s largest air services providers. Established in 1959, the company ensures the aviation industry operates smoothly and efficiently in 127 airports. Offering ground handling, cargo, travel, and flight catering services in 35 countries across six continents, dnata is a trusted partner for over 300 airline customers around the world. Each day, the company handles over 1,900 flights, moves over 8,500 tons of cargo, books over 16,000 hotel stays, and uplifts over 320,000 meals.

Accepting applications until: August 31st 2025 

• Partner with operational leadership to align HR initiatives with business goals.
• Lead local workforce planning, talent management, and succession initiatives.
• Contribute to HR strategic planning, employee retention strategies, and labor cost control for the unit/s.
• Advise managers on organizational structure, change management, and workforce optimization.
• Employee Relations, Labor, and Compliance
• Oversee complex employee relations matters, including investigations, disciplinary actions, grievances, and resolutions in collaboration with the Employee Relations Manager.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, including wage and hour, EEO, ADA, FMLA, and union CBAs.
• Act as the escalation point for sensitive HR matters at the unit level.
• Ensure consistent application of policies and corrective action practices.

HR Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and develop People & Culture Generalists and Coordinators across assigned units.
• Ensure training, performance goals, and compliance activities are met by all HR staff.
• Foster a strong team culture aligned with dnata values, emphasizing development and collaboration.
• Culture, Engagement & Performance
• Champion the People Experience pillars: teamwork, belonging, wellbeing, and recognition.
• Lead culture survey rollout, analysis, and action planning with unit leaders.
• Support leadership development, employee feedback channels, and recognition programs.
• Promote performance management through coaching, calibration, and follow-up.

Talent Acquisition & Onboarding

• Support unit hiring in partnership with Talent Acquisition, ensuring staffing levels meet operational needs.
• Oversee onboarding experience and early engagement strategy to reduce turnover and improve readiness.
• Partner with local leaders on CDL recruitment, pipeline development, and compliance with local licensing laws.

People Operations

• Oversee HRIS accuracy, timecard reviews, leave management, and audit readiness.
• Collaborate with payroll and benefits teams on employee inquiries and system compliance.
• Monitor key HR metrics such as turnover, absenteeism, disciplinary actions, and training completions.

NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Other duties as assigned.

This salary range and is influenced by the level of experience. When calculating the base pay, we take into account various factors such as location, qualifications, training, and experience as part of the overall compensation package. Salary Range $89,000 - $137,000

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field (Master’s preferred).

• 6+ years of progressive HR experience, including 2+ years in an HR leadership role; union environment experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. labor laws New York and New Jersey labor law compliance preferred.
• Proven leadership of HR teams with multi-unit responsibility.
• Experience in food service, manufacturing, aviation, or logistics industries is a plus.
• HR certification (PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP) strongly preferred.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish or other) preferred.

Accountability to dnata Group HR and Global Values

All People & Culture leaders are expected to model and uphold dnata’s Group HR and Global Values. As a manager, this includes holding others accountable for their alignment with these values and integrating them into daily decisions, policies, and people practices.

dnata Group HR Values

• Safety & Security – We support a culture of wellbeing by creating and maintaining a safe and secure environment for our people.
• Collaboration – We work together as one HR, leveraging each other’s strengths and striving toward shared goals for the success of the organisation.
• Integrity – We maintain strong ethical principles even when it’s challenging and always act in the best interests of our people and the organisation.
• Respect – We value the dignity, rights, and contributions of our colleagues, and create a culture of mutual consideration, understanding, and respect.
• Accountability – We are ambassadors who take ownership of our actions and decisions and consistently deliver results as part of a high-performing community.

dnata Global Values

• We are safe – We prioritize safety in every action and decision we make.
• We play to win – We drive results and celebrate success.
• We respect everyone and work as a team – We treat people with dignity and achieve more through collaboration.
• We are future-thinking – We innovate, adapt, and continuously improve.

dnata’s Competencies Required to be Successful in the Job:

There are two aspects to working as effectively as we can: our people and our results. Our eight competencies are designed to help you focus on these aspects:

Demonstrated Values to be Successful in the Position:

Employees at dnata are expected to live our Values of Safety and Security, performance-driven, Service Excellence, Delighting Customers, Imagination, and respect. To demonstrate these Values, we expect to observe the following from everyone:

• We put safety and security first in all our actions.
• We will set challenging goals and meet them.
• We deliver to a consistently high quality.
• We take ownership and responsibility of a situation until it is resolved.
• We are not afraid of failure and learn through our mistakes.
• We respect each other regardless of background.

We believe that diversity and inclusion are fundamental to creating a strong workplace and community. At dnata, we’re proud that our workforce is as diverse as the customers we serve. And we’re committed to nurturing your talent with mentoring, volunteer, and professional development opportunities. We welcome everyone. Our employee resource groups are one of the many ways we champion diversity and inclusion at dnata.