Senior Hotel Openings Manager, South China, Taiwan, Macao & Hong Kong

To ensure the China region is able to effectively Open, Support and Maintain Great Hotels, Guests Love through providing structured platforms and supporting tools for the implementation of IHG key systems and procedures and ways of working in line with agreed brand and operational standards both the franchise and managed estate.
Tracking of & reporting the opening progress of each property against targets and critical deadlines through the openings tool. Escalates key issues impacting potential opening dates, working with key stakeholders to identify and implement solutions.

Your day to day
- Leads the hotel openings processes to ensure platforms are in place to deliver value and support to opening General Managers and Executive Teams, providing a comprehensive service from agreement execution to opening day.
- Ensures a comprehensive support platform for the pre-opening estate through monthly calls and site visits as milestone required to monitor all critical tasks and provide solutions and support to overcome potential obstacles.
- Working with the GM and key department managers to establish benchmark operational platform in line with the objective of delivering high performing, on brand, on target hotel openings.
- Monitor, tracks & reports progress of each hotel opening within assigned region. Ensures data within the tracking systems is updated within agreed timelines.
- Provides senior stakeholders with project milestone reports, highlighting performance and against target and clear action being taken to address potential issues impacting project performance.
- Work with the Regional and Area Operations support functions in project coordination, addressing potential support gaps and driving collaboration to ensure that talent and resources within the region are fully leveraged to support the needs of the opening.
- Address potential issues in a timely manner – keeping team focused and aware of the needs of the project to maintain date driven milestones as indicated and aligned with both internal and external stakeholders.
- Cascades information to GM and key department heads on changes to or new IHG brand and operational programs, brand initiatives or operational procedures.
- Work closely with Design and Engineering team & development team to understand pipeline for openings and rebranding’s to ensure supporting resources are applied in time to ensure deliverable timelines. Be capable to rally supporting taskforce for fast-track projects.
- Work closely with Owner to ensure communication on time, particularly on any changes needed for TOD, ensure to conduct owner letter for any non-compliance issues happening on the project, and always keep record for each site visit by sending site visit report to owner.

What we need from you
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Hotel Management, Business degree or equivalent experience
• Typically 4 years or more in hotel operations management or related experience. In-depth knowledge of operations to include F&B, quality, hotel operations, and marketing/sales principles. Effective communications and presentations skills. Excellent problem solving and organizational skills. Strong influencing, negotiating and consensus-building skills to deal effectively with different owner objectives balanced against IHG objectives.
• Exposure for opening of IHG branded hotel as one of key management leadership team member
• Motivated, results focused leader with solid leadership skills
• Understanding of hotel operational areas and performance levers
• Possess strong strategic, analytical, problem solving, influencing and negotiation skills
• Demonstrated commitment to brand management and quality
• Resilience to handling pressure of work