Hilton Hiring for Senior Director F&B Development, Openings & Operations MEA&T Job at Dubai Full Time

If you appreciate the impact global travel can have on the world, you may be just the person we are looking for to work as a Hilton Team Member. Because it’s with Hilton where we never forget the reason we’re here: to delight our guests, Team Members, and owners alike. Hilton is one of the largest and fastest growing hospitality companies in the world, with more than 6,600 properties and over 1 million rooms in 119 countries and territories.

In the 102 years since our founding, we have defined the hospitality industry and established a portfolio of 18 world-class brands, including our flagship Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand, which is the most recognized hotel brand in the world. We have more than 118 million members in our award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton Honors.

Position Statement:

Reporting to the VP F&B Strategy & Development EMEA, the role is responsible for supporting and driving the commercial F&B performance of MEA&T, delivering high quality profitable and innovative food and beverage concepts and solutions for both existing and pipeline managed hotels across all brands. The candidate will be responsible for leading a regional corporate F&B team, sitting on the MEA&T ExCom representing F&B and delivering the EMEA F&B strategy within region across all brands in conjunction with the VP Food & Beverage Development and Strategy. The candidate will work with Hilton stakeholders and owner’s representatives on developing and opening hotel F&B within budget, agreed timescales and ensure both new and existing properties deliver against commercial performance, guest satisfaction metrics, brand and legislative targets. The candidate will need to represent Hilton MEA&T F&B with external stakeholders such as owners, asset managers, contractors and investors. The candidate will be required to lead on key EMEA projects for example the Signature Restaurants programme.

What will I be doing?

F&B Operations

• Support the VP F&B Strategy deliver the EMEA F&B Strategy, annual plan, and key business objectives
• Partner with SVP/VP Operations to drive the performance of regional F&B
• Lead and direct a team of Regional F&B Directors to support all managed properties deliver agreed budgets, forecasts and commercial KPIs
• Builds and develops relationships within the wider industry to engage and support the Hilton F&B strategy and vision
• Partner with F&B Senior Commercial Finance Manager to identify trends and opportunities to maximize F&B performance across the region.
• Support Hiltons commercial forecasts and annual budget process
• Lead and direct a team of Regional F&B Directors to ensure that all properties work within Hilton brand standards, EMEA F&B Strategy, food safety, health & safety, compliance, and local legislative requirements
• Lead and support the Regional F&B Directors to ensure that the hotel teams are employing and attracting the highest caliber F&B teams and that development programmes and succession planning is in place. Ensure that the Regional F&B Directors are involved in the recruitment and promotion of senior F&B personnel within the hotel properties. Support and foster a culture of performance management to ensure the Regional F&B Directors are working with GMs and hotel property teams to maximize F&B performance through talent attraction and retention.
• Support the Regional F&B Directors through coaching, site visits, one to ones and performance management to achieve best in class performance and deliver against agreed budgets, KPIs, objectives and Hilton policies
• Support and lead on F&B initiatives such as ESG, new technology innovation, F&B products and implement new Hilton or legislative requirements as they arise
• Work with the Senior Culinary Director to ensure that all food brand standards are implemented. F&B Prototypes and concepts are relevant, commercial, innovative, and fit for purpose
• Work with Regional Directors and HSM to ensure that all bars are commercial and responding to consumer trends. Bar prototypes are relevant, commercial, and cutting edge
• Work with Brand Services & Product Development to ensure that Prototypes and Bespoke concepts are relevant for owners, Hilton brand, commercial and will meet the needs of Hilton guests. Work with F&B Brand services to implement operational SOPs for prototypes and bespoke concepts
• Partner with HSM to ensure that F&B purchasing is driving best in class product, innovation, and commercial opportunities for the hotel F&B operations
• Partner with Sales & Commercial to look at Group C&E opportunities within the region
• Partner with Innovation team and F&B Brand to understand and analyze F&B trends and ensure that they are incorporated in Hilton F&B concepts where relevant and commercially viable
• Work with Senior Marketing Director to ensure that EMEA strategy in terms of destination bars, signature restaurants, pop ups, innovation and digital marketing are all in place
• Support and lead F&B teams to deliver Hilton 2030 goals
• Support and lead on F&B Competitions, regional team activities such as Flavour & Flair, Roadshows, and conferences

Openings & Development

• Own the F&B Development process end to end delivering relevant F&B concepts in line with brand standards and ownership requirements that are commercially viable.
• Partner with Feasibility and Development to ensure that F&B input is considered on all potential deals in terms of Commercials, Brands and F&B concepts within the properties
• Partner with AD&C and Openings team to deliver all F&B concepts as per the agreed openings & development process
• Partner with F&B Brand Services & Product Development to ensure that all F&B programming is as per Hilton brand standards, owner’s requirements, commercially viable and will deliver innovative and compelling F&B propositions.
• Partner with F&B Business Development to programme and launch successful third-party concepts
• Support Openings & Hotel Property teams launch new F&B concepts
• Partner with AD&C, Real estate and hotel property teams and lead on the F&B Masterplans, Capex or PIPs in terms of F&B

Qualifications

• A minimum of five years regional F&B experience within the hotel, independent or retail sector
• Strong knowledge of F&B concept creation, project management and openings
• Good knowledge of both front of house and back of house equipment, layouts, and operating equipment
• Strong networker, first-class communicator with excellent relationship building skills
• First-class commercial skills. A thorough understanding of F&B profit and loss and driving commercial performance in the sectors of hotel, independent or retail F&B
• Strong leadership skills and an absolute passion for food and beverage
• A good understanding of F&B trends, marketing, and PR
• An understanding of technology within F&B
• An appreciation of food and beverage digital media
• Up to date on social media trends

Required Qualifications

• Minimum Education: Degree or equivalent or clear evidence of having worked their way up in the field of hospitality, F&B or retail. A mix of corporate and independent F&B experience would be highly desirable
• Strong experience in an F&B Regional Director or equivalent company level position is required
• Experience of leading teams or projects with a variety of stakeholders at various levels
• Strong knowledge and passion for F&B
• Good commercial acumen, analytical and P&L proficient
• Fluent in English
• PC Self Sufficient and good knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel, Internet, PowerPoint as a minimum)
• Experience of social media platforms and application to F&B would be a benefit
• Experience of the MEA&T market is essential

Preferred Qualifications

• A second language would be desirable