Commercial Director at Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre

Hilton; Dubai; On-site; AED 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading luxury hotel in Dubai seeks a Commercial Director to drive revenue performance and oversee the hotel's commercial strategy. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in the hospitality industry, especially in luxury hotels in UAE, and demonstrate strong leadership and sales expertise. The role emphasizes collaboration with various departments and stakeholders to maximize profitability and guest satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3+ years in a revenue generating role.
• Experience in luxury hotels in UAE.
• Proficiency in evaluating business opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the execution of the hotel’s commercial performance strategy.
• Develop and oversee annual commercial strategy and budget.
• Manage a high-performing commercial team.

Skills

Hospitality industry experience

Sales and marketing expertise

Team leadership

Financial analysis

Fluent in English

Job description

The Commercial Director of Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre, a Forbes 5-Star hotel, will lead the development and execution of the property’s commercial strategy across all segments and channels to maximize total revenue, market share, and profitability. This role oversees Sales, Conferences and Events, Marketing and Public Relations and Reservations functions in collaboration with hotel leadership and regional support teams, while acting as a strategic business partner to the General Manager and a brand ambassador with owners and key stakeholders.

What will I be doing?
As the Commercial Director, your role is to strategically lead and drive the hotel’s total commercial performance by setting and executing a clear business strategy across all revenue streams. This includes Rooms, Events, Food & Drinks, Leisure and Spa. You will lead a cross-functional team of Sales, Conferences and Events, Marketing and Public Relations, Reservations and Revenue professionals, collaborate closely with the Operations team and act as a key partner to the General Manager to position Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre, a Forbes 5-Star luxury hotel, as a market leader in profitability, commercial excellence and guest satisfaction.

You will be responsible for the following areas to the highest standards:

Commercial:

• Develop the annual commercial strategy and budget and lead its execution through effective use of Hilton’s Commercial Focus process and relevant business intelligence tools.
• Accountable for driving total revenue performance across all segments and channels while optimizing market share and cost of sale.
• Partner with the Director of Operations, Revenue, Sales, Marketing and other key stakeholders to ensure commercial targets are met or exceeded across Rooms, F&B, Spa, Events and other revenue-generating departments.
• Support the strategic planning of pricing and inventory management through collaboration with the centralized Revenue team.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key accounts, Hilton Worldwide Sales and business partners to create new opportunities and drive top-line results.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity and industry developments to identify strategic commercial opportunities and risks.
• Actively represent the hotel in commercial reviews, area calls and stakeholder presentations including Regional and Owner updates.
• Oversee and align local marketing, eCommerce and Public Relations activity with the hotel’s commercial vision in coordination with area and brand support teams.
  
  People:
  
• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing commercial team across Sales, Conferences and Events, Marketing and Public Relations and Reservations functions.
• Ensure succession planning and talent pipeline development for key commercial roles through active mentoring and performance management.
• Act as a commercial role model for the hotel and wider EMEA Hilton community by sharing best practices and developing future leaders.
• Establish a culture of accountability, collaboration and strategic thinking within the commercial team.
• Ensure appropriate communication processes are established and superior team engagement is in place.
• Be an active member of the hotel’s Executive Leadership Team, contributing to strategic direction and overall business success.
  
  Operations:
  
• Ensure all commercial systems and tools are used to their full potential and integrated into daily decision-making.
• Collaborate with department heads to support business planning, execution and review of revenue-driving initiatives.
• Review and approve sales contracts, proposals, pricing strategies and group business opportunities in alignment with forecast targets and revenue goals.
• Support the delivery of on-brand messaging and positioning across all digital and offline channels.
• Ensure the commercial strategy reflects guest expectations and brand standards while driving profitability.
  
  Financial:
  
• Deliver the hotel’s commercial revenue budget and support the General Manager and Finance team in achieving TGOP and EBITDA targets.
• Forecast and manage marketing, sales and business development expenses within approved budgets.
• Monitor return on investment of all commercial initiatives and optimize resource allocation for maximum impact.
• Track and analyze business performance to proactively adjust strategies in alignment with financial goals.
  

What are we looking for?

A Commercial Director serving the Waldorf Astoria brand is always working on behalf of our Guests and working with other Team Members. To successfully fill this role, you should maintain the attitude, behaviours, skills, and values that follow:

• Minimum of 3+ year’s hospitality/travel industry experience in a revenue generating or commercial services role.
• Minimum of 3+ years of experience presenting sales plans, presentations, etc. to senior level executives and constituent groups
• Previous experience in similar role in Luxury hotel in UAE.
• Experience in multiple disciplines with knowledge of Marketing and E-commerce.
• 3+ years working with departmental financial data to make strategic/tactical decisions.
• 3+ years of experience evaluating and identifying business opportunities for a business.
• At least 3 years of experience managing a sales or commercial team.
• Fluent in English.

It would be advantageous in this position for you to demonstrate the following capabilities and distinctions:

• 3+ years working in a multi-complex hotel/travel industry environment

• Local language, strong attribute to have.
  

What will it be like to work for Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts?

Waldorf Astoria provides guests the exceptional environment and the personalised attention of True Waldorf Service that creates a singular experience. If you understand the value of personalised attention and know how to treat even the most extraordinarily different experiences with the same rich level of customer service, you may just be the person we are looking for!