Development Director - Hospitality & Branded Residences

Dokainish & Company; United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A global consultancy firm is seeking an experienced Development Director for a luxury hospitality project in Dubai. This full-time role involves leading the delivery of mixed-use branded residences, managing financial KPIs, and establishing partnerships with hotel operators. Ideal candidates will have over 12 years of hospitality development experience, including 5 in leadership roles, and a strong technical background in hospitality design. Knowledge of the Dubai/GCC market and a degree in a relevant field are essential.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in hospitality development with at least 5 years in leadership roles.
• Proven track record in delivering 5-star hotels or luxury branded residences.
• Strong understanding of hospitality market dynamics and operational feasibility.

Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive business plans and asset briefs for hospitality projects.
• Establish financial KPIs including cost estimates and ROI models.
• Manage relationships with branded operators and ensure design compliance.
• Lead technical coordination across operations and guest experience.
• Coordinate operational readiness planning including pre-opening activities.

Skills

Hospitality development expertise

Financial modeling

Technical knowledge of hospitality design

International hotel operator management

Understanding of brand positioning

Education

Degree in Architecture, Engineering, Hospitality Management, or related field

MBA preferred

Job description

About us

Dokainish& Company is a global organization that has been providing world class professional consultancy services since 2011. We have recently launched our MENA operations, headquartered in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. This expansion supports our strategy to serve government and private sector clients in capital projects across construction, infrastructure, energy, and commercial developments.

Overview

Dokainish& Company is seeking an experienced Development Director to lead the hospitality and branded residence delivery for a mixed-use high-end project in downtown Dubai. From owning the business plan, asset brief, and end-to-end delivery, from concept refinement through handover. We need someone experienced able to navigate complex brand partnerships while driving technical excellence and financial performance. This is a full-time position, and the selected candidate must be based in Dubai, or in the UAE, willing to independently relocate to Dubai.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver comprehensive business plan and asset brief for hospitality and branded residence offerings
• Establish financial KPIs including cost estimates, ROI models, and brand fee impact analysis
• Manage branded operator relationships, negotiate standards, resolve conflicts, ensure design/technical compliance
• Lead technical coordination across hotel operations, guest experience, and residential integration
• Define brand partnership frameworks balancing operator requirements with developer objectives
• Drive design excellence meeting both brand standards and project positioning requirements
• Manage consultant teams and contractor interfaces for hospitality-specific requirements (back-of-house, F&B, spa, operational spaces)
• Coordinate operational readiness planning including FF&E, OSE, technology systems, and pre-opening activities
• Ensure delivery timelines align with brand launch requirements and market entry strategy
• Navigate authority approvals specific to hospitality and tourism licensing

Background & Requirements

• 12+ years in hospitality development with 5+ years in leadership roles
• Proven delivery of 5-star hotels and/or luxury branded residence projects
• Strong technical knowledge of hospitality design, MEP systems, and operational requirements
• Demonstrated ability to develop business cases, financial models, and brand partnership economics
• Experience managing international hotel operators (Marriott, Accor, IHG, independent luxury brands)
• Deep understanding of hospitality market dynamics, brand positioning, and operational feasibility
• Track record balancing brand standards with cost discipline and schedule commitments
• Degree in Architecture, Engineering, Hospitality Management, or related field; MBA preferred
• US, Canada, UK, or Australian education preferred
• Dubai/GCC market experience essential

What Success looks like

• Business plan and asset brief delivered with clear brand partnership framework and financial parameters
• Project delivered on budget with brand standards met and operational readiness achieved
• Branded offerings command premium pricing with strong market differentiation
• Seamless brand operator transition with zero operational disruptions
• Hotel/residences achieve target RevPAR and absorption metrics

Note: This role description is intended to provide a general overview of the position. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills, or qualifications required.