Project Manager

Daikan Hospitality Group; Dubai; On-site; AED 280,000 - 440,000; Full time

Job summary

Daikan Hospitality Group is seeking a Project Manager - Restaurant Development to lead openings, refurbishments, relocations, and improvements from pre-opening through post-opening.

You will coordinate Senior Leadership, Operations, Culinary, Procurement, HR, Finance, and external contractors to deliver on time, within budget, and to brand standards across live sites in Dubai.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in restaurant/hospitality project management with pre-opening experience.
• Experience with renovations, refurbishments, relocations and improvements in live restaurants.
• Hands-on across design, fit-out, licensing, procurement, and readiness.
• Understanding UAE regulatory requirements for food service.
• Proven ability to manage contractors, vendors, budgets and stakeholders.
• Strong planning, organization, problem-solving and commercial skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management, including senior leadership.
• Willingness to travel between sites and work flexible hours during pre-opening.

Responsibilities

• Own project plans, timelines, milestones for openings and ongoing projects.
• Coordinate architects, designers, contractors, FF&E, equipment, and vendors.
• Manage permits, licenses, food safety, and regulatory approvals.
• Coordinate recruitment, training, systems, SOPs, menus, trials, and soft openings.
• Lead refurbishments, relocations, and operational improvements post-opening.
• Control budgets, procurement, and spend against approved costs.
• Coordinate internal teams and external partners, track risks and report progress.
• Ensure smooth handover of projects to Operations with minimal business disruption.

Skills

Project management

Pre-opening experience

Budgeting

Vendor management

Stakeholder management

Communication

Planning

Travel flexibility

Tools

MS Project

Excel

Job description

The Project Manager - Restaurant Development leads Daikan Hospitality Group's restaurant projects from pre-opening through post-opening. They oversee new openings, refurbishments, renovations, relocations, and operational improvement projects, ensuring delivery on time, within budget, and to brand standards. Acting as the single point of accountability, the role coordinates Senior Leadership, Operations, Culinary, Procurement, HR, Finance, and external contractors. It requires strong project management, commercial judgment, and the ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders across both new and existing restaurants.

Job Description

• Project Planning & Delivery: Own project plans, timelines, milestones, and checklists for new openings and ongoing restaurant projects.
• Design & Fit-Out: Coordinate architects, designers, contractors, FF&E, kitchen equipment, and vendors to ensure quality, cost, and timeline targets are met.
• Licensing & Compliance: Manage all required permits, licenses, food safety, civil defense, and regulatory approvals.
• Pre-Opening Readiness: Coordinate recruitment, training, systems, SOPs, menus, trial runs, and soft openings to ensure operational readiness.
• Post-Opening Projects: Lead refurbishments, renovations, relocations, refits, operational improvements, and future site development.
• Budget & Cost Control: Manage project budgets, procurement, negotiations, and spend against approved costs.
• Stakeholder Management: Act as the central project lead, coordinating internal teams and external partners, tracking risks, resolving issues, and reporting progress to Senior Leadership.
• Project Handover: Ensure smooth completion and handover of all projects to Operations with minimal disruption to trading.

Requirements

• 5+ years' project management experience in restaurant/hospitality, with proven standalone restaurant pre-opening experience.
• Experience managing renovations, refurbishments, relocations, and operational improvement projects in live restaurants.
• Strong hands-on experience across design, fit-out, licensing, procurement, and operational readiness.
• Good understanding of restaurant BOH/FOH layouts, kitchen equipment, and UAE regulatory requirements.
• Proven ability to manage contractors, vendors, budgets, and multiple stakeholders.
• Strong planning, organization, problem-solving, and commercial skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, including senior leadership and ownership.
• Proficient in MS Project, Excel, and project management tools.
• Willingness to travel between sites and work flexible hours during pre-opening periods.
• High integrity, ownership, attention to detail, and ability to deliver under pressure.