Director of Operations - Hotel Development & Pre-Opening

Tanqeeb; Manama; On-site; BHD 39,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Expat family benefits

Schooling assistance

Job summary

Tanqeeb, partnering with a leading hospitality group, seeks a Director of Operations to oversee hotel development, conversions and pre-openings in the Middle East and Africa from Bahrain. You will lead an above-property team, ensure brand standards, and secure operational readiness from day one.

The ideal candidate has deep hotel operations and pre-opening experience, regional leadership in a 5* group, strong GCC knowledge, and the ability to engage owners and franchisees.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in hotel operations with a focus on pre-openings and development.
• Above-property or regional leadership experience in an international 5* hotel group is essential.
• Strong knowledge of the GCC hospitality market and related regulatory contexts.
• Experience managing hospitality projects in Africa is advantageous.
• Exceptional stakeholder management with owners, franchisees and executive leadership.
• Arabic language skills are preferred; ability to travel to Makkah is required.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational execution of hotel development, conversion and pre-opening projects across the portfolio.
• Oversee delivery of Hotel Management Agreement and Technical Services Agreement obligations and milestones.
• Drive the full pre-opening critical path with owners, franchise partners and on-property teams.
• Provide hands-on operational guidance to hotel management through development, conversion and opening phases.
• Act as liaison between owners, franchisees, brand representatives and corporate leadership, ensuring clear communication.
• Monitor brand standards, product quality, systems implementation and operational readiness for opening approval.
• Report progress, risks and mitigation strategies to Group CEO.

Skills

Hotel operations

Pre-opening

Stakeholder management

Leadership

GCC market knowledge

Arabic language

Travel readiness

Job description

Director of Operations - Hotel Development & Pre-Opening

Industry Offshore Structural Engineering and Energy Services

Director of Operations – Hotel Development & Pre-Opening
Location: Bahrain
Salary: BD 3,500–4,000 (inclusive of allowances) + Expat Family Benefits

We are partnering with a leading hospitality group to appoint an experienced Director of Operations to oversee a portfolio of exciting hotel development, conversion and pre-opening projects across the Middle East and Africa.

This is a senior, above-property leadership role, ideal for a hospitality professional with extensive experience in hotel openings, owner relations and operational excellence. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in ensuring projects are delivered on time, to brand standards and with operational readiness from day one.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the operational execution of hotel development, conversion and pre-opening projects across the portfolio.
• Oversee the delivery of Hotel Management Agreement and Technical Services Agreement obligations, ensuring all operational milestones are achieved.
• Drive the full pre-opening critical path, coordinating closely with owners, franchise partners and on-property leadership teams to ensure successful hotel launches.
• Provide hands-on operational guidance and support to hotel management teams throughout development, conversion and opening phases.
• Act as the primary liaison between owners, franchisees, brand representatives and corporate leadership, managing relationships and ensuring clear communication throughout each project.
• Monitor brand standards, product quality, systems implementation and operational readiness, making recommendations for opening approval.
• Report project progress, risks and mitigation strategies directly to the Group CEO.

The Ideal Candidate – please read carefully:

• Significant experience in hotel operations with a strong background in pre-openings, conversions and hotel development.
• Previous above-property or regional operational leadership experience within an international 5* hotel group.
• Strong knowledge of the GCC, ideally Saudi Arabian hospitality market is essential
• Experience managing hospitality projects in Africa would be a distinct advantage.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills with the ability to build strong relationships with owners, franchisees and executive leadership.
• Arabic speaking is preferred and must be able to travel in Makkah

Package:

• BD 3,500–4,000 per month (inclusive of allowances)
• Comprehensive expatriate family benefits including family status, benefits and schooling assistance

This is an outstanding opportunity to join a dynamic hospitality group during an exciting period of growth, leading the successful delivery of high-profile hotel projects across multiple international markets.