Director Food & Beverage, Development & Openings Europe
Hilton
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Hilton is seeking an experienced F&B Director to lead the development and opening of world-class F&B concepts across Europe, including the UK & Ireland. You will drive end-to-end development from concept through to post-opening review, working with owners, developers, architects, operators and brand teams to deliver exceptional guest experiences and strong commercial performance.
The role requires extensive hotels/restaurants experience, strong project management, and the ability to influence
Qualifications
- Extensive operational experience in hotels/restaurants (front & back of house).
- Deep knowledge of F&B products, culinary, catering and equipment.
- Strong project management capability.
- Ability to influence and motivate beyond own team.
Responsibilities
- Lead end-to-end F&B concept development from design to opening and handover.
- Drive design excellence and adherence to Hilton standards across Front and Back of House.
- Manage pre-opening planning, value engineering decisions and post-opening reviews.
- Collaborate with owners, developers, architects and brand teams to ensure guest-centric, commercially successful venues.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Hilton is seeking an experienced and commercially minded F&B Director to drive the development and opening of world-class Food & Beverage concepts across Europe, including the UK & Ireland.
This is a unique opportunity to influence how Hilton's newest hotels come to life, leading the end-to-end F&B development journey from concept creation and design through to opening, operational handover and post-opening review. Working with hotel owners, developers, architects, operators and brand teams, you will ensure every F&B venue delivers exceptional guest experiences, strong commercial performance and operational excellence.
You will build and develop innovative F&B concepts that deliver:
- Operational excellence
- Commercial success
- Outstanding guest experiences
You'll own the design sign-off process across both Front and Back of House environments, ensuring:
- Efficient operational workflows
- Compliance with Hilton Development Design Standards
- Effective kitchen, bar and buffet installations
- Appropriate equipment specifications
- Space-efficient planning solutions
You will also lead owner and project meetings while managing external consultants throughout the development cycle.
Working closely with Operations & Technology, Regional F&B Directors and General Managers, you will:
- Lead F&B pre-opening planning
- Drive value engineering decisions
- Manage snagging and operational handover processes
- Ensure asset quality and operational readiness
- Conduct post-opening reviews and continuous improvement initiatives
Your focus will be on ensuring every new venue opens successfully and performs from day one.
Support masterplan, conversion and third‑party projects; Drive CAPEX review processes for F&D initiatives; Develop tools, resources and best practices for hotel teams; Champion sustainability throughout the project lifecycle; Introduce innovative operational solutions and emerging industry trends; Deliver presentations to senior leadership and regional stakeholders; Coach, mentor and develop wider team members, including interns.
Success in this role requires collaboration with a broad range of stakeholders, including:
- VP Architecture & Construction and European team
- Operations Leadership (CE & UK)
- Development teams across EMEA
- F&B Development & Operations Directors
- AD&C teams
- Pre-opening teams
- F&B Brand Services
- General Managers
- Owners, Asset Managers and Consultants
- Finance and HR teams
The individual must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities and be able to perform the essential functions of the job:
- Demonstrates extensive operational experience in hotels/restaurants – both front & back of house – 10 years.
- Excellent knowledge of F&B – including product, culinary, beverage, catering, equipment, design, build & operational workflows.
- Demonstrates Strong Project Management capability.
- Shows Leadership outside of direct team via excellent Influencing and Motivational skills.
- Verbal & Written Communication skills – up to executive level.
- Ability to Build Relationships across multiple functions & levels – both internal & external.
- Able to work in Detail without losing sight of Strategic Priorities.
- Acts as Business Owner for the new hotels – thinking long-term and beyond their own team.
- Shows willingness to be hands-on as necessary.
- Customer-centric – sees the customer first and last in everything.
- Critical thinking – has the ability to invent, critique and simplify.
- Strong IT skills, predominantly AutoCAD, Excel & PowerPoint.
- Capacity to Work Independently – shows Resilience and a "Can-Do" Attitude in the face of setbacks.
- Flexibility to travel extensively.
- University degree or Associates Diploma in Hospitality Management, or extensive relevant experience in lieu thereof.
- A second language would be desirable.
At Hilton, we don’t just deliver exceptional experiences for our guests—we build an exceptional workplace for the Team Members who make it all possible. As a global leader in hospitality, we’ve welcomed more than 3 billion guests worldwide, all while staying true to our founding vision: to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.
Our award-winning culture has earned us repeated recognition on the World’s Best Workplaces list by Great Place to Work and Fortune. With our suite of world-class brands, and a company-wide commitment to providing the best stay for every guest, we’re setting new standards for the future of travel.
Whether you’re starting your career or exploring something new, Hilton supports your journey every step of the way. Come for the job, stay for the career—and help us make every stay a little more magical.
Curious about life at Hilton? Explore our Careers Blog to see why we’re more than a great place to stay—we’re a great place to work.
At Hilton, the hospitality we’re known for doesn’t end with our guests. We proudly invest in our Team Members’ wellbeing, supporting you through all of life’s moments. When you join Hilton, our exceptional care extends to you with unmatched perks and benefits, including*:
- Incredible travel perks – Enjoy 110 nights of deeply discounted travel, with room rates as low as $40 USD/night at our world-class hotels through our Go Hilton travel program
- Own a piece of Hilton – Through our employee stock purchase program (ESPP), you can invest in Hilton shares at a 15% discount to help build your financial future
- Paid parental leave – Because family matters. We offer paid leave for eligible Team Members, including partners and adoptive parents
- Personalized caregiving support – Access dedicated caregiving concierge services to help navigate caregiving for yourself and your loved ones
- Crisis concierge – In times of loss, our Crisis Concierge offers a single, compassionate point of contact for both practical support and emotional care
- Mental health resources – Your wellbeing comes first. Through our Care for All hub, we provide resources to help our Team Members to care for themselves, care for members of their team, and care for their loved ones. Eligible Team Members receive free counseling and support through our best-in-class Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Benefits availability may vary depending on Team Member's location as well as terms and conditions of employment and are subject to the terms and conditions of each specific program/plan.
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