Leadership Accelerator Program (LAP) Trainee

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL); Mumbai; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) invites ambitious professionals to join a structured leadership program across multiple locations in India. You will rotate through core hotel functions, gain insights into operations, revenue generation, and guest experience, and participate in business discussions to sharpen strategic insight.

Ideal candidates have 2–4 years in service industries, MBA/PG management, and a strong mix of business acumen, leadership, and stakeholder skills.

Qualifications

• 2-4 years of experience in a service-oriented industry.
• Experience in customer-facing functions such as Operations, Sales & Marketing, Customer Experience, or related areas.
• Demonstrates strong business, financial, and strategic acumen.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• High learning agility and problem-solving capability.
• Customer and employee-centric mindset.
• Executive presence, attention to detail, and personal maturity.
• Willingness to relocate and undertake assignments across India.
• Prior exposure to business projects, team leadership, or operational excellence initiatives will be an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Gain comprehensive understanding of core hotel functions through structured rotations.
• Build knowledge of hotel operations, revenue generation, customer experience, commercial performance, and people management.
• Participate in departmental reviews, projects, and business discussions to understand overall hotel performance.
• Develop strong business acumen and understanding of hotel profitability drivers.
• Analyze operational and financial performance indicators.
• Participate in strategic initiatives aimed at improving guest satisfaction, productivity, and commercial outcomes.
• Support business planning and execution initiatives at hotel level.
• Complete structured assignments across key hospitality functions.
• Undertake Deputy HOD responsibilities across multiple functions as part of the development journey.
• Progress to HOD-level exposure in selected functions based on performance and readiness.
• Participate in GM shadowing assignments to understand end-to-end hotel leadership.
• Participate in leadership development interventions, coaching sessions, assessments, learning journeys and mentorship engagements.
• Demonstrate capability to lead teams, influence stakeholders and drive collaborative outcomes.
• Apply learning from leadership programs to business situations and operational challenges.
• Champion guest-centricity across assignments.
• Build effective working relationships across hotel functions.
• Demonstrate commitment towards employee engagement and people development.
• Actively support initiatives that enhance guest experience and organizational culture.
• Lead or participate in cross-functional business projects.
• Present recommendations to hotel and corporate leadership teams.
• Contribute innovative solutions to operational and business challenges.
• Drive measurable outcomes through project implementation.

Skills

Leadership

Customer focus

Strategic thinking

Communication

Education

MBA / Post Graduate Degree in Management

Job description

Location: Multiple Locations Across India

Openings: Multiple

Experience: 2-4 Years

Qualification: MBA / Post Graduate Degree in Management or equivalent

Programme Start Date: January 2027

Job Objective

To develop a pipeline of future hotel leaders through an accelerated, structured learning journey that provides holistic exposure to hospitality business management, strategic decision-making, operational excellence, commercial functions, and people leadership. The program aims to prepare participants for future General Manager and senior leadership roles within IHCL.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Cross Functional Learning & Exposure

• Gain comprehensive understanding of core hotel functions through structured rotations.
• Build knowledge of hotel operations, revenue generation, customer experience, commercial performance, and people management.
• Participate in departmental reviews, projects, and business discussions to understand overall hotel performance.

Business Management Development

• Develop strong business acumen and understanding of hotel profitability drivers.
• Analyze operational and financial performance indicators.
• Participate in strategic initiatives aimed at improving guest satisfaction, productivity, and commercial outcomes.
• Support business planning and execution initiatives at hotel level.

Functional Rotations

• Complete structured assignments across key hospitality functions.
• Undertake Deputy HOD responsibilities across multiple functions as part of the development journey.
• Progress to HOD-level exposure in selected functions based on performance and readiness.
• Participate in GM shadowing assignments to understand end-to-end hotel leadership.

Leadership Development

• Participate in leadership development interventions, coaching sessions, assessments, learning journeys and mentorship engagements.
• Demonstrate capability to lead teams, influence stakeholders and drive collaborative outcomes.
• Apply learning from leadership programs to business situations and operational challenges.

Customer & Employee Engagement

• Champion guest-centricity across assignments.
• Build effective working relationships across hotel functions.
• Demonstrate commitment towards employee engagement and people development.
• Actively support initiatives that enhance guest experience and organizational culture.

Project Assignments

• Lead or participate in cross-functional business projects.
• Present recommendations to hotel and corporate leadership teams.
• Contribute innovative solutions to operational and business challenges.
• Drive measurable outcomes through project implementation.

We are seeking ambitious, customer-focused professionals who are passionate about building a long-term leadership career in hospitality.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• 2-4 years of experience in a service-oriented industry.
• Experience in customer-facing functions such as Operations, Sales & Marketing, Customer Experience, or related areas.
• Demonstrates strong business, financial, and strategic acumen.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• High learning agility and problem-solving capability.
• Customer and employee-centric mindset.
• Executive presence, attention to detail, and personal maturity.
• Willingness to relocate and undertake assignments across India.
• Prior exposure to business projects, team leadership, or operational excellence initiatives will be an advantage.

Attributes We Are Looking For

• Passion for hospitality as a business.
• Strong customer and employee orientation.
• Strategic thinking capability.
• High learning agility.
• Detail orientation.
• Problem-solving ability.
• Mobility and willingness to relocate across assignments.