Divisional Director of Engineering and Maintenance | Southern Europe

Belmond; Milano; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Permanent contract under CCNL Turismo

Competitive salary and life insurance

Complimentary experiences at iconic

Harvard Management Online Training

Corporate Belmond and LVMH benefits

Job summary

Belmond is seeking a Divisional Director of Engineering to oversee maintenance and engineering across thirteen hotels in Southern Europe. The role requires strategic leadership of complex engineering systems, capital projects, and heritage property upkeep to uphold Belmond's luxury standards.

You will drive safety, energy efficiency, and sustainability while managing budgets, vendor contracts, and a high-performing team of hotel engineers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a related field.
• Proven track record managing large-scale new construction and renovation projects.
• Extensive knowledge of designing, calculating and maintaining hotel engineering installations (electric, heating, cooling, plumbing, HVAC, lifts).
• Knowledge of fire protection, fire detection, fire alarm systems, and communications (PABX, WiFi, data network).
• Familiarity with regulations, codes and standards applicable to hotel engineering.
• Strong focus on energy efficiency and sustainability in hotel operations.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and leadership abilities.
• Experience in luxury hotels and implementing sustainable practices (LEED, EarthCheck, etc.).
• Fluency in English and proactive approach.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering aspects of renovations, new developments, and capital expenditure projects from conception to completion.
• Collaborate with Design & Construction teams to meet engineering specifications, budgets, and timelines; oversee commissioning for optimal functionality.
• Provide guidance to hotel Directors of Engineering and audit compliance with Belmond standards.
• Develop and manage divisional engineering budgets (CapEx and OpEx); monitor spending and identify cost savings.
• Manage energy consumption initiatives and integrate sustainability into operations.
• Establish and maintain vendor relationships; negotiate contracts for services, supplies, and equipment.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Energy management

Sustainability

Communication

Problem-solving

Hospitality industry experience

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Mechanical/Civil Engineering or related field

Tools

Maintenance software

BMS

EMS

Job description

The Divisional Director of Engineering will be a pivotal leader responsible for overseeing all the Maintenance and Engineering aspects required to safely and successfully set up and operate the thirteen hotels of the Division Southern Europe, while striving towards Belmond's brand strategy of being the number one luxury travel experience in the world.

It is essential that the successful candidate understands hotel operational Engineering and Maintenance procedures, whilst also having a deep understanding in respect to the design and installation of a variety of engineering systems in a luxury hotel environment. Moreover, the engineering activities relating to maintaining heritage properties will be essential.

This role demands a solution-driven highly experienced and strategic individual who can ensure the highest standards of operational excellence, efficiency, safety, and guest satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities will include

• Lead and manage the engineering aspects of major renovations, new developments and capital expenditure projects, from conception to completion.
• Collaborate closely with the Design & Construction teams to ensure engineering specifications, budgets, and timelines are met, and oversee commissioning processes ensuring optimal functionality and performance, and long-term maintainability
• Provide expert guidance and leadership to hotel-level Directors of Engineering and their teams, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, safety, and proactive maintenance. Conduct regular property visits and audits to assess engineering performance, identify areas for improvement, and ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements and Belmond standards.
• Develop and manage divisional engineering budgets (CapEx and OpEx), monitor spending, identify cost savings, and ensure financial accountability for all engineering activities
• Manage and optimize energy consumption initiatives, implementing sustainable practices and technologies to reduce environmental impact and operational costs. Actively support and integrate sustainability principles into all engineering and energy-related operations, seeking innovative solutions for environmental stewardship
• Establish and maintain vendor relationships, negotiating contracts for services, supplies, and equipment to ensure quality and cost-effectiveness.

Main goals and challenges will be

• Ensure engineering policies and best practise are being followed consistently in the Division, in regards to all Engineering and Maintenance related activities: preventative and corrective maintenance, maintenance plans, etc
• Monitor and coordinate with external contractors engage in preventative and corrective maintenance, repairs, executions and other related works
• Achieve an excellent level of maintenance across the portfolio, in all disciplines, paying special attention to details such as paint and wood finishes, marble and stone polishing, lighting, temperature, and any other point related to the guest experience that may affected by maintenance
• Provide technical support in relation to engineering related activities during the lifecycle of the renovations or CapEx projects
• Coach, mentor and develop the Engineering & maintenance team
• The candidate must be flexible to work based on the operational needs of the properties, and occasionaly be available weekends and public holidays, and travel intensively

The Divisional Director of Engineering will be a pivotal leader responsible for overseeing all the Maintenance and Engineering aspects required to safely and successfully set up and operate the thirteen hotels of the Division Southern Europe, while striving towards Belmond's brand strategy of being the number one luxury travel experience in the world.

It is essential that the successful candidate understands hotel operational Engineering and Maintenance procedures, whilst also having a deep understanding in respect to the design and installation of a variety of engineering systems in a luxury hotel environment. Moreover, the engineering activities relating to maintaining heritage properties will be essential.

This role demands a solution-driven highly experienced and strategic individual who can ensure the highest standards of operational excellence, efficiency, safety, and guest satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities will include

• Lead and manage the engineering aspects of major renovations, new developments and capital expenditure projects, from conception to completion.
• Collaborate closely with the Design & Construction teams to ensure engineering specifications, budgets, and timelines are met, and oversee commissioning processes ensuring optimal functionality and performance, and long-term maintainability
• Provide expert guidance and leadership to hotel-level Directors of Engineering and their teams, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, safety, and proactive maintenance. Conduct regular property visits and audits to assess engineering performance, identify areas for improvement, and ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements and Belmond standards.
• Develop and manage divisional engineering budgets (CapEx and OpEx), monitor spending, identify cost savings, and ensure financial accountability for all engineering activities
• Manage and optimize energy consumption initiatives, implementing sustainable practices and technologies to reduce environmental impact and operational costs. Actively support and integrate sustainability principles into all engineering and energy-related operations, seeking innovative solutions for environmental stewardship
• Establish and maintain vendor relationships, negotiating contracts for services, supplies, and equipment to ensure quality and cost-effectiveness.

Main goals and challenges will be

• Ensure engineering policies and best practise are being followed consistently in the Division, in regards to all Engineering and Maintenance related activities: preventative and corrective maintenance, maintenance plans, etc
• Monitor and coordinate with external contractors engage in preventative and corrective maintenance, repairs, executions and other related works
• Achieve an excellent level of maintenance across the portfolio, in all disciplines, paying special attention to details such as paint and wood finishes, marble and stone polishing, lighting, temperature, and any other point related to the guest experience that may affected by maintenance
• Provide technical support in relation to engineering related activities during the lifecycle of the renovations or CapEx projects
• Coach, mentor and develop the Engineering & maintenance team
• The candidate must be flexible to work based on the operational needs of the properties, and occasionaly be available weekends and public holidays, and travel intensively

Requirements

The candidate must have minimum 10 year experience in a similar role and will presents the following essential skills and qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a related field. Master's degree preferred
• Proven track record of managing large-scale new construction and renovation projects
• In-depth knowledge on the design, calculation and maintenance of engineering projects related to all the installations present in a hotel building: Electric installations (Low and medium Voltage), Heating production (boilers, heat pumps, solar, geothermal, etc...), Cooling production and direct expansion systems, Plumbing and water treatment, HVAC, lifts, etc
• A good knowledge of Fire protection, fire detection and fire alarm systems, and communications (PABX, WiFi, data network, etc).
• In-depth knowledge of the regulation, codes and standards applicable to the described systems
• Good knowledge of the energy efficiency field and state-of-the-art technologies to achieve energy savings
• Strong and effective communication and problem-solving abilities. Exceptional leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders
• Experience gained with luxury hotels
• Demonstrated experience in implementing sustainable practices and technologies in hotel operations and design. Knowledge in sustainability practices in the industry, such as LEED, BREAM or EarthCheck
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal
• Ability to use initiative and be proactive

Highly desirable skills and qualifications

• Knowledge of project management and property management processes
• Previous experience managing MEP system renovation projects, ideally with experience renovating heritage properties
• Advanced computer skills (Maintenance software, Office programs, BMS, EMS, etc.)

Benefits

At Belmond we pride ourselves on fostering a culture built on kindness, active listening, and genuine connections with our colleagues and guests. We offer a comprehensive range of compensation, perks and benefits including:

• Permanent contract within CCNL Turismo Federalberghi
• Competitive salary, incentive plan and life insurance.
• Complimentary and preferred rate experiences at our iconic destinations.
• Harvard Management Online Training.
• Corporate Belmond and LVMH Benefits.

We strive to create an environment where our employees can thrive both personally and professionally. With a commitment to your ongoing development, you'll have the opportunity to learn and grow alongside some of the most talented individuals in the industry. Join us and be part of creating unforgettable moments for our guests, communities, and each other.

The Belmond & LVMH Family

Belmond is proud to be part of LVMH, and the Belmond global collection of iconic hotels, trains and river cruises, all creating exceptional experiences worldwide. When you join one of our properties, you join a global family of history-rich hotels and breathtaking destinations, where our employees are at the heart of the Belmond experience.