Director Development, Essentials & Suites - Western Canada

IHG Hotels & Resorts; Atlanta (GA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Room discounts across properties

Recharge days & volunteering days

Wellbeing program (myWellbeing)

Job summary

IHG Hotels & Resorts is seeking a seasoned Franchise Sales & Development leader in the United States. The role drives regional strategy, identifies qualified prospects, negotiates franchise deals, and coordinates licensing and financial due diligence to close opportunities.

You will work with ownership groups, developers and institutional partners to grow IHG's brand portfolio. The ideal candidate brings 8–10 years in franchise sales/development with strong project management and financial

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's in Business/Real Estate/Finance/Hotel Management or equivalent.
• 8-10 years in franchise sales/development; 5-7 years leading large projects in hospitality.
• Strong project management, negotiation and financial analysis skills.

Responsibilities

• Execute regional development plans to maximize brand distribution, drive growth and shareholder value.
• Prospect, negotiate, and close franchise sales within assigned territories with key decision makers.
• Identify joint venture or management contract opportunities and research market potential.
• Coordinate franchise licensing processes and monitor deal financials and compliance.
• Develop annual business plans aligned with development activities and timelines.
• Build network with investors and financial institutions to generate deal leads.

Skills

Project management

Communication

Negotiation

Financial analysis

Sales & marketing

Franchise contracts

Education

Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Business, Real Estate, Finance, Hotel Management

Job description

Role Purpose
Execute franchise sales and business development strategies for assigned territory to achieve sales and development quotas. Expand and maintain the distribution of assigned brand portfolio. Lead key stakeholders in the deal process to prospect, qualify, structure, negotiate and close franchise deals. Demonstrate behavioral proficiencies as defined in the Developers Competency and Skill Matrix to include Business Development Expertise, Organizing, Market Knowledge, Technical Skills and Managing Relationships. Role Purpose
Execute franchise sales and business development strategies for assigned territory to achieve sales and development quotas. Expand and maintain the distribution of assigned brand portfolio. Lead key stakeholders in the deal process to prospect, qualify, structure, negotiate and close franchise deals. Demonstrate behavioral proficiencies as defined in the Developers Competency and Skill Matrix to include Business Development Expertise, Organizing, Market Knowledge, Technical Skills and Managing Relationships. Key Accountabilities

• Effectively execute a regional development plan for assigned brands that promotes the maximization of each brand's distribution within the territory, drives earnings and fee income, and promotes the growth of shareholder value. Attain annual territory growth quotas as developed by management. Utilize proven strategies to aggressively improve results that fall below plan.
• Prospect, negotiate, and/or close specialized franchise sales deals in assigned geographical territories and target markets. Utilize knowledge of all major owners, developers and decision makers in assigned territory. Continuously research developments in related industries (e.g. office, retail, etc) to recognize emerging markets and opportunities.
• Provide leads for potential joint ventures and management contracts. Use a wide variety of resources to research territory and identify qualified prospects.
• Coordinate application/licensing process with Franchise Administration to ensure proper licensing agreements on franchised hotels. Monitor financial and administrative parameters surrounding franchise agreements as necessary.
• Within assigned territory, assist in developing short and long-term franchise acquisition and disposition strategies/identifying targets that are consistent with brand growth, profitability and strategic objectives. Prepare and maintain annual business plans that align with development activities and timetables.
• Call on investment groups, financial institutions, insurance companies, asset managers, individual investors, etc. to develop a network of contacts, build customer relationships that yield deal leads, and keep abreast of hotel development opportunities in the assigned marketplace.
• Participate in the evaluation of financial opportunities of prospective applicants to determine viability of prospect. Use the P&Ls of hotels in the market, average costs of development, etc. to determine the strength of the market to support deals. Research and utilize interest rates, financing options, operating costs, and other data required to pencil out and drive deals.
• Manage deals through closing to ensure coordination of all financial and legal documentation and the resolution of issues as they pertain to contractual agreements prior to hotel opening; and follow the completion and implementation of deal and hand-off to VP of Asset Management/Owner Relations and/or Operations as appropriate.
  

Key Skills & Experiences
Education -
Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Business, Real Estate, Finance, Hotel Management or a relevant field of work, or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience.
Experience -
8-10 years progressive work related experience in franchise sales and/or development, with demonstrated proficiency in multiple disciplines/technologies/processes related to the position as well as 5-7 years managing significant complex projects, typically in hotel operations or a similar environment.
Technical Skills and Knowledge -

• Demonstrated project management experience in organizing, planning and executing large-scale financial and sales projects from conception through implementation.
• Demonstrated effective verbal and written communication skills for the purpose of providing information to clients, vendors, senior management and staff. Gets clients involved and engaged by asking questions, consistently relating to client's goals, and building the value of the opportunity.
• Demonstrated business/financial negotiation and influencing/consensus building skills
• Demonstrated ability to understand financial structures and deal valuation concepts
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of effective sales and marketing strategies such as client prospecting and cultivation, new product evaluation, brand positioning and strategic fit
• Demonstrated experience in franchise contract negotiation from prospecting investors to closing the deal.
  

At IHG Hotels & Resorts, we work together to deliver True Hospitality for Good on a global scale. With corporate offices and over 6,000 hotel destinations worldwide, a career at IHG is the perfect way to broaden your horizons. You’ll experience our unique culture and brilliant colleagues who will support and inspire you. With a host of corporate opportunities to choose from, wherever you are on your career journey, and whatever you want to achieve there’s Room for You at IHG.
Over recent years, we’ve transformed our company. We have bold ambitions to drive performance and maintain our relentless focus on growth in order to be the hotel company of choice that guests & owners love.
We are a hospitality business at our core and value connections and being together helps us foster a unique sense of belonging that also supports productivity. That’s why here at IHG, we give our colleagues flexibility and balance – working in a hybrid way, blending office and remote working collectively. We recognise that every role is different, that’s why leaders work with teams to determine how and when they collaborate.
We provide a wide range of benefits designed to help you live your best work life. These include impressive room discounts across our many properties, recharge days and volunteering days throughout the year. Through our myWellbeing framework, we are committed to supporting wellbeing in your health, lifestyle, and workplace. We offer a unique and inclusive culture, where there is always Room for You to belong, grow and make a difference.
Our mission is to welcome everyone and create inclusive teams where we celebrate difference and encourage colleagues to bring their whole selves to work. IHG Hotels & Resorts provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other category protected by applicable laws. We promote a culture of trust, support, and acceptance. Always welcoming different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
Important information:

• The salary range listed is the lowest to highest pay scale we, in good faith, believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and the range may be modified in the future. An employee’s pay position within the pay range will be based on several factors, including relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, and business or organizational needs.
• No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until it is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, or other form of compensation allocable to a particular employee remain in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.
• For roles or applicants in San Francisco only: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.