Pre-Opening MD for 700-Room Marriott & Westin Renovation

Aimbridge Hospitality; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 200,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Aimbridge Hospitality seeks an experienced Hotel Managing Director to lead the pre-opening and launch of the 700‑room Marriott Cincinnati Convention Center Hotel, opening January 2029, and to oversee The Westin Cincinnati renovation. This dual‑property role requires strategic operations leadership and a proven opener track record.

You will build the pre-opening organization, coordinate with owners, Marriott, and construction teams, and align brand standards to establish Cincinnati’s citywide

Qualifications

• Prior pre-opening leadership experience for a full-service or convention hotel, including budgeting, staffing, systems implementation, and brand certification.
• At least 10 years of progressive hotel leadership experience in large, complex full-service or convention hotels; Marriott experience preferred.
• Experience with convention-center-connected hotels, citywide convention networks, destination partners, and group sales strategy.
• Experience leading major capital renovations in operating hotels.
• Previous General Manager, Managing Director, or senior executive hotel leadership experience required.
• Proven success driving financial performance, market share, guest satisfaction, associate engagement, owner relations, and high-performing teams.
• Strong communication, business acumen, relationship-building, problem-solving, and project management skills.
• Ability to lead two properties concurrently while balancing daily operations with disciplined pre-opening execution.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the pre-opening and opening Managing Director for the new 700-room Marriott hotel, owning the critical path through January 2029 opening and stabilization.
• Partner with ownership, Marriott, development, design, and construction teams on approvals, procurement, inspections, turnover, and readiness milestones.
• Build the pre-opening budget, operating pro forma, staffing model, executive committee, and full opening team.
• Implement operating systems, brand programs, SOPs, licensing, permits, and quality assurance requirements.
• Lead pre-opening sales, marketing, revenue strategy, food and beverage planning, and citywide convention positioning with Marriott, the convention center, and destination partners.
• Guide the transition from pre-opening to live operations, including first-90-days performance, guest satisfaction, and brand quality results.
• Lead The Westin Cincinnati’s $40 million renovation, managing phasing, capital spend, brand compliance, and communication with guests, groups, and associates.
• Oversee rooms, housekeeping, food and beverage, meetings and events, sales, revenue management, engineering, finance, and guest experience.
• Partner with property leadership on budgets, forecasts, business plans, market strategy, and performance action plans.
• Maintain high standards for service, cleanliness, presentation, preventative maintenance, and operational readiness throughout the renovation.

Skills

Pre-opening leadership

Budgeting

Staffing

Systems implementation

Brand certification

Owner relations

Financial performance

Executive leadership

Two-property leadership

Project management

Job description

Aimbridge Hospitality seeks an experienced Hotel Managing Director to lead the pre-opening and launch of the 700‑room Marriott Cincinnati Convention Center Hotel, opening January 2029, and to oversee The Westin Cincinnati renovation. This dual‑property role requires strategic operations leadership and a proven opener track record.

You will build the pre-opening organization, coordinate with owners, Marriott, and construction teams, and align brand standards to establish Cincinnati’s citywide