Program Activation & Enablement Senior Manager

Choice Hotels International; North Bethesda (MD); On-site; USD 115,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Holidays and paid time-off

Retirement and HSA benefits

Employee recognition programs

Hotel discounts

Job summary

Choice Hotels International seeks a Program Activation & Enablement Senior Manager in North Bethesda, MD to lead activation across the enterprise and franchise network. You will own Deployment Blueprint, governance, readiness processes, and measure adoption and outcomes.

Collaborating with program leaders and cross-functional teams, translate strategy into execution, drive continuous improvement, and advance AI-enabled deployment planning and enablement across the organization.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in program management, business operations, transformation, strategic planning, or related disciplines.
• Experience leading complex cross-functional initiatives with multiple stakeholders.
• Experience driving adoption and organizational readiness for large-scale programs.
• Experience developing governance models, deployment methodologies, or operational excellence programs.
• Experience evaluating initiative impacts, dependencies, risks, and resource requirements within a portfolio environment.
• Experience utilizing AI-enabled solutions or automation tools to improve delivery.

Responsibilities

• Own and enhance the enterprise program activation framework, Deployment Blueprint, governance model, tools, and standards.
• Define implementation strategies, deployment plans, readiness requirements, stakeholder engagement approaches, and adoption objectives.
• Lead activation planning to operationalize initiatives across the organization and franchise network.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration among leaders, Operations, Technology, Marketing, Learning, Communications, and others.
• Manage intake process and activation pipeline with visibility into priorities, sequencing, and timelines.
• Assess readiness, operational impacts, risks, and dependencies for portfolio planning.
• Monitor execution, milestones, risks, mitigations, and outcomes across initiatives.
• Establish governance processes for transparency and executive visibility into deployment.
• Develop measurements to evaluate adoption, execution quality, and business outcomes.
• Analyze deployment performance and feedback to improve processes.
• Lead roadmap and adoption of AI-enabled tools to improve planning and efficiency.
• Create playbooks, templates, best practices for consistent activation.
• Serve as SME on activation, governance, and change enablement practices.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Skills

PowerPoint

Excel

Word/Teams

SharePoint

PM platforms

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

PMP / Change Mgmt / Lean Six Sigma (preferred)

Tools

Project management platforms

Portfolio management platforms

Collaboration tools

Workflow platforms

Job description

JOB SUMMARY

Choice Hotels has an exciting opportunity for a Program Activation & Enablement Senior Manager within the Segment & Commercial Operations organization. This role is responsible for leading the program activation capability that enables successful deployment and adoption of strategic initiatives across the enterprise and franchise network. The position owns the Deployment Blueprint, activation governance framework, implementation standards, and organizational readiness processes that support effective program execution. Working closely with Program Leaders, Segment Leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders, this role helps translate strategy into execution while driving adoption, alignment, and measurable business outcomes. This highly visible position serves as a key advisor and activation leader across multiple enterprise initiatives.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own and continuously enhance the enterprise program activation framework, Deployment Blueprint, governance model, tools, and standards used to launch and scale strategic initiatives successfully.

• Partner with Program Leaders to define implementation strategies, deployment plans, readiness requirements, stakeholder engagement approaches, and adoption objectives.

• Lead activation planning efforts that ensure strategic initiatives are effectively operationalized across the organization and franchise network.

• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration among Program Leaders, Segment Leadership, Operations, Technology, Marketing, Learning, Communications, and other stakeholders to align execution efforts.

• Manage the enterprise initiative intake process and activation pipeline, providing visibility into priorities, sequencing, dependencies, resource requirements, and implementation timelines.

• Assess organizational readiness, operational impacts, change implications, risks, and dependencies to support portfolio planning and informed decision making.

• Monitor program execution across multiple initiatives, tracking milestones, risks, mitigation strategies, stakeholder engagement activities, and implementation outcomes.

• Establish and maintain governance processes that provide transparency, accountability, and executive visibility into strategic initiative deployment.

• Develop measurements and success indicators to evaluate implementation effectiveness, stakeholder adoption, execution quality, and business outcomes.

• Analyze deployment performance and stakeholder feedback to identify opportunities for process improvement and increased program effectiveness.

• Lead the roadmap and adoption of AI-enabled tools and capabilities that improve deployment planning, communications, execution efficiency, and organizational effectiveness.

• Create and maintain frameworks, playbooks, templates, best practices, and enablement resources that support consistent program activation across the enterprise.

• Serve as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert on activation, implementation planning, organizational readiness, governance, and change enablement practices.

• Drive a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, accountability, and operational excellence in program execution and adoption efforts.

QUALIFICATIONS

Employment Experience

• 7+ years of experience in program management, business operations, transformation, strategic planning, consulting, organizational effectiveness, change management, implementation, or related disciplines.

• Experience leading complex cross-functional initiatives involving multiple stakeholder groups and competing priorities.

• Demonstrated success driving adoption and organizational readiness for large-scale strategic programs or enterprise initiatives.

• Experience developing governance models, implementation frameworks, deployment methodologies, or operational excellence programs.

• Experience evaluating initiative impacts, dependencies, risks, and resource requirements within a portfolio management environment.

• Experience utilizing AI-enabled solutions, automation tools, or advanced technologies to improve operational effectiveness and program delivery.

Technical Skills

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Teams, and SharePoint.

• Experience with project management, portfolio management, collaboration, and workflow management platforms.

• Ability to leverage AI tools to improve communications, planning, reporting, stakeholder engagement, and operational efficiency.

• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills used to evaluate adoption and implementation effectiveness.

Education Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, Organizational Leadership, Operations, Strategy, Communications, or a related field or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.

• Project Management Professional (PMP), Change Management, Lean Six Sigma, or related certifications are preferred but not required.

SALARY RANGE

The salary range for this position is $114,907 - $135,184. In addition to the annual salary, this role is eligible for an annual bonus based on the terms of Choice’s Management Incentive Plan (MIP).

Choice prioritizes our associate wellbeing by offering a comprehensive benefits program that is both competitive and flexible to help you achieve your wellbeing goals - here are just a few:

• Competitive compensation and benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Leave and paid time-off for holidays, vacation, personal, family, volunteer, sick, jury duty, bereavement, military, and religious observance
• Financial benefits for retirement and health savings
• Employee recognition programs
• Discounts at Choice hotels worldwide

About Choice

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world. With 7,500 hotels in 45+ countries and territories, we offer a range of high-quality lodging options in the upper upscale, upper midscale, midscale, extended stay, and economy segments. We’re the hotel company for those who choose to bet on themselves — the striver, the dreamer, the entrepreneur — because that’s who we are, too.

At Choice, we are united by the simple belief that tomorrow will even better than today — for associates, our company, and our franchisees. At our worldwide corporate headquarters in North Bethesda, Maryland, at our technology center in Scottsdale, Arizona, and through our associates around the globe, every voice is heard and every idea is listened to, no matter what area of the company they come from. We are united in supporting the entrepreneurial dreams of our thousands of franchise owners, which propels us forward — giving our work at Choice a purpose larger than our business.

Our corporate office locations:

North Bethesda, MD

— Located at Pike & Rose, our worldwide headquarters is less than 15 miles from Washington, D.C., one block away from the North Bethesda Metro station, with easy access to I-495, complimentary parking, electronic charging stations, restaurants and retail.

Scottsdale, AZ

— Located at the northwest corner of Loop 101, the Scottsdale office is home to our technology, eCommerce and customer service organizations, with easy access to complimentary parking, electronic charging stations, restaurants and retail.

Minneapolis, MN

— Select roles are based in our Minneapolis office on Highway 394, near the intersection with Highway 100, only five minutes from downtown.

Field/Remote

— Select roles designated as field/remote will require associates to work from a home office, connecting virtually with Choice team members and leadership on Zoom, with possible required travel depending on the role.

Choice’s Cultural Values

Welcome and Respect Everyone | Be Bold | Be Quick | Listen | Be Curious | Show Integrity

Choice’s Leadership Principles

Act with Intention | Lead with Authenticity | Grow & Deliver