Director, Franchise Opening Support (1 year contract) - Marriott - ref. q8695523

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Franchise Opening Support serves as a strategic leader for Marriott International's pre-opening franchised hotels in the APEC region. This role provides expertise, strategic guidance, and operational oversight to meet key milestones and operational disciplines during the pre-opening phase.

Working closely with disciple experts, the Director organizes, develops, and implements pre-opening processes for hotels, delivering essential support to key stakeholders. They provide the expertise needed to successfully implement brand service strategies and initiatives, ensuring a smooth transition into full operations post-opening.

Additionally, the Director acts as a key liaison with the Regional Team and discipline teams above the property level during the opening phase.

This role serves as the initial primary point of contact for questions about Operations, Brand Standards, Loyalty Programs, Brand Audits, Guest Voice, Brand Initiatives, and Quality Assurance.

• Owner & Stakeholder Relations: Build and maintain strong relationships with hotel owners, franchisees, and other key stakeholders, serving as the main point of contact for the operational leadership team.
• Operational Leadership: Guide the collective operational performance across the portfolio, ensuring compliance with brand standards, and supporting the leadership teams in operational excellence.
• Training & Development: Support training, recommendations, and conduct customized workshops as needed to ensure operational teams meet performance standards and brand expectations.
• Resource Sharing & Collaboration: Engage in resource development and sharing to support the franchise teams in roll-out initiatives, brand programs, and processes.
• Compliance & Quality Assurance: Ensure compliance with MI programs and assist in the roll-out of brand initiatives, audits, and quality assurance measures to guarantee operational excellence across the portfolio.
• Operational Excellence: Oversee and support all areas of operations, including Rooms Operations, Food & Beverage, Event Management, and related services, ensuring seamless execution in alignment with brand standards.
• Expansion & Scalability: Assist in the development of tools, resources, programs, and processes to support the growth of the franchise division, with a focus on scalability and sustainability.
• Handover: Provide a meaningful post opening handover and introduction to regional operations teams to take over support for the properties.

EXPECTED CONTRIBUTIONS

Pre-Opening Leadership & Support:

• Serve as the central point of contact for all pre-opening activities, acting as a liaison between Owners, Regional Teams, Hotel Teams, and Corporate/Continent support teams.
• Partner with stakeholders—including Owners, Property Teams, and Regional Leadership—in the planning and execution of all pre-opening tasks.
• Guide General Managers and their teams through the pre-opening process, including onboarding, critical path planning, sign-ups, and training coordination.
• Provide support, tools, and templates for pre-opening budgets, manning guides, operating supply estimates (5SU/OS&E), and other essential resources in alignment with brand standards.
• Coordinate and support Owner Kick-Off and Pre-Opening Countdown meetings, including content preparation and stakeholder engagement.
• Monitor progress of pre-opening milestones, escalate issues as necessary, and support resolution of any conflicts between stakeholders.
• Ensure operational readiness by overseeing compliance with local regulatory requirements, licenses, insurance, financial set-up, and statutory obligations.
• Align with stakeholders on confirmed opening dates and ensure all financial and operational requirements are met prior to launch.
• Support knowledge transfer and best practices through post-opening reviews and ongoing communication with hotel teams.

Franchise Operations Oversight:

• Act as the primary contact for on-property Franchise operations teams, fostering strong, consistent working relationships with General Managers and leadership teams.
• Drive operational performance across all property departments, using key metrics such as GuestVoice, loyalty program engagement, mobile services usage, and quality assurance scores.
• Provide guidance and daily support to franchise property teams on applying Marriott’s operational standards, tools, and brand initiatives effectively.
• Promote adoption of brand initiatives and ensure mandatory programs are executed successfully. Communicate optional initiatives and encourage engagement where appropriate.
• Conduct on-property diagnostics, performance reviews, and customized training workshops. Deliver actionable insights and follow-up support to close performance gaps.
• Analyze performance trends and business risks and work with stakeholders to implement corrective or growth strategies.
• Collaborate with Brand and Continental teams to pilot new programs and concepts, providing feedback from the field and ensuring franchisee perspectives are represented.

Training, Development & Stakeholder Engagement:

• Coordinate and support discipline-specific training sessions in partnership with CLS Discipline Leads, L&D teams, and Brand teams.
• Ensure operational and brand strategy alignment between franchise properties and broader organizational goals, especially considering structural differences from managed properties.
• Support the development and execution of programs, tools, and strategies that enhance service delivery, operational performance, and brand consistency.
• Provide input on innovation and system enhancements across disciplines such as F&B, Rooms, Events, Spa, and other key services.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of all brand philosophies, standards, service concepts, and operating systems to provide accurate and relevant guidance.

Performance Management & Reporting:

• Track and analyze hotel performance using internal tools and systems; report regularly to senior leadership on progress against KPIs.
• Partner with senior operations and franchise leaders to align franchise property performance with broader strategic targets and operational benchmarks.
• Establish and manage a consultancy-style support model ("pay-to-play") to deliver value-added services to franchise properties on demand.
• Participate in regular meetings and maintain active communication across all levels of the organization and with external stakeholders.
• Ensure full compliance with all corporate policies, procedures, and training requirements.
• Performs other duties as assigned to meet business needs

CANDIDATE PROFILE - KEY TALENTS AND EXPERIENCE DESIRED

Successful candidates should possess knowledge and experience as follows:

• Minimum of 5+ years of progressive experience in the hotel industry, with a strong background across key operational disciplines such as Rooms Operations, Food & Beverage, Event Management, and Quality Assurance.
• Recent on-property managerial experience in Rooms Division is required; Food & Beverage experience is strongly recommended.
• Previous pre-opening experience and experience within a franchise operation are preferred.
• Demonstrated success in evaluating business trends and implementing strategies that drive performance and mitigate risks.
• Strong financial acumen with proven skills in analysis, strategic planning, budgeting, negotiation, and interpreting contracts.
• Solid understanding of hotel systems and tools, including OPERA (required), Oracle MICROS (preferred), and proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (PowerPoint, Excel, Word); experience with Tableau is a plus.
• Prior experience in a chain environment is preferred; familiarity with Marriott/Starwood systems and standards is a distinct advantage.
• International experience and the ability to work effectively within a matrix organization are highly valued.
• Proven ability to manage owner relations and navigate complex stakeholder environments.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to independently lead multiple projects under pressure while delivering results.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills to support cross-functional teams and property leadership.

Education or Certification

A qualified Hospitality Management or Business/Operations Management degree is preferred.

• Language Requirements: High proficiency (speaking, reading and writing) in English is required. Additional language proficiency is advantageous.
• Travel Requirements: There is up to 40-50% business travel required.

Our greatest strength lies in the rich blend of culture, talent, and experiences of our associates. We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, including disability, veteran status, or other basis protected by applicable law.

Marriott International is the world’s largest hotel company, with more brands, more hotels and more opportunities for associates to grow and succeed. Be where you can do your best work, begin your purpose, belong to an amazing global team, and become the best version of you.