Director, Restaurant Openings & Concept Development at IHG Career

Atlanta, Georgia, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

15 Aug, 26

Salary

160000.0

Posted On

17 May, 26

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

F&B Concept Development, Project Management, Stakeholder Coordination, Market Research, Operational Readiness, Strategic Planning, Financial Acumen, Cross-functional Leadership, Vendor Management, Budgeting, Menu Development, Guest Experience Design

Industry

Hospitality

Description

The Director, Restaurant Openings & Concept Development is accountable for end‑to‑end Food & Beverage (F&B) readiness for New Hotel Openings (NHOP) and Re-concept/Renovations across the Luxury & Lifestyle and Managed hotel portfolio. This role owns the F&B concept development process, critical path, and governance, ensuring concepts are brand‑aligned, market‑relevant, operationally viable, and delivered on time to support development timelines. Concept development serves as the primary upstream input into restaurant openings readiness. The role operates primarily as a process owner and orchestrator, coordinating internal stakeholders and external agency partners, while selectively leading creative concept development for halo assets and priority projects where bespoke differentiation is required. Your day to day NHOP F&B Readiness & Governance * Owns NHOP F&B critical path and governance, serving as the single point of accountability for F&B readiness milestones. * Coordinate with key internal and external stakeholders including Design, Operations, Commercial, Development, etc. * Accountable for all NHOP F&B readiness deliverables, including: * Concept sign‑off where applicable * Agency alignment * Design and development inputs * Menu and bar readiness * Training schedule, timeline and delivery * Ensures alignment between F&B concept development milestones and overall development timelines. * Leads issue resolution and escalation to maintain schedule, quality, and readiness standards. * Manages deployment schedules for F&B task force and works in tandem with finance to ensure task force program is billed accordingly Concept Development * Serves as process owner and orchestrator for agency‑led and internally created concept development * Defines scope, briefs, timelines, and governance for external agency partners. * Oversees agency outputs to ensure alignment with brand intent, market context, operational feasibility, and cost discipline. * Owns and maintains relationships with third party agency from approved/preferred partner lists. * Acts as the readiness gatekeeper for concept progression prior to Brand and Operations sign‑off. * Personally leads creative concept development for select halo assets and priority projects. * Develops or directly shapes for halo / select in-house bespoke concept development: * Market Research * Concept narrative and positioning * Menu and bar direction * Guest experience intent * Serves as the strategic owner of scalable F&B concepts across the L&L portfolio. * Owns the evolution, adaptation, and readiness of core concepts for deployment across markets. * Ensures concepts remain commercially relevant, operationally viable, and aligned to brand intent. * Partners with Brand, Design, and Operations to translate concepts into deployable toolkits and NHOP‑ready assets. * Attend development pitches and represent the Food & Beverage organization to potential owners * Communicate status updates to ownership groups and internal stakeholders on NHOP and Concept readiness and timelines What we need from you * Bachelor’s degree preferred. Experience leading cross-functional teams in a global hospitality company * At least 10 years of relevant experience with at least 6 years of experience at the Director level or above. Operational experience as a GM or Head of Food & Beverage in a Full Service or Luxury property; Experience and expertise in the development and roll out of Food & Beverage Programs and Products in the hospitality industry. * Is proficient in the use of Microsoft Office, Avero, Revinate, JD Edwards and Vantage. * Experience leading cross-functional teams in a global hospitality company. * Operationally savvy: Can walk in the shoes of hotel owners and operators; aware of the realities and challenges of hotel restaurant operations. * Strategic vision: Ability to pull together consumer and commercial priorities to envision how Kimpton's products should evolve. * Leadership skills: Ability to build, inspire and focus a team on delivery; passionate and committed; able to build a strong culture. * Results orientated: Completer/finisher - pushes projects through and delivers tangible change in the business; ability to execute. * Collaborative team player: Politically savvy; great at building consensus and relationships across all levels, effectively coordinates effort. * Resourcefulness/Organizational savvy: Knows who to ask for what and when to do it; can navigate the organization with minimal guidance. Collaborates with Regional Vice Presidents/Directors of Operations to build ownership support. * Innovative: Creative thinker with the ability to transform ideas into a practical strategy. * Dialed In: Commits to continuous education and ongoing networking within the market/industry. * Commercial focus: Good financial understanding and broader business perspective; commercial, action orientated mindset. * Credible: Can win trust of senior stakeholders up to and including EC (Executive Committee) level. * Communication skills: Exceptional communication ability to build and maintain strong relationships. Communicates expectations, deadlines and needs/progress. Travel – 30% Location – Remote: Candidate must reside in the United States within 1 hour proximity to a major US airport; OR Atlanta, GA: Our hybrid work structure is an expectation of three (3) days a week in office. This expectation may be adjusted to evolve with the changing needs of the business. The salary range for this role is $120,000.00 to $160,000.00. This role is also eligible for bonus pay (as applicable). We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance, 401K, and other benefits to employees. #LI-YM1 At IHG, we’ve made a promise. As one of the world’s leading hotel groups, we’re here to deliver True Hospitality for Good. Making our guests and colleagues feel welcome, cared for, recognised and respected – wherever they are in the world. Want to be part of the journey? Who we are 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.

Responsibilities

Accountable for end-to-end Food & Beverage readiness for new hotel openings and re-concepts across luxury and lifestyle portfolios. This role orchestrates the concept development process, coordinating internal stakeholders and external agencies to ensure brand alignment and operational viability.