Development Director - France

About Hilton

Hilton is one of the largest and fastest growing hospitality companies in the world, with over 9,000 properties with 1.3 million rooms in 138 countries and territories. In the 107 years since our founding, we have defined the hospitality industry and established a portfolio of 25 world-class brands, including our flagship Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand, which is the most recognized hotel brand in the world. Hilton is proud to have an award-winning workplace culture, excellent Team Member benefits and we are consistently named among one of the World’s Best Workplaces.

Position Statement

The Director Development France will work with the Managing Director Development France & Benelux to execute the French growth strategy including but not limited to originating leads for new hotels, negotiating and contracting projects (through franchise and management agreements) in line with the growth objectives of the enterprise.

Position Summary

Planning Activities

• Evaluates and identifies business opportunities for further expansion of our brands and directs accordingly.
• Helps set long term goals for France that become the basis for short term goals and annual operational planning.
• Helps determine the appropriate objectives for the business and how those objectives are going to be accomplished.
• Help establish strategies and directions for the development team to promote the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization.

Organizing Activities

• Works with Brand, AD&C Project Management, Regional Human Resources, Legal and Finance leadership to ensure the overall strategic direction of the Development team is consistent with and supported by these areas.
• Leads the grouping and assignment of tasks, while ensuring optimal allocation of resources.
• Establishes the flow of authority and communication between position and levels within the organization.
• Streamline business processes to maximize efficiency and effectiveness within the department.
• Implements measurements of company policy to ensure effectiveness, usage and awareness.

Directing Activities

• Works with the Southern Europe team and VP / MD Development France & Benelux to negotiate and close high profile or complicated development deals
• Works to expand the relationship with existing and new key owners.
• Influences division, departments and individual team members to accomplish the organization’s mission, goals and objectives through motivation, communication, group dynamics and leadership.

Staffing Activities

• Works with others within the region on goals to assist in accomplishing department initiatives, and their own career objectives.

Controlling Activities

• Oversee proper controls to ensure that the reported performance numbers are correct and transparent.
• Oversee and evaluate systems to ensure proper reporting.
• Assesses actual performance against standards to determine whether the department is on target to reach its goals and takes corrective actions as necessary.
• Ensure business plans and goals are being followed and achieved, providing feedback or revising the plan, if needed.
• Establishes and enforces policies and procedures that will improve the overall operation and effectiveness of the Company.
• Ensures return on invested capital and time resources.
• Review and make appropriate adjustments in activities and expenses throughout the fiscal year to ensure optimal financial results.

What are we looking for?

Applicants will come from a hotel / hospitality background and must have relevant / proven development experience ideally gained from working for another hotel operator or possibly a hospitality consulting firm. It is essential that you have the ability to build relationships with investors and successfully lead and transact deals. Others skills / experience will include the following:

• Ability to have available, develop and maintain a strong network within the hospitality industry in France (hotel owners, brokers, consultant).
• This role will require you to be a strong communicator and to interact effectively with a very diverse group of stakeholders outside and inside the company.
• Ability to negotiate and close franchise and management contract deals
• Ability to initiate and direct collaborative efforts of multiple teams throughout the Hilton organization. This includes establishing and maintaining regular communications with Hilton operations teams, brands, and other constituent groups as appropriate.
• Ability to analyze deals with a transversal approach (financial, architectural…) to make strategic and tactical decisions.
• Set standards for leadership by example, including ability to effect change, resolve conflicts and ensure collaboration within appropriate executive levels of enterprise; includes maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity.
• Absolute discretion and confidentiality regarding sensitive information.
• Strong problem-solving skills, including ability to effectively address any issue in collaboration with others as appropriate.
• Ability to advocate and implement professional development for self, direct reports and others, including capability to work with peers and other resources to provide development and mentoring opportunities; includes adherence to organization’s standards for performance feedback.
• Ability to evaluate and identify opportunities from a strategic perspective, including ability to develop, prioritize and implement plans to meet organization’s core strategic goals.

Required Qualifications

• College degree in a related field or significant work experience in lieu thereof
• Fluency in English and French.
• Significant hospitality industry experience with a focus on hotel development, negotiations and sales in France
• Extensive personal network within the hospitality industry in France
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to use these across different management levels
• Ability to travel as required

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in hospitality and/ or business & administration.
• Position based in South France is preferred