Project Director, Opening Services (Northeast Region)

Project Director, Openings

The Project Director, Openings is responsible for managing a complex multistage onboarding process for a portfolio of New Construction, Conversion and rebranding projects that are entering the Choice Hotels system. This key role is the main point of contact with owners, management companies and/or their representatives from contract execution to opening their hotel. You will act as an advisor to our franchisees and developers throughout every stage of the opening process, ensuring construction completion, compliance with brand standards and product design, adherence to scheduled opening dates, and achievement of key milestones. By fulfilling these responsibilities, you will help ensure successful openings and contribute to the company's strategic brand growth objectives.

NOTE: This position is remote-based; however, candidates must be located within the Northeast region of the United States at the time of hire and throughout employment. Relocation assistance is not available for this role.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Deliver new hotel openings with project management, training, operational development, milestone tracking, and single-point-of-contact service.
• Perform onsite/virtual consultation throughout the various stages of the opening process.
• Oversee the hotel onboarding progress to ensure compliance with brand standards, design requirements, Rules & Regulations, and enforce the Property Improvement Plan (PIP) as needed.
• Guide owners using a range of onboarding tools, including the openings portal and Choice Connect, which offers helpful resources throughout the onboarding process.
• Manage the hotel data migration into Choice's PROP-EL tool for accurate distribution on Choice channels and third-party sites.
• Enforce and monitor our franchisees to use Choice approved vendors and services during the purchasing stages prior to opening.
• Oversee and track hotel consultations and openings to ensure brand design and PIP/new construction compliance, monitor PIP completion for timely conversion property openings, and serve as liaison between owners and CHI Architecture and Design on new construction or conversion requirements.
• Aide owners on opening obstacles, sourcing issues, and provide expedited solutions to avoid delays in opening.
• Implement pre-opening training programs by Choice so that both owners and hotel managers are familiar with Choice's operational procedures.
• Communicate to compliance committee if an opening needs an extension or a project is not moving forward.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Employment Experience

• 5+ years of relevant experience, including extensive hotel operations
• Bachelors degree or equivalent years of experience
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Ability to multitask and manage high stress complexities associated with project management and opening requirements
• Must have strong customer service, training, consultation, and negotiating skills
• Multi property experience a plus

Technical Skills

• Demonstrate proficiency in use and coaching of proprietary and industry technologies.
• Possess significant property and/or above-property-level hotel operations and sales/marketing experience.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Salesforce, Project Management tools
• Ability to utilize AI tools

Additional Skills & Competencies

• Consultative approach with holistic business view
• Self-starter
• Requires excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Able to uphold Choice's Values & Performance Principles of collaboration, performance excellence, sense of urgency, openness to new ideas, inclusion & diversity, integrity, customer focus, and respect.
• Demonstrate Choice's Values: Be Bold, Be Quick, Listen, Be curious, Show integrity
• 70-80% travel is required for this position

Education Requirements

• Bachelors degree or equivalent years of experience

COMPENSATION & SALARY RANGE:

Salary Range: $114,907 - $135,000

This role is also eligible for an annual bonus under Choice's Management Incentive Plan (MIP).

Pay ranges listed are what Choice Hotels reasonably expects to pay. Actual pay may be higher or lower and ranges may be adjusted in the future. Pay positioning within the range is influenced by factors including—but not limited to—education, experience, skills, certifications, performance, geographic location, business needs, seniority, and travel requirements.

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 be 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