VP, Design and Procurement

Description

Who We Are

White Lodging develops and operates a portfolio of award-winning premium hotels, rooftop bars, and restaurants in some of the country's most dynamic cities. We know that the hospitality business, like life, is about how you make people feel. That's where you come in. You'll bring the virtue of hospitality to life while we create an environment where you can be your best self and grow.

We are hiring a Vice President of Design and Procurement to lead the design standards and purchasing strategy that keep White Lodging hotels on brand, well built, and ready to deliver the experience our guests expect. Based at White Lodging's corporate headquarters in Merrillville, Indiana, and reporting directly to the EVP of Design and Construction, this is a senior executive leadership role that plays a critical part in shaping long-term design strategy, protecting brand consistency across a portfolio of 60+ premium hotel properties nationwide, and strengthening White Lodging's market position through procurement excellence, innovative problem-solving, and disciplined financial stewardship.

This role leads White Lodging's Purchasing Managers and Purchasing Agents and provides functional oversight of third-party FF&E Purchasing Agents supporting new construction and renovation work across the portfolio. It calls for strategic foresight, financial acumen, design judgment, and inspirational leadership across Design, FF&E, and OS&E standards, design review and approval, and purchasing team management. If you're a VP of Design and Procurement, VP of Purchasing, Director of FF&E Procurement, or senior hospitality design and procurement leader looking for VP of Design and Procurement jobs in Merrillville, Indiana, or senior FF&E and OS&E leadership roles in the Chicago metro area with a leading hotel development and management company, this is a rare and high-visibility executive opportunity.

What You'll Do

• Design Standards and Brand Prototype
  • Own and maintain Design, FF&E, and OS&E specification standards across all White Lodging hotel brands, ensuring standards remain current and are consistently applied across all new build and renovation projects in the portfolio
  • Lead design review and approval for all new build and renovation projects, ensuring design variations remain aligned with overall product and Brand Standard objectives in partnership with the EVP of Design and Construction
  • Partner with the EVP of Design and Construction to manage third-party interior design and architectural firms on all White Lodging projects, utilizing Brand Design Standards, White Lodging Design Standards, and White Lodging-approved Purchase Order and Contract templates to govern all design and procurement decisions
  Purchasing and Procurement Leadership
  • Lead, develop, and hold accountable White Lodging Purchasing Managers and Purchasing Agents, and provide functional oversight of all third-party FF&E Purchasing Agents supporting new construction and renovation projects companywide
  • Negotiate and manage FF&E and OS&E vendor, supplier, installation, and warehouse contracts, protecting cost, quality, brand standards, and project schedules across the full White Lodging development and renovation pipeline
  • Approve FF&E and OS&E purchase orders and vendor contracts within delegated authority up to $100,000, escalating larger spend to Finance or the EVP of Design and Construction; escalate all requested changes to standard Purchase Order or Contract templates to the Chief Legal Officer for review
  • Evaluate and manage outsourced procurement relationships, including ongoing oversight of vendor performance where third-party procurement resources are engaged across the portfolio
  Reporting and Risk Management
  • Provide regular status reports to the EVP of Design and Construction on design standards compliance, purchasing performance, cost, and issue or delay identification, and issue a monthly report to Senior Leadership detailing the status of all projects in the Design and Purchasing phases, with all project risks itemized
  • Identify, upscale, and manage risk factors related to design standards and procurement, keeping all projects within approved FF&E and OS&E budgets and on schedule for delivery and installation
  • Maintain a strict zero-tolerance policy prohibiting any financial or gift kickbacks from vendors, suppliers, purchasing agents, interior designers, architects, or other third-party consultants in connection with the award of any project or order
  Stakeholder Management and Team Leadership
  • Build and maintain strong working relationships with key stakeholders, including FF&E and OS&E vendors, interior designers, architects, purchasing agents, property teams, project managers, and ownership groups across the White Lodging portfolio
  • Lead the hiring, development, motivation, and retention of the design and procurement talent needed to deliver design standards and purchasing objectives on time and on budget, directly managing 2 direct reports and providing broader functional oversight of all Purchasing Managers, Purchasing Agents, and third-party FF&E Purchasing Agents companywide

What You'll Bring

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience is required; minimum of 10 years of experience in FF&E or OS&E purchasing or procurement in a hospitality, hotel development, or comparable real estate and design environment strongly preferred
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Interior Design, Architecture, or Hotel Management — required; advanced degree in Business, Real Estate, or a related field preferred
• Demonstrated experience leading Purchasing Managers and Purchasing Agents, including third-party FF&E Purchasing Agents, across a complex, multi-project hospitality design and procurement operation
• Proven experience working with FF&E and OS&E vendors, interior designers, and architects, with a track record of negotiating and managing vendor and supplier contracts that protect cost, quality, and brand standards across a national hotel portfolio
• Deep expertise in hospitality design, FF&E and OS&E design standards, and the ability to lead design review and approval processes across multiple hotel brands and construction typologies simultaneously
• Strong financial acumen, including demonstrated success managing complex procurement budgets, purchase order approvals, and cost controls across large-scale new construction and renovation projects
• Strategic thinking, entrepreneurial problem-solving, and seasoned independent judgment on matters of significance with the ability to identify and mitigate risk factors across a national hotel design and procurement pipeline
• Excellent stakeholder and relationship management skills with the presence, professionalism, and communication skills to represent White Lodging to ownership groups, vendors, design partners, and Senior Leadership
• Ability to travel approximately 30% to 40%, including periodic site visits to hotel properties, vendor showrooms, design partner offices, and active construction and renovation sites where standard safety precautions apply

What You Can Look Forward To

• Executive-level visibility reporting directly to the EVP of Design and Construction and presenting to White Lodging Senior Leadership
• Strategic influence over design standards and procurement across a portfolio of 60+ premium hotel properties nationwide
• Unlimited employee referral bonuses
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off (PTO) with rollover
• Complimentary wellness tools
• Leadership development & tuition reimbursement
• Discounts on hotel rooms, dining, and travel
• Growth opportunities across a portfolio of 60+ premium hotel properties nationwide
• Full-time associates also receive:
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance starting day 1
  • Life and disability insurance
  • Paid parental leave
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)