Regional Director - Conversions Essentials & Suites [Atlanta/Hybrid or US Remote]

The Regional Director - Conversions, Essentials and Suites leads a team responsible for hotel renovation and conversion projects from assessment through completion. This role provides strategic oversight, people leadership, technical direction, and escalation support to ensure properties meet PIP requirements, brand standards, life safety, ADA, and franchise agreement obligations. The Regional Director (RD) partners closely with owners, franchisees, design professionals, contractors, and internal stakeholders to drive project health, resolve complex issues, support successful openings, and protect the quality and consistency of the IHG guest experience.

Location - 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; OR Remote: candidate must reside in a major city in the US and must be within 1 hour proximity to a major US airport

Travel - 10-15%

Responsibilities include leading and overseeing the team accountable for on-site PIP renovation and conversion design and construction activities to ensure compliance with franchise License Agreements, associated PIP requirements, Plan Review and FF&E submittals, brand standards, life safety, ADA, and applicable code requirements. The RD provides direction, coaching, technical guidance, and decision support to Renovation Managers as they assist IHG franchisees and their assigned design teams through all phases of PIP projects, including resolving complex design or construction field conditions, managing escalations, and ensuring timely and successful completion of projects while promoting Great Hotels Guests Love.

Your day to day

• PIP Projects - Lead a team conducting PIP site visits and product assessments for existing and conversion hotels pursuing IHG franchise agreements. Ensure consistent use of brand Master Plan PIP strategies, thorough evaluation of architecture, design, condition, life safety, and code compliance, and development of clear PIP documentation outlining renovation requirements. Oversee onsite design and scope alignment, support complex strategies, and monitor renovations over 12-24 months to ensure adherence to PIP standards, approved plans, brand requirements, codes, and timelines.
• Conversion projects - Oversee team execution of conversion project progress visits as hotels prepare to enter the IHG system in conjunction with the New Hotel Opening Program (NHOP). Ensure Renovation Managers use Plan Review documents, correspondence, and field observations to set project expectations, evaluate readiness, resolve field issues, and confirm conformance to PIP and Plan requirements, brand and life safety standards, building codes, and ADA. Provide escalation support on complex ownership, scope, schedule, or compliance matters.
• Manage and monitor the team's assigned travel budget, ensuring travel is aligned to project priorities, business need, cost controls, and timely expense reconciliation.
• Lead proactive engagement with the mid-scale Development team and ownership prior to Franchise Approval Committee (FAC) review to address scope of work, design issues, renovation timelines, and project risk. Guide the team in improving success rates for FAC approval and License execution for new build and PIP conversion projects.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for franchisee and owner PIP waiver requests, timeline extension requests, and complex compliance matters. Provide guidance to the team on negotiating PIP issues, finalizing scope and timelines, determining project risk, and recommending appropriate enforcement actions, including when projects should be escalated for PIP default consideration. Develop viable strategies, where possible, to move hotels through the PIP process in a timely and compliant manner.
• Ensure construction and renovation milestones are proactively monitored across the team's portfolio and that relevant information is communicated to NHOP, Plan Review, Quality, HPS, Development, and other cross-functional partners to support openings, enforcement, and project recovery.
• Consult with franchisees, design professionals and hotel owners to assist in the development of construction schedules for Property Improvement Plan (PIP) hotel projects. Review site plans to ensure compliance with applicable laws, company regulations and brand standards, and comment on required changes or improvements to such plans.
• Lead portfolio management across assigned territories by evaluating project health, tracking field activity, reviewing team reporting, and preparing written summaries or leadership updates as needed. Ensure the digital library and PIP Tracking systems are maintained for accuracy, completeness, and consistency across assigned projects.
• Lead or assign special projects that support department objectives, process improvement, reporting accuracy, brand initiatives, or operational efficiency.
• Establish expectations for timely, accurate written follow-up associated with site visits, project communications, owner agreements, and License Agreement documentation. Review and coach team members on reports, letters, and emails to ensure clarity, consistency, appropriate documentation, and alignment with business requirements.
• Owner Relations - Lead the team in developing effective franchisee and owner relationships while maintaining clear accountability for PIP, design, construction, and compliance requirements. Support team members in addressing complex waiver requests, design challenges, construction issues, and ownership escalations. Ensure practical design solutions are offered within reason and that recommendations for external design professionals are appropriate and aligned with project needs.
• Portfolio and project size - Oversee a portfolio of PIP projects typically ranging from $500,000 to $5M+ and involving 60 to 400 room hotels, as well as new development projects typically ranging from $5M to $30M. Ensure team members effectively manage project risk, owner expectations, compliance requirements, and timely completion across varying project complexity and scale.

What we need from you

• Bachelor''s Degree in Architecture, Design, Construction Management, Business, Hospitality, or a relevant field of work, or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience. NCIDQ, AIA, ASID, PMP, or relevant leadership/project management certifications preferred. CAD training and familiarity with CAD systems also preferred.
• 7 to 10+ years progressive work-related experience in design, architecture, construction, renovation, hospitality, or a related field, including demonstrated technical proficiency and prior experience leading people, teams, projects, or complex cross-functional initiatives. Previous hotel industry experience strongly preferred. Strong project, portfolio, and stakeholder management skills required.
• Demonstrate leadership and portfolio management experience in organizing, planning, prioritizing, and executing complex, large-scale renovation and conversion projects through direct reports and cross-functional partners.
• Demonstrate strong communication skills to influence stakeholders, convey program details, present analysis, negotiate, resolve issues, and coach team members. Effectively collaborate with PCs, architects, designers, contractors, and internal partners to clarify requirements and resolve project challenges.
• Demonstrate strong knowledge of brand standards and a full understanding of the differences across brand requirements. Demonstrate a clear understanding of ADA requirements and Company Life Safety Requirements, with the ability to guide team interpretation, ensure consistent application, and maintain a working knowledge of all requirements described in each brand standards manual.
• Demonstrate ability to read blueprints including architectural, mechanical, plumbing, sprinkler systems and electrical drawings.
• Must be capable of writing and typing a comprehensive, technical renovation document (within a specific template) describing the required PIP scope of work that will become part of a franchisee's License Agreement.
• Demonstrate ability to effectively prioritize team workload, project details, travel needs, and business-critical escalations while monitoring active renovation, conversion, and new development properties. Must ensure timely responsiveness to franchisees, owners, and internal stakeholders when issues arise regarding project development, brand standards, vendor-related concerns, compliance, or enforcement.
• Demonstrate knowledge of national building codes, ADA requirements and Life Safety codes.

Travel - 10-15%

Location - 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; OR Remote: candidate must reside in a major city in the US and must be within 1 hour proximity to a major US airport

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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?