The Project Director will lead and execute the design, procurement, and construction delivery of hospitality real estate initiatives across the Asia portfolio. They are responsible for managing external teams, mitigating development risks, and ensuring project delivery with zero delays.
Job Overview
The Project Director (Asia) will lead, oversee, and execute the design, procurement, and construction delivery of all hospitality real estate initiatives across the Asia portfolio. Based in the regional headquarters in Singapore, this senior role reports directly to the Head of Hotel Asset Management. The role is responsible for maximizing asset value and ensuring project delivery with zero delays across diverse asset types. These include greenfield developments, strategic conversions, rebrandings, and renovations within active, operating hotels. The Director will drive project governance by managing regional external teams and proactively mitigating development risks before they impact budgets or timelines.
Key Duties and Responsibilities Regional Governance & External Team Management
Vendor Selection & Oversight: Appoint, onboard, and manage external Project Management firms, in-country Construction Managers, and on-site Coordinators across Asia.
On-Site Supervision: Remotely and via site visits manage local teams to enforce tight schedule monitoring, strict workflow efficiency, and high quality standards.
Streamlined Reporting: Establish standardized weekly and monthly KPI reporting frameworks for in-country teams to ensure transparency across all active regional sites.
Risk Mitigation & Strategic Reporting
Proactive Risk Flagging: Continually assess project workflows to identify, analyze, and flag potential construction, supply chain, or design delays early.
Mitigation Recommendation: Formulate and present actionable, data-driven solutions and recovery plans directly to the Head of Asset Management to resolve bottlenecks.
Contingency Planning: Maintain an active regional risk register covering labor shortages, material lead times, and local regulatory changes.
Design, Procurement & Delivery Control
Scope & Schedule Baseline: Establish project briefs, clear milestone targets (such as fast-tracked 16-week design schedules), and strict budget boundaries.
Interdisciplinary Coordination: Direct external architects, interior designers, and MEP consultants through Schematic Design (SD), Design Development (DD), and Construction Documentation (CD).
Procurement Leadership: Oversee the bidding and contract awards for main contractors and FF&E/OS&E vendors to achieve optimal value engineering.
Operational Interfacing & Brand Integration
Operator Liaison: Act as the primary technical interface between the Singapore HQ, local asset owners, and international hotel brand operators.
Live-Hotel Phasing: Enforce phased, low-impact construction strategies for active hotels to minimize guest disruption and protect operating revenues.
Property Improvement Plans (PIPs): Streamline rebranding workflows to ensure assets transition between hotel brands smoothly and on schedule.
Job Requirements Education & Experience
Academic Background: Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Civil/Structural Engineering, Architecture, Project Management, or a related field.
Regional Track Record: Minimum of 10–12 years of progressive hospitality project management experience, with at least 5 years operating in a regional or multi-country capacity within Asia.
External Management Experience: Proven success in managing external Project Management firms, general contractors, and localized on-site construction managers across different Asian markets.
Asset Versatility: Demonstrated experience delivering greenfield builds, hotel asset conversions, and complex refurbishments within live operational environments.
Technical & Soft Competencies
Cross-Border Expertise: Solid understanding of construction dynamics, statutory permitting variations, and cultural business nuances across key Asian markets.
Hospitality Acumen: Deep knowledge of hotel zoning, Front-of-House (FOH) versus Back-of-House (BOH) layout efficiency, and heavy MEP infrastructure dependencies.
Contractual & Commercial Sharpness: High proficiency in international contract management (e.g., FIDIC, regional standard forms) and commercial negotiation.
Crisis Management & Communication: Exceptional communication, diplomacy, and presentation skills, with the ability to confidently present risk-mitigation strategies to C-suite stakeholders.
Mobility: Willingness to travel regionally across Asia as required to audit sites and resolve critical project bottlenecks.
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