Director of Rooms

JOB SCOPE

Purpose

To provide visionary, operational, and cultural leadership across Ultra Luxury Hotel - Qiddiya’s entire Rooms Division — delivering an extraordinary and consistently personalised guest journey that embodies the ultra-luxury positioning of the hotel and upholds the highest standards of bespoke hospitality. The Director of Rooms ensures that every touchpoint — from arrival to departure — reflects an unwavering commitment to guest recognition, anticipatory service, and flawless execution.

The Director of Rooms shapes the service culture, drives continuous innovation, nurtures a world-class talent community, and ensures the Rooms Division delivers commercially outstanding results whilst setting the benchmark for luxury hospitality in the region.

• To hold full accountability for the strategic direction and day-to-day performance of all Rooms Division departments, reporting directly to the General Manager. Responsibilities encompass Front Office, Guest Relations, Concierge, Butler Services, Housekeeping, Laundry, Spa Reception (where operationally aligned), and Transportation and Bell Services.

• To guarantee the highest levels of service excellence, physical product integrity, and environmental standards across all guest-facing and back-of-house areas of the Rooms Division, consistent with Forbes Five-Star and/or Leading Hotels of the World benchmarks.

• To help drive revenue performance, exercise rigorous financial stewardship, develop exceptional colleague talent, and sustain the profitability of the Division.

• To act as a strategic and diplomatic ambassador for the hotel in all situations where the reputation, brand integrity, or guest experience of Ultra Luxury Hotel - Qiddiya is at stake.

• To ensure full compliance with health and safety regulations, fire and life safety requirements, local authority mandates, and all applicable statutory obligations across the Rooms Division.

Financial Accountability

• Hold accountability for Rooms Division budgeting, forecasting, and long-range financial planning, ensuring divisional revenue targets and cost controls are achieved.

• Drive ancillary revenue initiatives, optimise cost efficiency, champion sustainable operational practices, and identify innovative opportunities to enhance the Division’s commercial performance.

Conditions of Work

• Presence required across both office and operational floors; availability during peak service periods, VIP arrivals, significant events, and whenever the hotel’s service standards require senior leadership engagement.

Communication

• Internal: Assistant Director of Rooms, all Rooms Division Heads of Department, Executive Committee colleagues, and cross-functional department leaders including Food & Beverage, Engineering, Security, Spa, and Commercial teams.

• External: Guests, VIP clientele, ownership representatives, regulatory authorities, brand partners, luxury travel agents, and key suppliers.

MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership & Strategy

• Develop and implement a compelling Rooms Division strategy that is fully aligned with Ultra Luxury Hotel - Qiddiya’s ultra-luxury brand vision, ownership objectives, and long-term business plan.

• Provide decisive, inspiring, and visible leadership to all Rooms Division Heads of Department, cultivating a high-performance culture rooted in integrity, excellence, and passion for service.

• Lead and champion change management, service innovation, and operational modernisation initiatives across the Division to ensure Ultra Luxury Hotel - Qiddiya remains at the forefront of ultra-luxury hospitality.

• Direct the coordination of all organisational, administrative, and operational functions across every department within the Rooms Division, ensuring clarity of roles, accountability, and cross-departmental cohesion.

• Develop, implement, and review divisional policies, programmes, and operating procedures to ensure full alignment with company standards and the ultra-luxury service proposition.

• Cascade Divisional and Hotel-level objectives to all colleagues, ensuring transparent communication of the hotel’s vision, strategic direction, and quality management expectations.

• Represent the Rooms Division on the Executive Committee, contributing strategic insight and cross-functional collaboration to hotel-wide decision-making.

Operational Excellence

• Ensure every guest interaction across the Rooms Division reflects an ultra-luxury service philosophy — characterised by personalisation, empathy, and meticulous attention to detail.

• Oversee the seamless execution of the end-to-end guest journey, from pre-arrival communication and VIP room preparation through to departure and post-stay follow-up.

• Embed and sustain Forbes Five-Star standards and/or Leading Hotels of the World service criteria across all Rooms Division departments, conducting regular quality audits and service evaluations.

• Conduct structured operational reviews, leadership briefings, and performance assessments to maintain the highest levels of consistency, accountability, and service excellence.

• Support Rooms Division Heads of Department in refining workflows, enriching service design, and eliminating any friction from the guest experience.

• Ensure all assignments and directives from the General Manager are executed with the utmost professionalism, and that all hotel policies, standards, and compliance requirements are rigorously adhered to.

• Foster collaborative relationships with all department heads across the hotel, particularly Food & Beverage, Engineering, Security, and Commercial teams, to deliver an integrated and seamless guest experience.

• Conduct leadership briefings with Rooms Division Managers, empowering them to fulfil their departmental responsibilities to the highest standard.

• Actively engage with guests, VIP clientele, and key stakeholders, ensuring the hotel’s reputation for ultra-luxury hospitality is reinforced at every opportunity.

• Monitor competitor activity and industry trends, making informed recommendations to senior management regarding innovations in service methods, technology, product offerings, and guest experience enhancement.

• Promote effective, professional communication across all areas of the Rooms Division and with peer management throughout the hotel.

Financial Performance

• Lead the preparation and submission of the Annual Business Plan and aligned Sales & Marketing strategies for the Rooms Division.

• Ensure an effective and efficient approach to payroll management and resource planning by establishing a versatile and multi-skilled workforce across all Rooms Division departments, applying the principles of multi-skilling and multi-tasking to maximise operational productivity and flexibility.

• Manage each department within the Rooms Division as a clearly defined profit or cost centre, with full transparency of financial performance and accountability at the departmental level.

• Hold Heads of Department accountable for the financial performance of their respective areas, ensuring each is led by a senior management team with full ownership of their department’s profitability and cost efficiency.

• Set, in close collaboration with each Head of Department, annual operating budgets that form an integral part of the Hotel’s Annual Business Plan, with clear targets for revenue, payroll, and operating expenditure.

• Monitor all divisional costs on an ongoing basis, implementing proactive measures to control expenditure and improve value. Establish an integrated cost management framework through product standardisation, optimal inventory management, and strategic procurement partnerships where applicable.

• Prepare accurate monthly financial forecasts and schedule human resources and operational capacity in alignment with anticipated demand.

• Maintain full oversight of divisional budgeting, financial forecasting, and long-range planning cycles, reporting financial performance to the General Manager and ownership representatives as required.

People & Culture

• Build and sustain a world-class, high-performance leadership team across the Rooms Division through structured coaching, mentoring, and targeted professional development.

• Drive succession planning and talent pipeline development across all Rooms Division departments, identifying and nurturing future leaders for key positions.

• Champion Ultra Luxury Hotel - Qiddiya’s culture, values, and ultra-luxury service philosophy, ensuring all colleagues are engaged, inspired, and aligned with the hotel’s brand identity.

• Ensure all Rooms Division leaders are fully current with evolving market trends, luxury hospitality best practices, and the service expectations of ultra-high-net-worth guests.

• Build an exceptional and engaged colleague community by taking an active personal interest in the recruitment, training, development, well-being, and safety of all Division team members.

• Participate in and lead training and development programmes that elevate both personal and departmental performance standards, working in close partnership with the People & Culture and Learning & Development teams.

• Define the necessary competencies for all roles within the Rooms Division and ensure targeted training, coaching, and development interventions are in place to meet both current and future capability requirements.

• Provide consistent coaching, counselling, and performance management to colleagues, ensuring their capability and motivation are aligned with the highest standards of ultra-luxury service delivery.

• Maintain comprehensive and accurate records of colleague education, training, certifications, skills, and professional experience.

• Communicate clearly to all colleagues the importance of exceeding guest expectations, meeting regulatory and statutory requirements, and contributing meaningfully to the hotel’s overall objectives.

• Ensure that responsibilities, authorities, and accountabilities are clearly defined, communicated, and understood across all levels of the Rooms Division.

• Establish and maintain effective communication processes and colleague engagement mechanisms across the Division.

• Ensure all colleagues understand the relevance and impact of their role in contributing to departmental and hotel-wide objectives.

• Ensure that staffing levels and colleague competency across the Rooms Division are sufficient to consistently meet the demands of ultra-luxury service delivery and the expectations of the most discerning guests.

Brand, Product & Innovation

• Actively monitor the competitive luxury hospitality landscape and ensure Ultra Luxury Hotel - Qiddiya maintains its leadership position through continuous service innovation and product excellence.

• Champion sustainability initiatives, safety compliance, and full adherence to all local, national, and international regulatory requirements across the Rooms Division.

• Identify and respond to evolving market needs, guest preferences, and emerging luxury travel trends, translating insights into meaningful enhancements to the hotel’s product and service offering.

• Establish measurable quality objectives across the Rooms Division and actively participate in the review, analysis, and continual improvement of these standards.

• Ensure that guest requirements and expectations are clearly understood, consistently communicated, and reliably met across every department within the Rooms Division.

• Promote a culture of guest-centricity and service excellence throughout the organisation, embedding the ultra-luxury service ethos at every level of the Division.

Other

• Represent the Rooms Division in cross-departmental leadership committees, hotel-wide initiatives, and ownership-level forums as required.

• Perform any additional duties as reasonably requested by the General Manager, consistent with the seniority and scope of the Director of Rooms position.

Requirements

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

SKILLS:

• Experience – Essential

Minimum 4 years of senior Rooms Division leadership within five-star or ultra-luxury hotel brands, with a proven track record of delivering Forbes Five-Star or Leading Hotels of the World service standards

• Skills – Essential

Expertise in personalised, anticipatory luxury guest service design

Strategic financial planning, budget management, and revenue optimisation

Multi-departmental operational leadership across all Rooms Division functions

Expertise in personalized, anticipatory luxury guest service design

Proficiency in Property Management Systems, CRM platforms, and guest recognition technologies

• Competencies

Visionary, transformational leadership with strong executive presence

Ultra-luxury guest-centric mindset with obsessive attention to detail

Cultural intelligence and sensitivity across diverse guest profiles

Inspirational people developer and talent champion

Decisive problem-solver with composure under pressure

EDUCATION, QUALIFICATIONS:

• Qualifications – Essential

Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or a related discipline from a recognized institution; postgraduate qualification preferred