Client Brief Delivery Manger – Hotel Openings

Company logo
Criterion Hospitality
Leading UK hotel operator transforming underutilised buildings into lifestyle hotels across prime city centres.
Lead development and delivery of client briefs for new hotel openings, aligning operations with design and construction.
7 days ago ago
Intermediate (4-7 years), Experienced (8-12 years)
Full Time
London Area, United Kingdom
Onsite
Company Size
110 Employees
Service Specialisms
Hospitality Services
Project Management
Consulting
Design
Construction Management
Interior Design
Turnkey Solutions
Procurement
Sector Specialisms
Hospitality
Hotel Operations
Lifestyle Hotels
Urban Hospitality
Affordable Sleep-Centric Stays
Tech-Driven Hospitality
Hotel Management
Guest Experience
Role
What you would be doing
progress reporting
monitoring tools
brief development
project planning
stakeholder alignment
site readiness
  • Provide regular progress reports to senior leadership and recommend process optimizations.
  • Implement systems or tools to monitor progress, flag risks and record learnings
  • Lead the formation of the client brief that dictates construction builds, ensuring operational requirements and brand standards are embedded from the outset.
  • Create and manage detailed and integrated project plans, critical paths, opening timelines and checklists in coordination with construction schedules, procurement plans, and hotel leadership
  • Act as the operational lead in meetings with design, construction, and development teams, ensuring operational needs are integrated into construction and FF&E/OS&E decisions.
  • Facilitate alignment among ownership, brand, technical services, procurement, IT, and operations to ensure smooth handover and readiness.
  • Continuously refine and evolve the brief based on operational feedback and lessons learned from previous projects.
  • Lead site readiness reviews, oversee pre-opening task force deployment, and support the hotel through soft and full opening.
What you bring
hotel ops
pre‑opening
pmp
smartsheet
project management
leadership

This is not a construction PM role. It is a hotel specialist position with a strong understanding of developing and delivering client briefs, how hotels come to life and how operational requirements must inform and align with physical design and development processes.

We are seeking an experienced Hotel Opening Project Manager with deep operational expertise and a track record of developing and delivering client briefs, to lead and coordinate the successful opening of new hotels. This role is the critical link between hotel operations, design, and construction teams to ensure the property is built and delivered in line with the client brief, and launched to brand and operational standards.

  • Strong knowledge of hotel operating models and how they intersect with physical design (front/back of house, guest experience, compliance, etc.).
  • Outstanding organizational, communication, and leadership skills across diverse stakeholders.
  • Experience interfacing with construction, design, FF&E/OS&E, and technical services teams.
  • Familiarity with project management tools (e.g., Smartsheet, Asana, MS Project).
  • PMP or similar certification is a plus.
  • 5–10 years of hotel operations experience, with a minimum of 3 years in pre-opening leadership roles (as project manager, task force lead, or opening director).
Benefits
Information not given or found
Training + Development
Information not given or found
Company
Overview
Two dozen hotels
Managed Properties
The group manages a collection of boutique and rooftop venues in high-profile entertainment districts.
1920s-themed
Art Deco Rooftop Bar
A historic rooftop bar and restaurant atop a Leicester Square hotel blends classic design with modern hospitality.
  • Breathes new life into overlooked urban buildings.
  • Reimagines prime city-centre locations into vibrant, guest-focused lifestyle hotels and serviced apartments.
  • Pioneers affordable, tech-driven, sleep-centric stays in key London hotspots like Piccadilly and Leicester Square.
  • Runs self-serviced apartments in Piccadilly Circus, combining contemporary living with full hospitality support.
  • Acquires and repurposes buildings under a growth-oriented expansion strategy.
Culture + Values
  • transform underutilised buildings into thriving lifestyle hotels
  • fostering sustainable growth and revitalising urban spaces
  • ambitious expansion plans focused on innovation, efficiency, and environmental responsibility
  • exceptional guest experiences and long‑term value creation
  • pioneering affordable, sleep‑centric, tech‑driven stays in prime city locations
Environment + Sustainability
2050
Net Zero Target
The company has set a goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, aligning with global sustainability efforts.
8,500 Rooms
Portfolio Scale
The company manages a portfolio of 24 hotels encompassing 8,500 rooms, focusing on sustainability across its operations.
  • Managing expansion with a focus on environmental responsibility
  • Transforming existing buildings (adaptive reuse) to reduce embodied carbon
  • Zedwell brand emphasizes efficiency and tech-driven operations for sustainability
  • Commitment to Science-Based Targets for emissions reduction
  • Utilizes hotel industry-aligned net zero methodology covering Scope 1, 2 & 3 emissions
  • Active pursuit of renewable energy procurement and energy-efficiency initiatives
Inclusion & Diversity
  • No publicly stated DEI strategy or gender-related statistics found
  • No data-driven DEI outcomes or targets available in official sources
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Client Brief Delivery Manger – Hotel Openings at Criterion Hospitality in London Area, United Kingdom