Manager F&B Brand Solutions

Role Purpose

As the Program Manager for of key brand development initiatives including innovation and operating model (applied regionally), this role is to manage and drive the cross-functional teams responsible for delivering the different work streams feeding into the strategic business agenda to ensure its rapid adoption across the relevant markets and regions. The context of which is strategic and tactical.

The role remit is responsible periodic adjustments to brand related operating standards, solutions to change and localization through development of brand (i.e. continual monitoring & improvement of existing mainstream and new brands in line with business imperatives).This position entails working very closely with a variety of Leaders including (but not exclusively) Design and development Directors/Managers, Program Managers, the wider (industry and internal) Food and Beverage community, Training, Operations and Quality teams as well as various other relevant stakeholders. 

You will also be expected to support the team to drive brand growth and performance. The role involves balancing competing demands from stakeholders with varying needs and expectations against time, cost, and quality, whilst keeping a watchful eye on agenda and scope of works engaged with multiple franchise communities and stakeholders within.
 

Key Accountabilities

• Strategic Planning – Together with the Brand Director and cross-functional teams, establish and implement the multi-year strategic plan for the different programmes that are a priority for the innovation roll-out. This includes metrics, commercial performance, accountabilities and processes.  Achieve agreement from the various Steering Committees and internal (e.g. Hotel Lifecycle & Growth, Operations, HR/Training, Development) and external (IHG Owners Association, owners, operators) stakeholders. Provide thought-leadership and process support to the Brand Director, driving the regional planning process. Maintain and evolve the roll-out strategy as the business situation dictates.
   
• Delivery – Lead the innovation implementation taskforces and monitor their activities (e.g. selling concept to owners driving commitments, F&B menu development) on an on-going basis, deliver the key priorities as agreed by the Steering Committee, work closely with the various work-stream leads such as Design Managers, Program Managers F&B, Training etc. Ensure that innovation priorities are planned, communicated, resourced and measured to ensure successful implementation. Actively share best practice with other cross-functional teams.
   
• Food and Beverage sector specific – Lead innovation and best practice in food service (including beverage) solutions within brand frameworks, review and improve frameworks in cycle (e.g. seasonal) as required., ensuring they  be applied as commercially viable and customer attracting in application to (e.g.) menus, service offers broad concept and day parts.  Develop and evolve offers, menus and broad context service solutions with existing brands and new brands ensuring market relevance, procurement opportunity, safety, operating model and service delivery are efficient and effective.
   
• Localization – Through the lens of the target guest, understand commercial reality and the competitive landscape in each of our European markets. Support the team to tailor the innovations to the local market and ensure on-going enhancements take into consideration key learnings from each market.
   
• Alignment – Create alignment on innovation priorities and link it with cross-functional teams’ KPO’s & performance metrics.  Ensure that the appropriate level of funding is provided for the successful implementation of these priorities. 
   
• Working Processes – Direct the development and maintenance of processes to ensure effective operation, quality of information, resource optimization and consistency of the innovation roll-out plan (e.g. monthly Steer Co meetings, monthly project team calls, quarterly meetings). Track overall program status and provide regular and ad-hoc reports and executive updates.

• Stakeholder Engagement – Develop and deliver the internal and external (e.g. owners/F&B development  teams operators/GMs) comms/stakeholder engagement plan to create alignment between the innovation roll-out plan and other brand initiatives. Manage relationships with various key stakeholders including key owner groups, Hotel & Lifecycle, HR/Training, Operations, Development etc. Work closely with the key relationship owners and cross-functional team to get commitment from owners to invest in the brand innovation programs.
   
• Brand Standards – Work with the Brand Managers to define and refine Brand Standards and ensure local relevance. Identify opportunities to improve the guest experience and create operational and cost efficiencies for operators.
   
• Project Management – Actively monitor the implementation within the Business Unit of brand initiatives, tracking performance against targets, managing and escalating risks to projects and business performance as required. 
  
   

Key Skills & Experiences

Education

• University bachelor's degree Marketing/Brand Management or other, relevant commercial discipline
• (Ideally) Project Management qualifications (Post-Graduate Diploma, Prince 2)

Critical Expertise & Experience

• 6-8 years in hospitality (desired) or other service sector, preferably within a large multinational company, with roles focused on Project Management and/or Brand Management roles.

Technical Skills & Knowledge

• Demonstrate strong strategic-thought and understanding of the hospitality industry
• Excellent project management skills
• Strong cognitive skills – including problem solving, decision making, relationship management and analysis
• Action oriented and results driven
• Commercially savvy
• Operational experience (desired)
• Culturally sensitive and team oriented with outstanding influencing and networking skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with ability to work through people to achieve results in a matrix environment and the ability to adjust by audience
• Work well under stress and have the ability to manage projects and programs in an environment with tight deadlines
• Languages an advantage