Director, Brand F&B Concept Development Luxury & Lifestyle - Asia Pacific

As Director, Brand Food & Beverage (F&B) Concept Development Luxury & Lifestyle – Asia Pacific (APAC), you will lead the creative and bespoke arm of F&B brand development across Hilton's luxury and lifestyle portfolio in APAC, developing well-defined, one-of-a-kind F&B concepts that strengthen brand recognition, elevate the guest experience and create tangible value for owners.

You will conduct market research to determine regional suitability, competitive positioning, target audience and economic viability for each concept, and work closely with internal Architecture & Design, Operations and Technical Services teams to guide owners' project teams through every F&B-related decision. This is a hands-on role within a small, close-knit team: you will operate as an individual contributor delivering original creative work yourself, while also managing day-to-day tasks and priorities across the wider team. Excellent communication skills are essential, you will be a primary voice to owners, senior stakeholders and internal partners as well as to your own team.

HOW YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT

Your role is important, and below are some of the fundamental job duties that make your work unique.

What your day-to-day will be like: 

• Strategically assess the project, market and guest profile before recommending the F&B concept strategy for a property. 
• Ensure concepts that are proposed are aligned with the regional F&B operations team and will drive strong commercial returns. 
• Develop well-defined, bespoke F&B concepts for luxury and lifestyle brands across pipeline, renovation and conversion hotels.
• Own the full creative arc of a concept – narrative, culinary and beverage direction, service ritual, mood and spatial storytelling – in partnership with Architecture & Design.
• Conduct and regularly refresh market research to determine regional suitability of concepts, competitive set, target audience and economic factors.
• Prepare and present detailed, ownership-ready F&B concept briefs to owners and their representatives.
• Identify and evaluate brand-relevant restaurant operators and concept partners, reviewing financial acumen and fit for business, and advise ownership accordingly.
• Evaluate and identify new business opportunities for additional bespoke concepts.
• Track progress and compliance of concept initiatives against the project board; determine working schedules and task completion dates based on project deadlines.
• Manage day-to-day tasks, priorities and workflow across the small F&B concept development team, keeping deliverables on track.

How you will collaborate with others:

• Ensure coordination among key stakeholders – Hotel Operations, Technical Services, Architecture & Design, in support of concept development and the design process.
• Build and maintain strong business relationships with senior owners, asset managers and operators, serving as the primary regional creative contact for bespoke F&B concept development.
• Contribute to brand standards review and updates in partnership with Brand Heads and F&B Operations.

What projects or deliverables you will take ownership of: 

• Direct and mentor supporting creative/design Team Member(s) in the execution of concept briefs, establishing work priorities, while remaining hands-on and personally delivering creative work as an individual contributor.
• Participate in Brand F&B Development special projects as team lead, keeping constituents updated on related activity.
• Assist the Senior Director F&B – APAC in achieving strategic and department goals, and support ad-hoc projects as needed.

WHY YOU’LL BE A GREAT FIT

You have these minimum qualifications:

• Degree in Interior Design, Hospitality, F&B Management or a related field, with significant hospitality or F&B experience.
• 7+ years of restaurant design or F&B concept development experience, including 4+ years in a senior creative or F&B design leadership capacity. Ideally in the luxury or lifestyle segment. 
• Demonstrated ability to translate brand strategy into distinctive, ownership-ready bespoke concepts.
• Strong knowledge of F&B operations, service techniques and current global F&B trends and concepts in the luxury and lifestyle space.
• Ability to think creatively and pair design ability with F&B operations experience.
• Ability to convey mood, narrative and brand story through the selection and use of imagery and materials.
• Excellent visual, written and oral communication skills, with the ability to interact with and influence senior stakeholders, present persuasively, and communicate clearly with a small, close-knit team.
• Comfortable operating as an individual contributor on a small team – equally capable of hands-on creative delivery and of managing day-to-day tasks and priorities for the wider team.
• Ability to deliver presentations in a concise, well-organized and persuasive manner.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent concepts under deadline pressure.
• Ability to adapt to extensive regional travel and schedule changes.
• Absolute discretion and confidentiality regarding sensitive ownership and brand information.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, Adobe InDesign or any other creative presentation tool.

It would be useful if you have:

• Experience in or knowledge of Restaurant Design.

• Experience in or knowledge of the luxury and lifestyle segment of the market.

• Global F&B operational management experience.

• Restaurant Front of House (FOH) service operations.