Hospitality jobs in United Arab Emirates

Dokainish& Company is a global organization that has been providing world class professional consultancy services since 2011. We have recently launched our MENA operations, headquartered in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. This expansion supports our strategy to serve government and private sector clients in capital projects across construction, infrastructure, energy, and commercial developments.

Dokainish& Company is seeking an experienced Development Director to lead the hospitality and branded residence delivery for a mixed-use high-end project in downtown Dubai. From owning the business plan, asset brief, and end-to-end delivery, from concept refinement through handover. We need someone experienced able to navigate complex brand partnerships while driving technical excellence and financial performance. This is a full-time position, and the selected candidate must be based in Dubai, or in the UAE, willing to independently relocate to Dubai.

• Develop and deliver comprehensive business plan and asset brief for hospitality and branded residence offerings
• Establish financial KPIs including cost estimates, ROI models, and brand fee impact analysis
• Manage branded operator relationships, negotiate standards, resolve conflicts, ensure design/technical compliance
• Lead technical coordination across hotel operations, guest experience, and residential integration
• Define brand partnership frameworks balancing operator requirements with developer objectives
• Drive design excellence meeting both brand standards and project positioning requirements
• Manage consultant teams and contractor interfaces for hospitality-specific requirements (back-of-house, F&B, spa, operational spaces)
• Coordinate operational readiness planning including FF&E, OSE, technology systems, and pre-opening activities
• Ensure delivery timelines align with brand launch requirements and market entry strategy
• Navigate authority approvals specific to hospitality and tourism licensing

• 12+ years in hospitality development with 5+ years in leadership roles
• Proven delivery of 5-star hotels and/or luxury branded residence projects
• Strong technical knowledge of hospitality design, MEP systems, and operational requirements
• Demonstrated ability to develop business cases, financial models, and brand partnership economics
• Experience managing international hotel operators (Marriott, Accor, IHG, independent luxury brands)
• Deep understanding of hospitality market dynamics, brand positioning, and operational feasibility
• Track record balancing brand standards with cost discipline and schedule commitments
• Degree in Architecture, Engineering, Hospitality Management, or related field; MBA preferred
• US, Canada, UK, or Australian education preferred
• Dubai/GCC market experience essential

• Business plan and asset brief delivered with clear brand partnership framework and financial parameters
• Project delivered on budget with brand standards met and operational readiness achieved
• Branded offerings command premium pricing with strong market differentiation
• Seamless brand operator transition with zero operational disruptions
• Hotel/residences achieve target RevPAR and absorption metrics

Note: This role description is intended to provide a general overview of the position. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills, or qualifications required.