Cluster Director of Food & Beverage - InterContinental Hotels Group® Dubai Festival City

Role Overview

Cluster Director of Food & Beverage at InterContinental Hotels Group, Dubai Festival City. The role oversees food and beverage operations across four hotels and multiple dining and event venues within the IHG Dubai Festival City cluster.

Company Overview

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is the world's first and most global luxury hotel brand, pioneering international travel since the 1940s. The IHG Hotels at Dubai Festival City cluster consists of four hotels: InterContinental, InterContinental Residence Suites, Crowne Plaza, and Holiday Inn & Suites. The cluster includes over 1,600 rooms, 16 restaurants and bars, a 3,800-square-metre Event Centre across two levels, the 5,000-square-metre Festival Arena by InterContinental, Spa InterContinental, and state-of-the-art gym and swimming pool facilities. The cluster employs over 1,200 colleagues.

Role Purpose

Lead food and beverage operations across the IHG Dubai Festival City cluster, managing restaurants, bars, banquets, room service, and minibars. Drive financial performance, guest satisfaction, team development, and operational excellence while ensuring brand alignment and regulatory compliance.

Key Responsibilities

Operations Management

• Oversee the management of restaurants, bars, banquets, room service, and minibars within the IHG DFC cluster.
• Ensure compliance with business operations and hospitality laws.
• Ensure that assets are maintained in good working condition.
• Ensure a safe and secure environment for guests, team members, and hotel assets in compliance with hotel or owner policies and procedures and regulatory requirements.
• Comply with federal, state, and local laws regarding health, safety, and alcohol services.
• Make sure food and drinks are secure and stored safely and always keep stock replenished to minimise waste.
• Handle food and beverage inventory procedures.
• Determine minimum and maximum stocks for all food, beverage, material, and equipment.
• Oversee FF&E planning and procurement related to all IHG DFC managed F&B outlets, ensuring alignment with brand standards, functionality, and budgetary requirements.

Quality & Systems

• Develop and implement quality management systems.
• Establish SMART systems to monitor the achievement of departmental goals.
• Establish and achieve quality and guest satisfaction goals.
• Maintain a comprehensive, current, and guest-focused set of departmental standards and procedures and oversee their implementation.
• Review guest feedback and implement strategies for continuous improvement.
• Keep an eye on competitor activity and industry innovation.
• Review and approve menu design and concepts with the Cluster Executive Chef.
• Lead the development and implementation of menu engineering strategies to optimise pricing, product mix, and profitability.
• Analyse sales data to identify high- and low-performing menu items and make data-informed decisions on menu design and promotions.

Guest Experience

• Ensure the delivery of high-quality service to guests.
• Help guests with their requests and complaints, making sure you maintain a high level of guest satisfaction.
• Analyse guest insights to identify and meet customer expectations and build on guest loyalty.
• Regularly communicate with guests to ensure expectations are met.
• Establish and implement appropriate service recovery guidelines in order to ensure complete guest satisfaction.
• Respond to guest complaints or concerns in a prompt and professional manner.
• Communicate to appropriate departments all pertinent information requirements and special needs for arriving VIPs, large groups, and other key guests.

Strategic Partnership & Business Development

• Provide professional, advisory, and executive support to the Cluster Hotels Manager to assist in achieving strategic goals.
• Collaborate with the sales and marketing team to develop new products, services, and drive business.
• Work with the Director of Procurement to develop and monitor the implementation of purchasing procedures.
• Working with Conferences & Events, identify additional sales opportunities to enhance revenue.
• Drive promotions that deliver great dining experiences for guests at a good value.
• Manage the cluster food and beverage marketing programmes and participate in and maintain system-wide food and beverage marketing programmes and promotions.

Financial Management

• Help prepare the hotel's annual budget and the setting of departmental goals.
• Monitor budget and control expenses with a focus on food, beverage, and labour costs.
• Make sure credit and financial transactions are handled securely.
• Direct the team on how decision-making impacts profits.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure the brand is at the heart of all decisions.
• Maintain a focus and commitment to operating a "green" hotel.
• Communicate and correspond with both internal and external partners with professionalism, respect, and understanding.
• You will also be responsible for OWNCO events as required.
• Other ad-hoc duties—unexpected moments when you have to pull together to get a task done.

People & Team Leadership

• Manage F&B colleagues within the hotel's organisational structure, adhering to human resource and hotel policies.
• Communicate regularly with food and beverage colleagues, conducting effective team briefings.
• Clearly and effectively communicate hotel goals and strategies to all levels of the hotel team.
• Manage everyday activities, plan, and assign work ensuring you always have the right staffing numbers.
• Work within the company's Human Resource framework to ensure departmental performance of staff is productive.
• Plan for future staffing needs.
• Recruit in line with company guidelines.
• Prepare detailed induction programmes for new staff.
• Ensure training needs analysis of F&B colleagues is carried out and training programmes are designed and implemented to meet needs.
• Provide training and ensure the team operates in compliance with company standards, equipped with the necessary tools to perform efficiently.
• Develop and support your team through coaching, regular feedback, and clear performance and development goals.
• Recognise and celebrate strong performance.
• Conduct probation reviews and formal performance appraisals in line with company guidelines.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date staff records, including managing leave approvals and other administrative tasks.
• Address performance concerns constructively through ongoing coaching, counselling, and, where necessary, disciplinary action.
• Develop and implement strategies that promote DEI within the F&B department, including recruiting a diverse team, ensuring equitable opportunities for development, and fostering an inclusive environment where all employees feel valued.
• Develop the salesmanship and customer service skills of the F&B team.
• Drive Nationalisation efforts by mentoring and integrating local talent, fostering their development, and ensuring compliance with nationalisation goals.
• Establish and maintain a succession plan.
• Regularly communicate with staff to maintain good relations.
• Recommend or initiate any HR-related actions where needed, including engagement and wellbeing activities.
• Motivate the team to work in accordance with "The Winning Ways" with customers and colleagues.
• Oversee the implementation and effective use of the Work Optimisation Tool (WOT) Planner to ensure accurate forecasting and scheduling to maintain optimal workforce for exceptional service and efficient management.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree, higher education qualification, or equivalent in Hotel Management, Culinary Arts, or related field.
• 4+ years of related experience, including management experience.

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent interpersonal, organisational, and administrative skills.
• Strong customer focus and demonstrated leadership abilities.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Fluency in English (verbal and written).
• High level of common sense and strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.

Additional Information

IHG Hotels & Resorts provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants and promotes a culture of trust, support, and acceptance, welcoming different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Benefits include competitive salary, impressive room discounts, and comprehensive training. The company is committed to wellbeing through the myWellbeing framework, supporting health, lifestyle, and workplace wellbeing. The organisation offers Room to Belong, Room to Grow, and Room to Make a Difference in a collaborative environment.