Commercial Director

Job Description/Specification:

Hilton Worldwide is seeking an accomplished and commercially focused Commercial Director to lead the pre-opening and ongoing commercial strategy of a hotel property. This senior leadership position carries overall responsibility for sales, marketing, revenue management, group conference and events, market positioning, commercial planning, and the development of a high-performing commercial team.

As Commercial Director, you will develop and execute the hotel’s pre-opening market strategy, maximize revenue across all business segments, manage major distribution channels, and ensure sales and marketing activities align with Hilton’s brand standards and financial objectives. You will work closely with hotel ownership, brand management, department heads, and regional commercial teams to establish the property’s market presence and deliver sustainable revenue growth.

About This Role

The Commercial Director provides strategic leadership across the hotel’s commercial functions, including Sales, Marketing, Revenue Management, and Groups, Conferences & Events. The role requires strong analytical capabilities, extensive hotel industry knowledge, and proven experience in developing commercial strategies that increase market share, optimize pricing, strengthen brand visibility, and achieve revenue targets.

The successful candidate will also lead the recruitment, training, performance management, and career development of the hotel’s commercial team. This is a demanding executive role suited to an experienced hospitality leader with a proven track record in hotel openings, complex market environments, and revenue-driven commercial operations.

Key Responsibilities

🚀 Pre-Opening Commercial Strategy

• Manage the hotel’s commercial pre-opening critical path and ensure all commercial milestones are achieved on schedule.
• Develop and execute the pre-opening sales, marketing, revenue, and market-entry plan.
• Define target market segments, account priorities, positioning strategies, and launch activities.
• Establish the hotel’s commercial infrastructure, systems, policies, procedures, and reporting requirements.
• Coordinate commercial communications between the property, Hilton brand management, ownership, and regional teams.
• Participate in ownership meetings, presentations, commercial reviews, and strategic planning sessions.
• Develop opening-phase revenue forecasts, sales targets, marketing budgets, and performance indicators.
• Ensure the property enters the market with a clear competitive position and strong commercial pipeline.

💼 Sales Leadership & Business Development

• Lead the hotel’s overall sales strategy across corporate, leisure, group, wholesale, government, and other market segments.
• Direct the activities of the Director of Sales and the wider sales team.
• Establish account development plans and assign clear revenue targets to commercial team members.
• Build relationships with major corporate clients, government entities, travel partners, event organizers, and industry stakeholders.
• Identify new business opportunities and lead strategic account acquisition initiatives.
• Review sales productivity, conversion performance, account penetration, and pipeline development.
• Support negotiations for major contracts, group agreements, and strategic partnerships.
• Represent the hotel at sales missions, trade events, client presentations, and hospitality industry forums.

📣 Marketing & Brand Positioning

• Oversee the development and execution of the hotel’s annual marketing and communications strategy.
• Guide the Director of Marketing in building brand awareness and supporting revenue-generating campaigns.
• Ensure all marketing communications accurately reflect Hilton Worldwide’s brand image and standards.
• Coordinate digital marketing, public relations, advertising, social media, partnerships, and promotional activities.
• Evaluate campaign performance and ensure marketing investment delivers measurable commercial value.
• Monitor local and regional market trends, consumer behavior, and competitor activities.
• Ensure the hotel’s positioning remains relevant, differentiated, and competitive.
• Maintain alignment between sales, marketing, revenue, and operational priorities.

📊 Revenue Management & Commercial Optimization

• Develop strategic revenue management plans covering pricing, demand analysis, market segmentation, and inventory controls.
• Establish room rate structures, group thresholds, space utilization policies, and deployment strategies.
• Review competitive market data, booking pace, demand patterns, and business mix.
• Maximize revenue contribution across major distribution channels, including central reservations, global distribution systems, internet platforms, and hotel reservation channels.
• Ensure effective use of Hilton revenue management tools, ProfitPack, and selective selling guidelines.
• Optimize revenue contribution from transient, corporate, leisure, group, and wholesale segments.
• Review forecasts, budgets, displacement analyses, and pricing recommendations.
• Work closely with regional revenue management resources and hotel leadership to improve RevPAR, occupancy, average daily rate, and total revenue performance.

🎤 Groups, Conferences & Events Strategy

• Provide strategic oversight for the hotel’s catering and event sales activities.
• Direct the Director of Groups, Conferences & Events and related commercial team members.
• Establish pricing, space utilization, and conversion strategies for meetings, conferences, weddings, and social events.
• Review major event opportunities and ensure appropriate revenue and profitability evaluation.
• Maximize event space productivity and total revenue contribution.
• Coordinate group sales strategies with rooms, catering, food and beverage, and operational departments.
• Monitor event sales pipelines, tentative business, confirmed bookings, and conversion performance.
• Ensure proposals, contracts, and customer communications meet brand and commercial standards.

👥 Commercial Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, motivate, and develop all commercial team members.
• Oversee recruitment and candidate selection for managerial and specialist commercial positions.
• Establish clear objectives, performance standards, and accountability across the department.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and provide constructive feedback and direction.
• Identify training requirements and implement professional development plans.
• Recommend appropriate sales incentive and compensation structures based on the local competitive market.
• Create succession plans and career development opportunities for high-potential employees.
• Encourage cross-functional collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Participate in continuing education and professional development activities.

📈 Reporting, Forecasting & Performance Analysis

• Prepare and review commercial forecasts, business plans, budgets, and management reports.
• Analyze sales, marketing, revenue, and event performance against established objectives.
• Present commercial performance, market intelligence, and strategic recommendations to ownership and hotel leadership.
• Manage extensive commercial information and convert findings into actionable business decisions.
• Maintain accurate records, correspondence, forecasts, and marketing input within hotel systems.
• Track key performance indicators and identify corrective actions where targets are not being achieved.
• Ensure reporting is timely, accurate, and aligned with Hilton requirements.
• Support management decision-making through detailed commercial analysis.

🛎️ Guest Experience & Operational Coordination

• Maintain open communication between guests, employees, department heads, and management.
• Ensure commercial strategies support the delivery of an exceptional guest experience.
• Review guest feedback and identify commercial or operational improvement opportunities.
• Support the preparation of reports relating to guest service, front office operations, and incidents where required.
• Coordinate closely with Operations, Front Office, Food & Beverage, Finance, and other hotel departments.
• Resolve complex client and stakeholder issues with patience, diplomacy, and professionalism.
• Ensure promises made during the sales and booking process are operationally achievable.
• Promote a hospitable and service-driven atmosphere at all times.

💳 Financial & Administrative Oversight

• Support accurate commercial budgeting, forecasting, expenditure management, and financial controls.
• Monitor the commercial department’s expenses against approved budgets.
• Review contract terms, rate agreements, and commercial commitments.
• Support front office cash handling and billing oversight where assigned.
• Maintain accurate commercial records for internal control and audit purposes.
• Ensure commercial activities contribute to hotel profitability and ownership objectives.
• Assist with administrative responsibilities and hotel projects when required.
• Exercise sound commercial judgment when allocating resources and prioritizing initiatives.

🛡️ Brand Standards, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure commercial operations comply with Hilton Worldwide policies, procedures, and brand standards.
• Maintain professional confidentiality and protect hotel, company, client, and guest information.
• Promote compliance with hotel safety, security, and workplace requirements.
• Wear and maintain required personal protective equipment when applicable.
• Report damaged, defective, lost, or unsuitable safety equipment promptly.
• Maintain a neat, clean, and professional appearance in accordance with grooming standards.
• Demonstrate regular and reliable attendance.
• Perform additional reasonable responsibilities based on business and operational requirements.

Minimum Requirements

Education

• Four-year bachelor’s degree in one of the following areas is preferred:
  • Business Administration
  • Marketing
  • Communications
  • Hospitality Management
  • Hotel Management
  • Tourism Management
  • Finance
  • Or another related discipline
• An MBA, master’s degree, or advanced coursework in business, marketing, communications, or hospitality is an advantage.

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in hotel sales, marketing, revenue management, commercial strategy, or operations leadership.
• Substantial experience leading hotel commercial or sales functions.
• Previous experience in a hotel of comparable size, market positioning, and operational complexity is preferred.
• Demonstrated success in achieving or exceeding revenue, profitability, and market-share objectives.
• Proven experience recruiting, motivating, training, and developing sales and commercial teams.
• Pre-opening hotel experience is strongly preferred.
• Previous experience with an international luxury, upper-upscale, or full-service hotel brand is an advantage.

Preferred Skills

• Extensive knowledge of hotel sales, marketing, revenue, distribution, and negotiation procedures.
• Strong understanding of hotel pricing, demand forecasting, market segmentation, and channel management.
• Excellent critical analysis and commercial decision-making capabilities.
• Ability to interpret extensive data and provide constructive strategic direction.
• Excellent written communication, presentation, and public-speaking skills.
• Strong listening, influencing, negotiation, and stakeholder-management abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects under time and resource constraints.
• Proven capability to work effectively both independently and within executive teams.
• High levels of patience, tact, diplomacy, and emotional intelligence.
• Ability to delegate effectively and establish priorities aligned with hotel objectives.
• Flexibility to work varying schedules according to the needs of a 24-hour hospitality operation.

Technical Skills

• Hotel Commercial Strategy
• Pre-Opening Planning
• Sales and Marketing Management
• Revenue Management
• Revenue Forecasting
• Hotel Distribution Channels
• Pricing and Yield Strategy
• Market Segmentation
• Group and Event Sales
• ProfitPack
• Global Distribution Systems
• Commercial Budgeting
• Market Analysis
• Business Development
• Executive Reporting

Core Competencies

• Strategic Leadership
• Commercial Acumen
• Critical Analysis
• Revenue Orientation
• Executive Communication
• Negotiation
• Team Development
• Decision Making
• Stakeholder Management
• Project Management
• Customer Focus
• Adaptability
• Problem Solving
• Accountability
• Results Orientation

Direct Reports

The Commercial Director may have leadership responsibility for:

• Director of Sales
• Director of Marketing
• Director of Groups, Conferences & Events
• Revenue Management team members
• Sales Managers
• Marketing and Communications personnel
• Groups and Events team members
• Other commercial department employees

Who Can Apply?

This opportunity is suitable for experienced hospitality professionals currently working as:

• Commercial Director
• Director of Commercial Strategy
• Cluster Commercial Director
• Director of Sales and Marketing
• Director of Sales
• Hotel Commercial Manager
• Pre-Opening Commercial Director
• Area Director of Sales and Marketing
• Director of Revenue and Commercial Strategy
• Cluster Director of Sales
• Hospitality Business Development Director
• Hotel Revenue Director

Candidates from the Luxury Hotels, International Hotel Groups, Resorts, Hospitality Management, Hotel Sales, Revenue Management, Tourism, Meetings and Events, and Commercial Strategy sectors are encouraged to apply.

Why Join Hilton Worldwide?

• Lead the commercial strategy of a globally recognized hospitality brand.
• Play a central role in the pre-opening and market launch of a hotel property.
• Work with experienced ownership, regional leadership, and brand-management teams.
• Influence sales, marketing, revenue, distribution, and event strategies at executive level.
• Access Hilton’s international training, development, and leadership resources.
• Build a long-term career within one of the world’s leading hospitality organizations.
• Join a performance-driven environment that values innovation, teamwork, ownership, and service excellence.

CV Tips

Highlight:

• Hotels or resorts where you led commercial, sales, marketing, or revenue functions.
• Successful pre-opening projects and market-entry plans.
• Annual revenue budgets and commercial targets managed.
• Growth achieved in RevPAR, ADR, occupancy, event revenue, or market share.
• Major accounts, partnerships, groups, or contracts secured.
• Commercial teams recruited, trained, and developed.
• Distribution systems, revenue platforms, and hotel technologies used.
• Ownership presentations, forecasts, business plans, and strategic reviews delivered.

Application Tips

• Quantify your commercial achievements using revenue growth, RevPAR gains, market-share improvements, account production, conversion rates, and profitability results.
• Clearly describe your involvement in hotel pre-openings, including critical-path planning, team recruitment, pricing, positioning, and launch activities.
• Demonstrate your ability to lead integrated Sales, Marketing, Revenue Management, and Groups & Events functions.
• Highlight experience managing hotel distribution channels, pricing strategies, demand forecasting, and market segmentation.
• Include examples of ownership presentations, business planning, budgeting, and executive-level stakeholder engagement.
• Mention your experience recruiting, motivating, and developing high-performing commercial teams.
• Optimize your CV with ATS-friendly keywords such as Commercial Director, Hotel Commercial Strategy, Pre-Opening Hotel, Sales and Marketing, Revenue Management, Hilton Worldwide, Hotel Revenue, RevPAR, Average Daily Rate, Market Share, Pricing Strategy, Distribution Channels, Group Sales, Catering Sales, Business Development, Hotel Forecasting, ProfitPack, GDS, Commercial Leadership, and Hospitality Jobs Qatar.

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