Associate Director of Development

About The Postcard Hotel

The Postcard Hotel is a collection of intimate luxury hotels that redefine traditional hospitality through slow living, immersive experiences, and highly personalised service. Each property is thoughtfully designed to reflect its destination, offering guests an atmosphere of understated elegance, tranquillity, and deep connection. Our teams are the custodians of this ethos—creating meaningful impact through meticulous attention to detail and guest-centric innovation.

Position Overview

The Associate Director of Development plays a critical role in driving the brand's long-term growth by identifying expansion opportunities, supporting new hotel development, strengthening strategic partnerships, and contributing to organisational excellence. This role requires strong analytical capabilities, in-depth market understanding, and the ability to translate insights into viable business strategies aligned with the brand's vision.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Market Research & Business Intelligence

Conduct detailed market and feasibility studies for potential new properties across domestic and international destinations.
Analyse macroeconomic trends, tourism patterns, competitor benchmarks, and emerging luxury hospitality insights.
Develop comprehensive business cases, valuation models, and ROI projections for new projects.

2. Strategic Planning & Expansion

Support the end-to-end process of hotel development—from opportunity identification to deal evaluation and project onboarding.
Assess potential management contracts, acquisitions, partnerships, and investment structures.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Operations, Finance, Design, Branding) to ensure project alignment with The Postcard's brand philosophy and operational standards.

3. Partnership & Stakeholder Management

Build and maintain strong relationships with property owners, developers, investors, consultants, and industry partners.
Represent the brand in discussions, presentations, and negotiations related to strategic growth initiatives.
Coordinate with internal leadership to ensure clear communication and seamless execution of key strategic priorities.

4. Financial & Commercial Analysis

Prepare financial models for potential projects, including revenue forecasts, cost assessments, and scenario analyses.
Evaluate commercial performance of existing properties and identify opportunities for optimisation.
Support budgeting and long-term planning exercises with strategic insights.

5. Project Management

Manage timelines, documentation, and deliverables for strategic development projects.
Work closely with legal teams on contract reviews, agreements, and compliance requirements.
Track project progress, risks, and milestones, ensuring leadership is updated regularly.

6. Strategic Initiatives & Organisational Development

Drive special projects that enhance brand positioning, operational efficiencies, and revenue diversification.
Contribute to thought leadership and strategic planning workshops.
Support the creation of frameworks, SOPs, and competitive intelligence reports that guide long-term decisions.

Qualifications & Experience:

MBA or Master's degree in Business, Hospitality, Real Estate, or related field preferred.
6–10 years of experience in hospitality development, strategy consulting, real estate advisory, investment analysis, or luxury brand strategy.
Strong financial modelling, analytical, and presentation skills.
Proven experience in project management and stakeholder engagement.
Deep understanding of the luxury hospitality landscape and global travel trends.

Key Skills & Attributes:

Strategic thinker with strong commercial acumen.
Excellent communication and negotiation capabilities.
High attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
Creative problem-solving mindset.
Passion for luxury hospitality, design, and experiential travel.
Ability to represent the brand with maturity, professionalism, and discretion.

What We Offer:

Opportunity to contribute to the growth of a globally recognised luxury hospitality brand.
Collaborative, innovative, and design-forward working environment.
Exposure to diverse markets, high-impact projects, and leadership interaction.