Country Operations Manager – UHM India

Job Title: Country Operations Manager – UHM India

Location: Gurgaon, India

Note: This role requires extensive travel across India and active involvement in pre-opening setup and operational transitions.

About UHM

United Hospitality Management (UHM) is an international hotel management company with a growing portfolio across the Middle East, Europe and now India. Following our strategic expansion into India, UHM is building a strong, performance-driven leadership team to support operational excellence, brand consistency and strategic growth across the country.

Role Overview

The Country Operations Manager – UHM India will lead and oversee the operational performance of all managed properties and upcoming openings across India.

This role will be instrumental in driving operational standards, guest experience excellence, pre-opening readiness and business performance across the country while working closely with business unit's leadership teams and corporate stakeholders.

Given the expansion phase of UHM India, this role requires frequent travel across multiple cities and project sites, with significant involvement in pre-opening planning, hotel setup and operational launch execution.

Key Responsibilities

1. Operations Leadership & Strategy

Develop and execute the operational strategy for UHM India aligned with global business objectives.

Act as a strategic partner to Country Leadership and senior stakeholders on all operational matters.

Drive performance, service excellence and operational efficiency across all existing and upcoming properties.

2. Multi-Property Operations Management

Oversee day-to-day operations across multiple hotels, serviced residences and lifestyle assets.

Ensure consistent implementation of brand standards, SOPs and guest service excellence.

Partner closely with Business Unit Heads to drive business performance and service quality.

Monitor operational KPIs including guest satisfaction, payroll productivity, GOP performance, and departmental efficiencies.

3. Pre-Opening & Hotel Setup

Lead operational planning and setup for all new hotel openings and managed properties in India.

Support pre-opening timelines, critical path planning, manpower readiness, SOP implementation and operational handover.

Partner with Technical Services, HR, Finance, Commercial and Procurement teams to ensure launch readiness.

Conduct site visits and oversee setup of operational infrastructure, systems, staffing plans and service standards.

4. Property Travel & On-Site Support

Undertake frequent travel across India to support property operations, openings, audits and business reviews.

Provide hands-on operational support during pre-opening, soft opening and post-launch stabilization phases.

Conduct regular site inspections and operational reviews to ensure alignment with UHM standards.

5. Performance & Financial Management

Drive operational profitability and efficiency across the country portfolio.

Monitor revenue performance, cost control, payroll ratios and departmental productivity.

Partner with Finance and hotel leadership teams to ensure budget adherence and margin improvement.

Lead action plans for underperforming properties and support turnaround initiatives.

6. Guest Experience & Brand Standards

Drive guest experience initiatives and ensure consistent service excellence standards across all properties.

Monitor guest feedback, online reputation scores, service recovery and quality assurance audits.

Implement best practices and continuous improvement initiatives across the portfolio.

7. Stakeholder & Leadership Management

Act as the primary operational liaison between Country Leadership, Business Unit Leadership team and ownership groups.

Build strong relationships with property owners, developers and business partners during openings and transitions.

Support leadership coaching and capability development of hotel management teams.

8. Reporting, Governance & Compliance

Maintain country-wide operational dashboards and reporting frameworks.

Provide leadership with regular updates on property performance, risks, openings and action plans.

Ensure compliance with company policies, statutory requirements, audit standards and governance frameworks.

Qualifications & Experience

Bachelor's degree in hospitality management, Business Administration, Hotel Operations or related field.

10–12 years of progressive hotel operations experience, with at least 3–5 years in a regional or multi-property leadership role.

Strong hospitality industry experience is a must.

Hands-on pre-opening experience across hotels or hospitality assets is highly preferred.

Experience managing multi-property operations and driving business performance across diverse markets.

Key Competencies

Strategic leadership with strong operational execution

Multi-property and pre-opening expertise

Strong commercial and financial acumen

Excellent stakeholder and owner management

High adaptability and willingness to travel extensively

Change management and transformation mindset

Strong communication and influencing skills

Why Join UHM India

Opportunity to be part of a fast-growing international hospitality group

Lead operational excellence and hotel openings during a dynamic expansion phase

Play a key role in shaping UHM's India portfolio and guest experience standards

Extensive exposure to multi-city hotel operations and strategic growth initiatives