Regional Director – Conversions Essentials & Suites [Atlanta/Hybrid or US Remote]

The Regional Director – Conversions, Essentials and Suites leads a team responsible for hotel renovation and conversion projects from assessment through completion. This role provides strategic oversight, people leadership, technical direction, and escalation support to ensure properties meet PIP requirements, brand standards, life safety, ADA, and franchise agreement obligations. The Regional Director (RD) partners closely with owners, franchisees, design professionals, contractors, and internal stakeholders to drive project health, resolve complex issues, support successful openings, and protect the quality and consistency of the IHG guest experience. **Location** – Atlanta, GA: Our hybrid work structure is an expectation of three (3) days a week in office. This expectation may be adjusted to evolve with the changing needs of the business; **OR Remote**: \*\*candidate **must reside in a major city in the US** and **must be within 1 hour proximity to a major US airport**\*\* **Travel** – 10-15% Responsibilities include leading and overseeing the team accountable for on-site PIP renovation and conversion design and construction activities to ensure compliance with franchise License Agreements, associated PIP requirements, Plan Review and FF&E submittals, brand standards, life safety, ADA, and applicable code requirements. The RD provides direction, coaching, technical guidance, and decision support to Renovation Managers as they assist IHG franchisees and their assigned design teams through all phases of PIP projects, including resolving complex design or construction field conditions, managing escalations, and ensuring timely and successful completion of projects while promoting Great Hotels Guests Love. **Your day to day** - PIP Projects – Lead a team conducting PIP site visits and product assessments for existing and conversion hotels pursuing IHG franchise agreements. Ensure consistent use of brand Master Plan PIP strategies, thorough evaluation of architecture, design, condition, life safety, and code compliance, and development of clear PIP documentation outlining renovation requirements. Oversee onsite design and scope alignment, support complex strategies, and monitor renovations over 12–24 months to ensure adherence to PIP standards, approved plans, brand requirements, codes, and timelines. - Conversion projects – Oversee team execution of conversion project progress visits as hotels prepare to enter the IHG system in conjunction with the New Hotel Opening Program (NHOP). Ensure Renovation Managers use Plan Review documents, correspondence, and field observations to set project expectations, evaluate readiness, resolve field issues, and confirm conformance to PIP and Plan requirements, brand and life safety standards, building codes, and ADA. Provide escalation support on complex ownership, scope, schedule, or compliance matters. - Manage and monitor the team’s assigned travel budget, ensuring travel is aligned to project priorities, business need, cost controls, and timely expense reconciliation. - Lead proactive engagement with the mid-scale Development team and ownership prior to Franchise Approval Committee (FAC) review to address scope of work, design issues, renovation timelines, and project risk. Guide the team in improving success rates for FAC approval and License execution for new build and PIP conversion projects. - Serve as the primary escalation point for franchisee and owner PIP waiver requests, timeline extension requests, and complex compliance matters. Provide guidance to the team on negotiating PIP issues, finalizing scope and timelines, determining project risk, and recommending appropriate enforcement actions, including when projects should be escalated for PIP default consideration. Develop viable strategies, where possible, to move hotels through the PIP process in a timely and compliant manner. - Ensure construction and renovation milestones are proactively monitored across the team’s portfolio…