Director of Operational Excellence and Strategic Transformation

Premier Inn is a British hotel chain and the UK's largest hotel brand with more than 750 hotels. Premier Inn hotels in the UAE operate under a strategic partnership between Emirates Group and Britain’s leading hospitality firm Whitbread PLC, established to develop the Premier Inn brand throughout the region. At Premier Inn we make every day experiences special for millions of customers and create excellent career opportunities for people like you. Currently we have 8 hotels in the Middle East and an exciting pipe line of new hotels opening in the foreseeable future. We hold many coveted people and brand industry awards, and we want you to help us add another award to our trophy cabinet!

We are looking for a hands-on, results-driven leader with the ability to bring teams together, collaborate across functions, and personally drive transformation initiatives. As the Director of Operational Excellence and Strategic Transformation, you will be responsible for shaping and implementing high-impact operational strategies that enhance efficiency, elevate brand standards, and support the regional growth of Premier Inn.

This role requires a proactive and engaged leader who balances strategic planning, project execution, and operational oversight. You will be expected to develop structured plans, oversee execution, and ensure alignment across stakeholders while maintaining a strong focus on business outcomes, cost efficiency, and operational discipline. Success will come from leading transformation with precision, ensuring accountability at all levels, and driving measurable improvements that directly contribute to the company’s objectives.

If you are someone who thrives on structured execution, developing strategic initiatives, and working closely with teams to drive meaningful change, we want to hear from you.

• Strategic Leadership & Transformation – Drive and implement large-scale operational changes, ensuring efficiency, profitability, and long-term business success.
  
• Operational Excellence – Develop and execute a unified operational framework that enforces brand consistency, process efficiency, and cost control across all properties.
  
• Project & Change Management – Own the execution of transformation initiatives, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within scope, and with measurable business impact.
  
• Stakeholder & Relationship Management – Build strong, strategic relationships with executive leadership, ownership groups (HMA partners), regulatory bodies, and suppliers to support execution and decision-making.
  
• Commercial & Financial Efficiency – Control and optimize operational budgets, drive cost reductions, and ensure alignment with strategic objectives.
  
• Structured Execution & Follow-Through – Develop clear action plans, track performance metrics, and ensure initiatives translate into tangible results.
  
• Data-Driven Decision Making – Leverage analytics, AI, and automation to improve efficiency, optimize costs, and enhance operational performance.
  
• Talent & Leadership Development – Build, mentor, and develop high-performing teams, ensuring a culture of accountability and strategic execution.
  
• Sustainability & Risk Management – Ensure sustainability initiatives and compliance are embedded into operational strategies, balancing commercial success with responsible business practices.
  

• Ten or more years of leadership experience in multi-site hospitality, retail, or service industry operations, with a proven ability to lead transformation and drive efficiency at scale.
  
• Track record of executing high-impact operational strategies, including process optimization, commercial restructuring, and digital transformation.
  
• Experience managing large operational budgets, ensuring cost efficiency while maintaining service excellence.
  
• Strong knowledge of Middle East hospitality markets (preferred but not essential).
  
• Hands-on leadership approach—must be actively involved in planning, execution, and follow-through.
  

• Strategic Leadership & Transformation – Ability to drive and implement large-scale operational changes, ensuring alignment with business growth and efficiency targets.
  
• Operational & Financial Acumen – Strong commercial insight with the ability to optimize operational budgets, reduce costs, and enhance performance through structured planning.
  
• Stakeholder & Relationship Management – Ability to influence and align executive leadership, ownership groups (HMA partners), regulatory bodies, and operational teams to drive execution.
  
• Data-Driven Decision Making – Expertise in analyzing business performance, leveraging AI and automation, and driving continuous operational improvements based on real-time data insights.
  
• Project & Change Management – Proven experience delivering complex transformation initiatives, ensuring full execution and adoption across multi-site operations.
  
• Technology & Innovation – Comfortable driving AI, automation, and digital transformation to modernize operations and improve business efficiency.
  
• Resilience & Adaptability – Ability to lead through high-pressure situations, manage operational challenges, and ensure continuity in a fast-paced environment.
  

At Premier Inn, you will have a competitive benefits package, rewards and recognition. We offer, accommodation, transportation, medical insurance, air tickets, food entitlement and allowance and a competitive basic salary. You will have opportunities to develop and grow. The chance to build yourself a long and varied career doing something you really love.

At Premier Inn, we know the importance of creating a culture which brings the experience to life for both our customers and our team and this is supported by strong company values. We employ people that not only believe in our values but also have the passion to live and breathe them, and always put the customer in the heart of everything we do.

We want Premier Inn to be a place where people’s skills and careers grow as fast as we do. A place where everyone has the opportunities to develop and achieve their dreams. We put emphasis on a ‘promote from within’ culture and continuously strive to create a supportive and engaging environment in which our team can thrive and deliver.

If this sounds like you and you are ready to work in an environment that values your work and rewards you fairly then please click on the apply button below.