Senior Development Manager

About the company

An international hospitality group, this organisation has helped shape the all-inclusive holiday experience and is known for its upscale, welcoming and multicultural approach. Its portfolio spans resorts in destinations around the world, alongside other premium holiday offerings. A large, globally distributed workforce brings the guest experience to life across its resorts, offices and sales network.

People and the environment are central to its purpose. The organisation offers the opportunity to work across cultures and markets, contribute to ambitious development projects, and be part of a business focused on creating memorable experiences. It combines an international outlook with a collaborative spirit, offering a distinctive setting for professionals who value meaningful relationships, adaptability and the chance to make a lasting contribution.

What the job entails

As Senior Development Manager, you will lead hospitality development projects in Japan, from identifying opportunities and assessing feasibility through to engagement and contract signature. Reporting to the Development Director for North East Asia, you will evaluate potential projects against approved criteria and capacity plans, and build the support needed to move them forward.

You will develop and maintain relationships with owners, real estate developers and capital partners, negotiating agreements and related legal documents. Working closely with internal teams and external partners, you will communicate project and negotiation outcomes, coordinate technical service agreements with construction colleagues, and support the handover to project management teams after contracts are signed. You will also present opportunities to the Asia Committee, contribute market insight to regional capacity planning, share development expertise with colleagues and help improve the team’s ways of working.

Key requirements

• A bachelor’s degree, with a strong academic background in business or the hotel industry.
• At least five years’ experience in hotel or resort development in Japan.
• A track record of independently leading development projects from opportunity identification through to contract signature.
• Experience working with Japanese owners, real estate developers and/or capital partners.
• Knowledge of the Japanese real estate and hospitality development landscape, and a strong understanding of Japanese culture and business practices.
• Broad business knowledge spanning areas such as human resources, legal, marketing, finance and hotel management.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to build productive relationships and gain support from internal and external stakeholders.
• The ability to work autonomously and effectively under pressure in a complex, cross-border and multicultural environment.
• Fluent or business-level proficiency in Japanese, Mandarin Chinese and English, for communication, negotiation and regional coordination.
• An open-minded, flexible, efficient, mature and resilient approach, with the confidence to work across Japanese and Chinese business cultures.