JOB SUMMARY
The Opening Services Manager serves as the project lead for new construction, conversion, and rebranding hotel opening projects. This individual directly supports net unit growth and revenue goals by executing monthly, quarterly, and annual opening targets. This role maintains full visibility into a portfolio of not‑yet‑open properties across all brands and works cross‑functionally with franchisees, internal project teams, and vendors to ensure timely openings and ramp‑up success.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Project Management & Portfolio Leadership (90%)
Conduct initial project analysis to determine tailored opening strategies based on scope, contractual deadlines, franchisee experience, and organizational objectives.
Partner with Onboarding Project Directors and Franchise Development on initial franchisee outreach to establish timelines and expectations.
Manage franchisee access to Choice systems (Rules & Regulations, vendor networks, Performance Zone, Choice University, Okta).
Provide project management guidance to franchisees, appointees, and management companies through consistent and proactive communication.
Coordinate franchisee engagement with vendors and internal partners, including SkyTouch, Franchise Lifecycle, Operations & Portfolio Strategy, Procurement, Franchise Performance, Billing, Legal, Risk, and Design.
Serve as a subject matter expert in identifying and resolving complex or unique obstacles to opening, leveraging historical data and prior experience.
Independently manage a portfolio of 40–50 projects, maintaining schedules for consultations and inspections and delivering regular status updates to franchisees and leadership.
Negotiate and leverage opening incentives and adjust levers to accelerate opening timelines.
Manage online presell and commencement date activation processes.
Facilitate revised PIP items and timelines; prepare post‑executed addenda for Opening Day and coordinate third‑party inspections and Performance Zone Scorecards.
Direct the Franchise Lifecycle Team to activate, rebrand, or suspend not‑yet‑open properties as needed.
Lead rebrand openings in partnership with Area Directors, ensuring alignment on key markets and high‑visibility clients.
Report opening status and risks to the Compliance Committee for all not‑yet‑open properties.
Systems, Documentation & Data Integrity (10%)
Ensure data accuracy across Choice systems to reflect pipeline and forecasted openings.
Manage opening projects within Salesforce, ensuring current project statuses and required legal documentation are maintained.
Request and process legal addenda (room count, address, entity, assumption changes).
Travel 3–6 times per year for project visits, team meetings, and corporate events.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required Education
Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.
Experience
5–8 years of project management experience required; hospitality industry experience preferred.
Demonstrated ability to manage the complexities of hotel openings (construction timelines, FF&E, procurement, design submittals).
Experience operating in fast‑paced, shifting environments and managing multiple projects independently.
Advanced customer service orientation, strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, and ability to adapt and innovate.
Strong interpersonal, communication, and cross‑functional collaboration skills.
Knowledge, Skills & Competencies
Ability to independently interpret complex situations and apply specialized knowledge to deliver solutions.
Strong decision‑making, business rationale, analytical capability, and organizational awareness.
Ability to influence stakeholders and drive project outcomes across multiple teams.
Commitment to Choice’s Values & Performance Principles: collaboration, performance excellence, urgency, innovation, inclusion and diversity, integrity, customer focus, and respect.
Travel Requirements
Approximately 10% travel.
Salary Range
The salary range for this position $65,698 - $77,292.
Choice prioritizes our associate wellbeing by offering a comprehensive benefits program that is both competitive and flexible to help you achieve your wellbeing goals - here are just a few:
About Choice
Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world. With 7,500 hotels in 45+ countries and territories, we offer a range of high-quality lodging options in the upper upscale, upper midscale, midscale, extended stay, and economy segments. We’re the hotel company for those who choose to bet on themselves — the striver, the dreamer, the entrepreneur — because that’s who we are, too.
At Choice, we are united by the simple belief that tomorrow will be even better than today — for associates, our company, and our franchisees. At our worldwide corporate headquarters in North Bethesda, Maryland, at our technology center in Scottsdale, Arizona, and through our associates around the globe, every voice is heard and every idea is listened to, no matter what area of the company they come from. We are united in supporting the entrepreneurial dreams of our thousands of franchise owners, which propels us forward — giving our work at Choice a purpose larger than our business.
Our corporate office locations:
North Bethesda, MD — Located at Pike & Rose, our worldwide headquarters is less than 15 miles from Washington, D.C., one block away from the North Bethesda Metro station, with easy access to I-495, complimentary parking, electronic charging stations, restaurants and retail.
Scottsdale, AZ — Located at the northwest corner of Loop 101, the Scottsdale office is home to our technology, eCommerce and customer service organizations, with easy access to complimentary parking, electronic charging stations, restaurants and retail.
Minneapolis, MN — Select roles are based in our Minneapolis office on Highway 394, near the intersection with Highway 100, only five minutes from downtown.
Field/Remote — Select roles designated as field/remote will require associates to work from a home office, connecting virtually with Choice team members and leadership on Zoom, with possible required travel depending on the role.
Choice’s Cultural Values
Welcome and Respect Everyone | Be Bold | Be Quick | Listen | Be Curious | Show Integrity
Choice’s Leadership Principles
Act with Intention | Lead with Authenticity | Grow & Deliver