Senior Manager Engineering Operations, UAE

Senior Manager Engineering Operations, UAE

Position Statement:

The Senior Manager Engineering Operations is responsible for overseeing hotel engineering operations within UAE, across the current portfolio of operating hotels and the development pipeline. The role emphasizes providing leadership and guidance to hotel chief engineers, ensuring the effective delivery of asset maintenance programs, compliance with fire, life, and safety (FLS) standards, and adherence to local authority regulations. Additionally, the role involves managing Hilton's centralized maintenance contracts, and the processes, to drive value, enhance maintenance standards, and improve service levels, ensuring consistency, regulatory compliance, and guest satisfaction across the region.

Areas of responsibility will cover (but not be limited to):

• Lead technical and operational responsibilities for Hilton hotels within UAE across all brands, ensuring consistency and compliance with local regulations, Hilton standards, and processes.
• Oversee cost-effective operational models for each property, ensuring maintenance and asset management deliver value for owners and meet guest satisfaction goals.
• Initiates and manages country-wide centralized maintenance contracts, including the preparation of scope of work, evaluation of tenders, and quarterly review of vendor performance.
• Provide hands-on support during hotel openings, conversions, and Property Improvement Plans (PIP) implementations as per business requirements.
• Ensure the hotels follow and delivers on Engineering Operations objectives and strategies.
• Provide emergency 24/7 support and advice to hotels.
• Act as an interim technical leader for hotels during chief engineers' absences, when necessary.
• Support engineering operations outside of UAE as per business needs.
• This position requires travel, and results in periods away from home.

Asset Maintenance Management:

• Ensure consistent implementation of Hilton Fire Life & Safety (FLS) standards and compliance with local jurisdiction requirements.
• Maintain contacts with local authorities (e.g., fire departments, electricity suppliers, and health inspectors) to ensure regulatory alignment and readiness for emergencies.
• Assist hotels in maintaining efficient operation and maintenance of all MEP systems per Hilton policies, procedures, and manufacturer standards.
• Ensure full implementation of Hilton's Preventive Maintenance Program across all facilities, focusing on building systems and grounds.
• Oversee accurate maintenance records, testing logs, and adherence to compliance requirements.
• Guide and motivate engineering teams, contractors, and suppliers to achieve high operational standards.
• Review monthly engineering reports and conduct property evaluations to identify areas for improvement.
• Analyze POMEC performance and address budget variances while optimizing operational costs.
• Provide 24/7 emergency technical assistance and disaster recovery guidance in collaboration with Safety & Security team.
• Enhance guest experience by maintaining high-quality engineering standards and addressing QA issues.

Hilton Service Desk, Supply Management:

• Oversees the effective use of Hilton Service Desk (HSD) managing the hotel based and regional annual maintenance contracts, reactive works, and onboarding of new hotels in HSD whilst ensuring the key metrics are achieved.
• Prepares scope of work for country-wide centralized maintenance contracts.
• Participate in central tendering of maintenance services and service provider evaluations.
• Monitor and review the performance of centrally contracted vendors.
• Support negotiation of consumables and service contracts to ensure cost efficiency.

Capital Projects:

• Support development of five-year capital plans and manage scopes of work for maintenance and capital projects.
• Provide MEP input for capital projects and approve equipment replacements/refurbishments.
• Ensure technical solutions are effective and compliant with Hilton standards.
• Oversee efficient MEP installations and ensure proper documentation and handovers.
• Conduct site, construction, and owner meetings; report monthly project updates to RDOE.

Openings, Conversions & PIP:

• Review projects and ensure operational involvement during pre-opening stages in coordination with Architecture, Design and Construction (AD&C) team.
• Collaborate with AD&C Project Managers on relevant projects, including follow-ups on snagging and defect recording following the engineering operations Pre-Opening journey and processes.
• Ensure compliance with local regulations, proper maintenance schedules, and defect resolution processes.
• Oversee documentation and handover processes for new openings and conversions.
• Attend site and construction meetings as per needs to support smooth transitions.

Sustainability:

• Ensure that hotels report sustainability performance through Hilton LightStay platform.
• Support hotels in achieving Hilton's 2030 Travel with Purpose sustainability goals by driving energy awareness and recommending cost-effective sustainability solutions.
• Conduct annual reviews of hotel sustainability plans and develop a country-specific sustainability strategy with measurable targets.

Personnel:

• Collaborate with hotel HRs and GMs to interview and recommend suitable chief engineers.
• Identify and coach potential engineering talent for future roles.
• Support the Engineering Graduation Programme (PACE) from intake to career progression.
• Champion Hilton's Diversity & Inclusion strategy in talent development.

In addition to performance of the essential functions, this position may be required to perform a combination of the following supportive functions, with the percentage of time performing each function to be solely determined by the supervisor based upon the requirements of the company.

• Provide technical support to Senior Director of Engineering, and Regional Directors of Engineering.
• Provide Operational dotted line support to Country Manager/General Managers for the region.
• Participate in future openings activities / projects which may not be in normal area/country/ region.
• Provide regular and ad-hoc reports, as required.
• All other job duties as assigned.

• UAE hotels Chief Engineers and hotel engineering leadership report into this role dotted line.

• Good communication skills, including presentations, public speaking, and written correspondence.
• Ability to simplify technical concepts for non-technical colleagues and effectively discuss complex issues with industry experts.
• Proven capacity to lead and facilitate collaboration among cross-functional teams, including external vendors and contractors.
• Demonstrated ability to lead by example, resolve conflicts, and drive collaboration across diverse teams.