JOB SUMMARY:

The Area Director, Upscale Franchise Performance is a results-driven leader responsible for driving performance across a portfolio of upscale franchise hotels. Reporting to the Regional Vice President, Upscale Franchise Performance, this role emphasizes proactive decision-making, managing complex challenges, and fostering strong relationships with franchisees, property leadership, and corporate stakeholders to deliver exceptional results.

With a strong focus on action orientation, the Area Director is tasked with identifying and resolving operational and financial challenges quickly, maintaining momentum on key initiatives, and ensuring consistent improvements. Success in this role is built on strategic relationship management, the ability to navigate complexity across multiple stakeholders, and the drive to deliver measurable results in revenue growth, guest satisfaction, and operational excellence.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Action Orientation

Take a hands-on approach to driving operational improvements and financial results across the portfolio, with a focus on delivering measurable outcomes.

Identify performance gaps in revenue, guest satisfaction, and operational efficiency and implement quick, practical solutions.

Drive swift execution of improvement strategies, ensuring on-property teams and franchisees act on recommendations for revenue optimization, operational efficiency, and guest service enhancements.

Lead on-site engagements and consultations, ensuring prompt resolution of challenges and sustained performance gains.

Maintain a strong sense of urgency in achieving organizational goals and surpassing performance targets.

Relationship Management and Stakeholder Engagement

Serve as the primary liaison between corporate teams, franchisees, and property leadership, ensuring open, transparent communication and alignment on strategic objectives.

Build trust-based relationships with ownership groups, General Managers, and above-property management teams to foster collaboration and engagement.

Proactively engage with stakeholders to ensure alignment on operational strategies, performance goals, and key initiatives.

Represent Choice Hotels as a trusted partner, advocating for franchisee needs while ensuring brand standards and expectations are met.

Provide regular performance updates, action plans, and recommendations to franchise owners and corporate stakeholders.

Manages Complexity

Navigate the complexities of managing a diverse portfolio of upscale, full-service hotels with varying market dynamics, ownership structures, and operational challenges.

Analyze a wide array of data points, including financial performance metrics, guest satisfaction scores, and competitive market trends, to provide clear, actionable insights.

Balance competing priorities across properties, ensuring that resources are deployed effectively to address the most critical issues.

Develop strategic, tailored action plans for each property that address unique challenges while aligning with broader corporate goals.

Serve as a problem-solver for multi-faceted challenges, involving operational issues, financial shortfalls, and stakeholder conflicts.

Revenue Growth and Operational Excellence

Collaborate with franchisees and property teams to implement revenue-generating strategies, including demand forecasting, pricing optimization, and distribution channel management.

Ensure operational excellence by promoting consistent use of proprietary systems such as choiceADVANTAGE®, iDeas G3, Medallia, and other brand tools.

Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), including RevPAR, ADR, occupancy, and guest satisfaction, to identify trends and recommend improvements.

Provide franchisees with actionable plans to enhance financial performance and guest experiences, addressing both immediate needs and long-term goals.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.

Minimum of 5+ years of upscale hotel operations or franchise leadership experience

Proven expertise in relationship management, conflict resolution, and working with diverse ownership structures.

Demonstrated ability to take decisive action and lead teams to achieve measurable results.

Skills & Competencies

Strong action orientation, with a focus on achieving results quickly and effectively.

Exceptional relationship management and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and inspire stakeholders at all levels.

Skilled in managing complexity, balancing competing priorities, and developing clear strategies for multi-faceted challenges.

Advanced analytical skills, with the ability to interpret performance data and identify actionable opportunities.

Proficiency in industry tools and platforms, including Smith Travel Research, OTA platforms, and Choice proprietary systems.

Strong organizational and time-management skills to oversee a large, complex portfolio effectively.

Other Requirements

Extensive overnight travel to properties within the portfolio is required.

Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment while managing diverse responsibilities.

Strong understanding of market dynamics, industry trends, and upscale franchise operations.

SALARY RANGE:

The salary range for this position is $114,907 - $135,500 annually.

The pay range listed is for this position and is what Choice Hotels reasonably expects to pay. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and the range may be modified in the future. An employee’s pay position within the pay range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, and business or organizational needs. 

WORK LOCATION:

This is a remote-based role. The selected candidate will work from their home office. Occasional travel to Choice Hotels’ corporate offices in North Bethesda, MD or Scottsdale, AZ may also be required.

NOTE:

We do not provide sponsorship assistance for this role. 

   

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:

Competitive compensation and benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverageLeave and paid time-off for holidays, vacation, personal, family, volunteer, sick, jury duty, bereavement, military, and religious observanceFinancial benefits for retirement and health savingsEmployee recognition programsDiscounts at Choice hotels worldwide

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