Manager – Feasibility & Investment Analysis

Position Statement:

What will I be doing?

A key member of the Feasibility & Investment Analysis group, this role will perform a variety of market and financial analyses including but not limited to market assessments, feasibility studies, management & franchise contract valuations, asset management projects including lease valuations, assessments of real estate renovations & master plans, supporting acquisition/disposition transactions, impact studies, debt & equity investment NPVs and IRRs, M&A analyses, and other special projects. Beyond this, and overall, the Manager will act as an internal consultant to various departments (Development, Real Estate & Asset Management, Operations, Finance, Executive Management). The role entails working closely with fellow F&IA Team Members across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and with the line manager, in delivering industry-leading analysis and advice to key business partners & stakeholders.

The role will be based at our Dubai offices, with moderate travel within Europe, Middle East and Africa.

With limited supervision, the Manager operates independently, performs work that is complex in nature, demonstrates ownership and has latitude for actions and decisions with minimal review.

The role requires working effectively with other Hilton departments (Development, Real Estate & Asset Management, Operations, Legal, Architecture, Design & Construction, Openings, Finance, and others) to leverage their expertise, critical feedback and inform the underwriting of a given project. In order to achieve this, the Manager will be expected to engage in constructive discussions with Team Members from other departments, including senior executives, clearly articulating her/his views, evaluate and provide the necessary information, confidently challenging any input as appropriate, in order to deliver robust, independent assessments with the highest levels of integrity. This requires the candidate to consistently produce, verbally and in writing, well-articulated arguments, thorough research and cross-analysis. The candidate may also be expected to support senior executives in their dealings with clients and third parties, by being involved in meetings and providing detailed analysis for such discussions, as well as supporting the preparation of relevant presentations.

The role requires the candidate to acquire & expand valuable industry knowledge (trends, competition, underwriting best practices, etc.) as well as develop internal business partnerships and external professional relationships, with emphasis on strategic markets which will complement the team’s knowledge and align with the strategic priorities of key clients (Development, Real Estate & Asset Management).

The candidate will join an international team made up of highly motivated professionals coming from varied backgrounds. The Manager is expected to rapidly become a driving force alongside existing team members in initiating, leading and participating in multiple special projects, committees and other departmental initiatives. S/he will Inspire other team members through individual excellence, as well as proactive contributions to the team’s progress (ongoing training, involvement in working groups/committees) and growth by providing regular critical feedback and ideas (regarding projects, initiatives, evolution of processes, etc.).

The success of the Manager within the Feasibility & Investment Analysis team relies on advanced technical and analytical skills, combined with the professional management of a wide range of contributions & deliverables to our clients, our team and other business functions. It therefore requires a proven track-record in an analytical capacity and/or prior exposure to an advisory role; clear & confident communication; agility in project and time management; as well as a constant drive for both individual and collective success. Through its diversity, the role offers an incredible overview of the industry and is therefore an ideal launch pad for various subsequent career evolutions within Hilton and across disciplines, as demonstrated by our great network of alumni.
 

SPECIFIC JOB KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

The individual must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities and be able to perform the essential functions of the job.

•    Passion for the industry and pro-active awareness of tourism/hotel/investment market trends
•    Working knowledge and familiarity with geographic hotel markets in Middle East and/or Africa and/or Europe
•    Committed to professional excellence, self-critical and driven to learn
•    Inquisitive and analytical mindset, attention to detail and problem-solving oriented; ability to work independently and as part of a team
•    Experience in and working knowledge of hotel operations and systems
•    Conceptual/working knowledge of key hospitality disciplines (e.g. revenue management, distribution)
•    Ability to work with and build financial spreadsheets (in Excel), format documents (Word), prepare PowerPoint presentations, and leverage other web-based tools
•    Thorough understanding of valuation of real estate, hotel investment and/or financing
•    Working knowledge of typical contract/legal structure in hospitality, i.e. franchise and management contracts, lease contracts, JV structures, etc.
•    Ability to apply principles of corporate finance, solid knowledge of the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI)
•    Timely and detailed coordination of individual and collective assignments, including active communication with stakeholders, and coaching/review of other team members involved.
•    Ability to collaborate, inspire and motivate other Team Members. Critically review, provide constructive feedback and critique analyses prepared by others

Required Qualifications

•    BA/BS/Bachelor's Degree or equivalent from business, real estate or hotel school
•    4+ years of experience in a hospitality consulting, asset management, feasibility and/or investment analysis function, or demonstrated ability to perform the requisite functions
•    Proficient use of Excel (use, audit and modelling) and Microsoft Office generally
•    Strong communication and presentation skills
•    Fluency in English; first-class communicator (with additional foreign language/s a plus)
 

Preferred Qualifications

•    MBA/MS/MA/Master's Degree or equivalent from business, real estate or hotel school, and/or further education of hospitality and/or real estate investments related
•    Hotel operations experience, exposure to hotel or non-hotel food & beverage operations
•    Familiarity with the Luxury hotel industry

#li-mh1

Preparing financial forecast for proposed hotels

A typical proforma analysis includes a site/hotel evaluation from the viewpoint of its utility for operation as a hotel; an analysis of the neighbourhood / city / country; understanding hotel demand patterns; determining a competitive set for the proposed hotel and investigating new supply entering the market; projecting hotel demand and average daily rate; benchmarking costs against other Hilton properties, competitive benchmarks, and industry standards.

Prepare financial analysis, forecasts and scenario assessments for existing assets (owned & leased)

In addition to the market analysis and forecasting as outlined above, asset management projects require extensive analysis of the operational structure, financial performance and contract terms of a subject hotel as well as thorough assessment of the proposed scenarios (e.g. lease extensions, renovation options, sale vs hold scenarios). Considering the potentially high levels of investment by Hilton, these assignments require a high level of accuracy and sophistication.
Perform investment analyses & valuations of hotels
The proforma P&L serves as a basis for investment analyses and valuations, often of complex commercial terms. The investment analyses and valuations support the decision-making process of our internal clients, including Development, Real Estate, Finance, and Executive Management.
• Prepare various scenarios for deal structuring including ‘pros & cons’ and recommendations
• Prepare memos summarizing projections and valuations
• Briefing internal clients and Executive Management on methodology and findings, as required

Supervision & Management

Oversight of junior colleagues’ work and assignments, client and project management relating to the group’s projects. Establish appropriate prioritization of projects and other administrative duties as required.

Internal & External Client Relationship Development & Management

Represent the department internal and externally while developing and maintaining constructive and cooperative working relationships. Communicate and co-operate with senior leadership within the organization. Attends departmental and external meetings pertinent to work assignments and address topics of analysis. Communicate the role and objectives of the F&IA function internally and externally.

Supporting Activities

In addition to performance of the essential functions, this position may be required to perform a combination of the following supportive functions:
•    Maintain and update sophisticated financial, supply-demand, and pro forma and impact models
•    Active participation in specialist committee and/or business task force(s) and special projects
•    Research and respond to information/special requests

SUPPORTIVE FUNCTIONS

In addition to performance of the essential functions, the position may be required to perform a combination of the following supportive functions:
•    Prepare internal/external presentations, handle interaction and engagements with clients and third parties
•    Help the line manager/team with occasional administrative tasks (e.g. setting-up internal meetings, organizing social events, taking meeting notes, etc.)
•    Occasionally attend team meetings, internal meetings, and external events

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Directly reporting to Director Feasibility & Investment Analysis, Europe, Middle East and Africa. No direct reports however supporting supervision of entry-level and Intern positions within the group is required on a project-specific basis.