Director Strategic Development EMEA

Job title: Director Strategic Development EMEA

About the Role Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is seeking a Director Strategic Development EMEA to drive growth across the region from London. This role sits at the intersection of deal evaluation and execution, shaping and delivering complex hotel portfolio and partnership opportunities with owners, operators, and internal stakeholders to ensure strong commercial outcomes aligned with long-term strategic objectives.

What You'll Do

• Deal Strategy & Evaluation: Assess new opportunities for strategic fit, financial viability, and operational feasibility; Develop and refine deal structures (franchise, management, hybrid, membership models); Provide clear go/no-go/reshape recommendations to senior leaders; Challenge assumptions and ensure robust decision-making.
• Negotiation & Execution: Lead negotiations with owners, investors, and partners; Structure commercial and contractual terms to balance risk and maximise long-term value; Work closely with Legal, Finance, and Operations to ensure smooth deal execution through to closure.
• Stakeholder Management: Align interests across brands, operator, and ownership groups; Act as a key liaison across internal and external stakeholders; Build and maintain strong relationships with investors, franchisees, partners, brokers, and advisors.
• Development Process Oversight: Coordinate the end-to-end development process, including site inspections; feasibility studies and financial modelling; due diligence and approvals; Ensure operational practicality of all proposals—not just theoretical performance.

What We're Looking For

• 7–15+ years’ experience in hospitality, such as hotel development, asset management or operations, hospitality advisory or consulting
• Proven experience negotiating franchise or hotel management agreements
• Strong understanding of owner, operator, and brand perspectives
• Experience in real estate or hospitality deal-making is highly advantageous
• Fluency in English (additional European languages are a plus)
• Strong commercial judgement with a long-term mindset
• Strong project management skills
• Deep understanding of industry structures and stakeholder dynamics
• Ability to break down complex deals into structured decision frameworks
• Confident and independent thinker who is comfortable challenging assumptions
• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills
• Clear communicator, able to engage senior stakeholders effectively

Nice to Have

• Living our Count On Me service culture alignment: personable, ego-free, and collaborative
• Strong relationship-builder with the ability to influence and engage multiple stakeholders
• Commercially sharp and strategic, able to balance detail with the bigger picture
• Comfortable navigating complexity and ambiguity to bring structure to multifaceted deals and market dynamics
• Independent and proactive with the ability to manage priorities and drive results

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary not disclosed; benefits not listed
• Count On Me culture and global opportunities within a leading hospitality company