Area Director, Upscale Franchise Performance

Choice Hotels International • Maryland, MD

5d • $114,907 - $135,184

About The Position

The Area Director, Upscale Franchise Performance is a strategic individual contributor responsible for improving financial, commercial, operational, and guest-experience performance across a portfolio of upscale, select-service, and full-service hotels. Reporting to the Senior Regional Director, the role advises franchise owners, property leaders, and above-property management teams, translating Choice Hotels' strategies into property-level actions that strengthen revenue, profitability, guest satisfaction, and competitive positioning. The position applies hospitality expertise, independent judgment, and advanced financial and market analysis to identify opportunities and develop solutions tailored to individual hotels and markets. It has no direct reports but provides functional leadership, coaching, and expertise across a matrixed network of franchisees and hotel leaders.

The Area Director evaluates hotel operations, brand compliance, service quality, commercial effectiveness, and financial results; analyzes property P&Ls and market and guest data; advises on revenue management, forecasting, pricing, distribution, sales, and marketing; and develops property-specific improvement plans. The role builds trusted relationships with franchisees and internal partners, coaches hotel leaders, shares best practices across the portfolio, and supports guest satisfaction, loyalty, and reputation improvement. It also represents Choice Hotels at appropriate industry events and collaborates cross-functionally to support business opportunities and portfolio growth.

Requirements

• 8–10 years of relevant hospitality, hotel operations, franchise performance, commercial strategy, revenue management, or related experience.
• Demonstrated experience advising hotel owners, operators, General Managers, or senior property leaders on financial, operational, commercial, and guest-experience performance.
• Experience evaluating hotel P&Ls and translating financial and operational data into actionable performance strategies.
• Demonstrated success leading and influencing complex initiatives across a matrixed environment without direct reporting authority.
• Advanced financial and P&L analysis skills.
• Strong knowledge of hotel revenue management, forecasting, pricing, distribution, sales, and marketing.
• Ability to analyze hotel performance measures including RevPAR, ADR, market share, GOP, ROI, guest satisfaction, and related operational metrics.
• Strong proficiency in interpreting complex operational, financial, market, and guest data.
• Strategic and commercial acumen, with the ability to connect property-level decisions to broader business objectives.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, including effectiveness when issues lack standardized solutions.
• Exceptional consulting, influencing, and relationship-management skills.
• Ability to independently prioritize and manage complex work across a diverse portfolio of hotels.
• Strong executive presence and communication skills, with the ability to influence franchise owners, operators, hotel leaders, and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, Finance, Marketing, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with upscale, select-service, and/or full-service hotel operations.
• Familiarity with choiceADVANTAGE®, iDeaS G3, and Medallia.
• An advanced degree or relevant hospitality industry credentials.

Responsibilities

• Advise franchise owners, property leaders, and above-property management teams, translating corporate and brand strategies into actionable property-level objectives.
• Develop, refine, and influence commercial, revenue, sales, and marketing strategies to improve hotel performance.
• Analyze market trends, demand drivers, competitive performance, guest feedback, and property results to identify revenue-growth and differentiation opportunities.
• Align operational, financial, and commercial priorities to improve RevPAR, ADR, market share, profitability, and overall hotel performance.
• Use independent judgment and hospitality expertise to recommend data-driven solutions for complex property and market challenges.
• Evaluate hotel operations, brand compliance, service quality, commercial effectiveness, and financial performance to identify improvement opportunities.
• Partner with franchise owners and hotel leadership to diagnose performance gaps and develop property-specific action plans.
• Champion use of Choice systems and resources, including choiceADVANTAGE®, iDeaS G3, Medallia, and Choice University.
• Guide complex hotels, including properties with multiple food and beverage outlets and meeting or event operations, through operational and commercial challenges.
• Share expertise and best practices across the portfolio.
• Analyze property P&Ls and financial reports to identify opportunities to improve revenue, profitability, cost management, GOP, and ROI.
• Advise franchisees on revenue management, demand forecasting, pricing, distribution, and commercial strategies.
• Develop and influence execution of property-specific revenue, sales, and marketing plans based on local market conditions and performance opportunities.
• Guide execution of strategic marketing, local sales, and brand-supported revenue programs, including Choice Privileges®.
• Translate financial, operating, market, and guest data into clear recommendations for franchise owners and hotel leaders.
• Build relationships with franchise owners, operators, hotel leaders, and internal stakeholders, and provide actionable guidance supporting franchisee success and long-term hotel performance.
• Represent Choice Hotels at appropriate industry events, franchisee associations, and networking forums.
• Collaborate with franchise sales and other Choice teams to support business opportunities and portfolio growth.
• Influence outcomes across a matrixed environment without direct reporting authority.
• Coach and advise General Managers and other property leaders on operational, commercial, financial, and guest-experience opportunities.
• Promote participation in applicable learning and development resources, including Choice University.
• Analyze LTR results, guest feedback, third-party reviews, and guest sentiment, and partner with hotel teams on actions to improve guest satisfaction, loyalty, brand experience, online reputation, and guest-experience performance.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Leave and paid time off for holidays, vacation, personal, family, volunteer, sick, jury duty, bereavement, military, and religious observance.
• Financial benefits for retirement and health savings.
• Employee recognition programs.
• Discounts at Choice hotels worldwide.
• Eligibility for an annual bonus under Choice’s Management Incentive Plan (MIP).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director