Director Food & Beverage

Marriott Vacations Worldwide•Sheraton Vistana Villages, FL

About The Position

The Director of Food & Beverage Services (Director) is accountable for the strategic development, implementation, and continuous evolution of enterprise-wide Food & Beverage strategies. This role provides strategic leadership over F&B operational standards, training, brand innovation, and financial performance across the entire resort portfolio. The position is responsible for developing and implementing all Food & Beverage standard operating procedures and initiatives at all locations, in addition to managing tactical support efforts and leading complex, cross-functional projects that shape the brand’s F&B sales and service experience. This role reports to the VP Resort Operations & Customer Experience and works directly with resort leadership, senior stakeholders, and cross-functional departments to execute a cohesive, high-impact food and beverage service strategy across all site restaurants, pool bar grills, marketplaces, and other ancillary outlets. In addition, this position is the lead for future F&B concept research and development, including sourcing, positioning and global implementation of the brand’s evolving F&B Services strategy. The Director leads and develops a corporate Food & Beverage team, including (but not limited to) the Associate Director, Corporate Chef and Food & Beverage Manager(s), and provides strategic guidance and developmental support to Regional Food & Beverage leaders. In addition, the position partners with the AVP of Resort Operations and Guest Experience and Director of Resort Activities to ensure a cohesive resort experience strategy for both ancillary and COA operations. The Director works directly with General Managers, Directors of Operations, and on-site Food and Beverage leaders to drive strategy on Food & Beverage initiatives at the regional and market level. This includes enterprise project leadership, operational execution and defining project scope, timelines, deliverables, and resource plans in alignment with long-term F&B Services goals and guest satisfaction targets.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Business Administration, Culinary Arts, or a related field required.
8 – 10 years of progressive experience in food and beverage operations.
Multi-site level and/or corporate support experience preferred.
Strong knowledge of front and back-of-house food and beverage processes required.
Experience overseeing medium to large sized projects from initial concept to implementation within F&B Strategies.
Previous experience in the resort, hotel, or vacation ownership industry required.
Strategic thinker with a strong ability to balance enterprise vision with operational execution.
Highly effective communicator and influencer, with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels.
Strong project management and organizational skills, with a proven ability to manage multiple high-impact initiatives simultaneously.
Ability to interpret and apply data analytics, POS sales reporting, and financial reports to inform decision making and performance strategy.
Skilled in vendor negotiation, supplier relationship management, and product sourcing strategy.
Confident public speaker and facilitator, comfortable leading trainings, presentations, and stakeholder meetings.
Collaborative leadership style with a hands-on approach to coaching and talent development.
High level of adaptability and resourcefulness in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office products (i.e., Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint) and vendor interfaces; able to learn MVCI systems related to projects supported.
Proactive in becoming educated to fully understand the systems, policies and/or processes related to the various project assignments.
Has a thorough understanding of resort operations and the vacation ownership business.
Maintains awareness of internal & external information and emerging practices that are germane to F&B strategies.
Ability to travel 75% of the time.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Business Administration, or a related discipline preferred.

Responsibilities

Leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement all F&B brand standards, concepts, and experiences across the enterprise.
Leads future F&B concept research and brand innovation efforts, including competitive benchmarking, sourcing, positioning, and rollout strategies.
Partners with Resort Operations Planning on new outlet and resort openings to ensure alignment with brand requirements, customer expectations, and business needs.
Champion’s the creation, delivery, and effectiveness of F&B service training programs.
Leads the development and execution of brand beverage standards, including supplier relationships, contract negotiations, and product distribution strategy.
Oversees enterprise F&B training strategy and supports the facilitation of site-level training efforts on all food and beverage service-related processes.
Partners with the quality team to maintain and update food and beverage service policies within Policy Studio and ensure alignment with brand standards.
Ensures all licensing obligations for Marriott Vacation Ownership and Hyatt Vacation Ownership brands are met, including compliance with brand agreements.
Oversees adherence to state and federal guidelines for food, beverage, and licensing standards, and proactively informs senior stakeholders of regulatory changes and operational impacts.
Partners with Resort Operations planning & Architecture & Construction (A&C) to provide guidance on F&B space planning for new resorts and concepts.
Reviews monthly financial statements for all regions, identifies performance gaps, and partners with site teams to develop improvement strategies.
Leads calls with underperforming outlets and supports the development and execution of performance action plans.
Analyzes food safety and quality assurance audit results across all sites, working with local teams to implement corrective actions and best practices.
Partners with A&C and Finance & Accounting on CAPEX plans for F&B outlets, including equipment needs, redesign efforts, and other business needs.
Reviews and approves CAPEX requests, as required, Ensuring alignment with brand goals, budget parameters, and strategic direction from senior leadership.
Supports the F&B planning, staffing, and training efforts for new resort openings.
Leads the creation, execution, and ongoing management of F&B-related project plans, adjusting as needed based on evolving requirements and stakeholder feedback.
Defines project scope, milestones, and deliverables in partnership with stakeholders.
Secures and manages required project resources and cross-functional participation.
Conduct data analysis and/or needs assessments to inform project approach and recommendations.
Oversees the day-to-day operational and logistical aspects of each project.
Prepares and delivers clear, data-driven project reports, dashboards, and presentations to stakeholders and other interested parties.
Facilitates both formal and informal stakeholder meetings, maintaining open lines of communication and transparency throughout project lifecycles.
Proactively manages stakeholder expectations and resolves issues through collaboration and influence.
Identifies and implements process improvements that enhance the effectiveness of F&B operations and project execution.
Provides coaching and mentorship to project team members.
Promotes continuous improvement by recommending solutions to address internal process gaps and inefficiencies.
Enforces standard operating policies and procedures and ensures alignment across functions during project execution.
Synthesizes insights from internal stakeholders, surveys, external benchmarks, and market data to inform enterprise F&B strategy.
Collaborates with the VP of Resort Operations & Experience and key stakeholders to translate strategic direction into executable initiatives.
Develops implementation plans, resource strategies, and outcome metrics for all F&B programs and initiatives.
Leads the day-to-day execution of strategic and tactical support projects, including research, analysis, stakeholder alignment, and reporting.
Manages timelines, deliverables, and communications related to project rollout across corporate and site locations.
Serves as the enterprise change agent, ensuring alignment, buy-in, and adoption of new or revised brand strategies, tools, and training programs.
Collaborates closely with property leadership, corporate departments, and third-party vendors to ensure successful deployment of F&B strategies and tools.
Implements and sustains new or revised F&B practices, programs, and initiatives, ensuring impact is measurable and aligned with brand goals.
Prepares and delivers communications, training materials, and ongoing support resources as part of program implementation.
Develops ongoing dashboards and reporting tools to monitor and analyze performance, adjust strategy, and ensure continuous improvement.
Tracks and reports on KPIs related to guest satisfaction, service consistency, outlet profitability, and training effectiveness.