Divisional Director of Engineering and Maintenance | Southern Europe

The Divisional Director of Engineering will be a pivotal leader responsible for overseeing all the Maintenance and Engineering aspects required to safely and successfully set up and operate the thirteen hotels of the Division Southern Europe, while striving towards Belmond's brand strategy of being the number one luxury travel experience in the world.
It is essential that the successful candidate understands hotel operational Engineering and Maintenance procedures, whilst also having a deep understanding in respect to the design and installation of a variety of engineering systems in a luxury hotel environment. Moreover, the engineering activities relating to maintaining heritage properties will be essential.
This role demands a solution-driven highly experienced and strategic individual who can ensure the highest standards of operational excellence, efficiency, safety, and guest satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and manage the engineering aspects of major renovations, new developments and capital expenditure projects, from conception to completion.
Collaborate closely with the Design & Construction teams to ensure engineering specifications, budgets, and timelines are met, and oversee commissioning processes ensuring optimal functionality and performance, and long-term maintainability
Provide expert guidance and leadership to hotel-level Directors of Engineering and their teams, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, safety, and proactive maintenance. Conduct regular property visits and audits to assess engineering performance, identify areas for improvement, and ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements and Belmond standards.
Develop and manage divisional engineering budgets (Cap Ex and OpEx), monitor spending, identify cost savings, and ensure financial accountability for all engineering activities
Manage and optimize energy consumption initiatives, implementing sustainable practices and technologies to reduce environmental impact and operational costs. Actively support and integrate sustainability principles into all engineering and energy-related operations, seeking innovative solutions for environmental stewardship
Establish and maintain vendor relationships, negotiating contracts for services, supplies, and equipment to ensure quality and cost-effectiveness

Main Goals and Challenges

Ensure engineering policies and best practise are being followed consistently in the Division, in regards to all Engineering and Maintenance related activities: preventative and corrective maintenance, maintenance plans, etc
Monitor and coordinate with external contractors engage in preventative and corrective maintenance, repairs, executions and other related works
Achieve an excellent level of maintenance across the portfolio, in all disciplines, paying special attention to details such as paint and wood finishes, marble and stone polishing, lighting, temperature, and any other point related to the guest experience that may affected by maintenance
Provide technical support in relation to engineering related activities during the lifecycle of the renovations or Cap Ex projects
Coach, mentor and develop the Engineering & maintenance team
The candidate must be flexible to work based on the operational needs of the properties, and occasionally be available weekends and public holidays, and travel intensively

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a related field. Master's degree preferred
Proven track record of managing large-scale new construction and renovation projects
In-depth knowledge on the design, calculation and maintenance of engineering projects related to all the installations present in a hotel building:
Electric installations (Low and medium Voltage), Heating production (boilers, heat pumps, solar, geothermal, etc...), Cooling production and direct expansion systems, Plumbing and water treatment, HVAC, lifts, etc
A good knowledge of Fire protection, fire detection and fire alarm systems, and communications (PABX, WiFi, data network, etc.).
In-depth knowledge of the regulation, codes and standards applicable to the described systems
Good knowledge of the energy efficiency field and state-of-the-art technologies to achieve energy savings
Strong and effective communication and problem-solving abilities. Exceptional leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders
Experience gained with luxury hotels
Demonstrated experience in implementing sustainable practices and technologies in hotel operations and design. Knowledge in sustainability practices in the industry, such as LEED, BREAM or Earth Check
Fluency in English, both written and verbal
Ability to use initiative and be proactive

Highly Desirable Skills And Qualifications

Knowledge of project management and property management processes
Previous experience managing MEP system renovation projects, ideally…