Director Architecture, Design & Construction - Lifestyle

Exceptional Hospitality Starts with You

This role is based at one of our corporate offices in McLean, VA, New York, NY or Remote

This is your chance to be part of an in-house Architecture, Design & Construction team that delivers exceptional properties that delight our guests, reward our partners, and reflect the unique cultures of their geographical locations!

Lifestyle hotels are shaped by more than great design, they capture the character of their destinations, create meaningful connections and deliver experiences guests want to return to. This is an opportunity for a commercially astute, design-literate hospitality project leader to help bring these distinctive hotels to life across North America as part of Hilton’s in-house Architecture, Design & Construction (AD&C) team.

As Director, Architecture Design & Construction - Lifestyle, reporting to the Senior Director of Architecture, Design & Construction – Lifestyle, you will shape Hilton’s next generation of Lifestyle hotels across North America. You will lead projects from early vision through opening, working with owners, developers, Brand and consultants to elevate design and delivery.

You will bring strong project management experience, Lifestyle expertise across hospitality, design and F&B, and the confidence to lead and influence. Success requires urgency and a proactive mindset: anticipating challenges, removing obstacles and getting things done.

What you’ll do during a typical day:

• Provide technical and construction leadership across all development phases.
• Review design and construction documents for alignment with Hilton requirements and project ambitions.
• Influence decisions to strengthen design, brand expression, operational performance and commercial value.
• Conduct site inspections, identify risks and drive prompt resolution.
• Champion Lifestyle experiences informed by design, F&B, and cultural trends.
• Travel 40–50% for owner meetings, design reviews, site inspections and openings across North America.

How you’ll collaborate with others:

• Strengthen an inclusive, high-performing AD&C culture by sharing knowledge, supporting colleagues and raising the bar.
• Build long-term trust with owners, positioning Hilton as a strategic partner of choice.
• Partner with Development to support growth and secure the right projects.
• Translate Brand vision into culturally relevant and commercially successful hotels.
• Partner with AD&C Design to elevate design quality, guest experience and food and beverage.
• Unite internal teams around shared priorities, driving decisions and successful openings.

Projects you’ll take ownership of:

• Take full ownership of developments, conversions, adaptive-reuse projects and brand changes, serving as Hilton’s project lead from pre-signing through opening.
• Establish project vision, delivery strategy, milestones and accountabilities.
• Oversee design and construction, balancing Brand vision, operational efficiency and commercial priorities.
• Guide value engineering without compromising design quality or guest experience.
• Anticipate risks, remove obstacles and drive decisions with urgency.
• Maintain disciplined, accurate reporting of forecast starts, openings, milestones and risks.
• Drive consistent communication and hold internal and external teams accountable for actions, timelines and quality.
• Continuously elevate delivery and the finished product, creating distinctive Lifestyle hotels that perform for guests, owners and Hilton.

What It Takes to Make the Stay

You have these minimum qualifications:

• BA/BS/Bachelor’sDegree in Architecture, Engineering, Design, Construction or a related field
• Seven (7) years of proven experience managing development projects, including design, construction or renovations.
• Seven (7) years of experience reading and interpreting construction documents, including architectural and engineering plans.
• Design, construction or renovation experience in hospitality, particularly Lifestyle-branded hotels
• Willing to travel up to 40 - 50%

It would be useful if you have:

• Professional licenses or certifications such as Architect, Engineer, Interior Designer (NCIDQ) or Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Excellent presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex ideas into clear, compelling narratives for senior leaders.
• Proficiency with AI tools, with the ability to use AI effectively to enhance productivity, com…