Renovation Manager - Conversions Essentials & Suites [US Midwest]

The Renovation Manager – Conversions Essentials and Suites oversees hotel renovation and conversion projects from assessment through completion, ensuring properties meet PIP requirements, brand standards, life safety, ADA, and franchise agreement obligations. This role partners closely with owners, franchisees, design professionals, contractors, and internal teams to resolve field issues, manage project timelines, support successful openings, and protect the quality and consistency of the IHG guest experience.

Location – Remote: **Candidate must reside in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio or Indiana and must be within 1 hour proximity to a major US airport**

Travel – 75% [2-3 days a week/3 weeks a month]

Responsibilities include managing all on-site PIP renovation / conversion design and construction activities to ensure compliance or non-compliance with franchise License Agreement, including conformance with any associated PIP, Plan Review and FF&E submittals, and brand standards, including life safety and ADA requirements. Provide design, construction expertise and assistance to IHG franchisees and their assigned design team members through all phases of their PIP projects, including working out design / construction solutions as project field conditions arise, thus ensuring timely and successful completion of projects. 

May lead and review the work of less experienced staff by providing mentoring, technical guidance and/or training in daily activities. From time to time provide feedback to management and brand on product related issues / recommendations for improvements.  

Your day to day 

• PIP Projects: Conduct PIP renovation assessments using brand Master Plan guidelines for existing and conversion hotels seeking IHG franchise licensing or renewal. Evaluate design, condition, and compliance with brand standards, life safety, and building codes. Develop detailed PIP scope documentation to drive GuestView scores and revenue. Lead onsite PIP meetings and manage renovation execution over 12–24 months, ensuring timely completion and adherence to approved plans and standards.
• Conversion Projects: Conduct progress visits using Plan Review documents as hotels prepare to enter the IHG system under NHOP. Work with ownership to set expectations, assess readiness, resolve field issues, and ensure compliance with PIP and plan requirements, brand standards, life safety, building codes, and ADA.
• Proactively work with the mid-scale Development team and ownership prior to taking a deal to Franchise Approval Committee (FAC) to work through scope of work, design issues, and renovation timelines to better improve success rate for FAC approval and License execution for new build and PIP conversions. 
• Act as PIP department first level of appeal to franchisee/owner PIP waiver requests and timeline extension requests. Negotiate PIP issues and work out all PIP project details to set the PIP scope of work and its timeline for completion. Determine when to recommend to the PIP manager to place slow moving projects, or projects that are not otherwise in compliance with their PIP requirements, into PIP default. Work out viable plans and strategies, where possible, to get hotels through the PIP process in a timely manner.  
• Responsible to make sure that all construction/renovation milestones are monitored on a pro-active basis and that information is communicated to the NHOP, Plan Review, Quality and HPS teams to speed openings or enforcement. 
• Consult with franchisees, design professionals and hotel owners to assist in the development of construction schedules for Property Improvement Plan (PIP) hotel projects. Review site plans to ensure compliance with applicable laws, company regulations and brand standards, and comment on required changes or improvements to such plans. 
• Effectively manage an assigned territory by evaluating and tracking progress all ongoing PIP project field activities, prepare written reports and/or summaries for management as needed. Manage the digital library and PIP Tracking (PT) systems for executed projects for content and accuracy of input for assigned projects for both PT and the Digital Library. 
• As part of the License Agreement documentation trail, provide timely written follow-up (reports, letters and emails) associated with all site visits and other forms of communication or agreements with Licensee and their assign representatives.  
• Owner Relations – Consultant must develop good franchisee/owner relations offering assistance as needed within reason. Consultant is responsible for addressing design and construction or PIP waiver requests from ownership. Consultant is expected to offer design solutions to problems and be ready to recommend known design professionals to assist franchisee upon request or as Consultant feels necessary 
• Project size – Typical PIP will cost owner from $500,000 to $5M+ and will involve a 60 to 400 room hotel. Typical New Development will cost an owner $5M to $30M. 

What we need from you

• Bachelor's Degree in Architecture, Design, Construction Management, or a relevant field of work, or an equivalent combination of education and work related experience. NCIDQ, AIA or ASID certifications preferred. CAD training and familiarity with CAD systems also preferred. 
• 5 to 7+ years progressive work-related experience in design and/or architecture, with demonstrated technical proficiency related to the position. Previous experience in the hotel industry or similar desired. Project Management skills. 
• Demonstrate project management experience in organizing, planning and executing complex, large-scale projects from conception through implementation. 
• Demonstrate effective verbal and written communication skills for the purpose of providing information to clients, vendors, senior management and staff. Demonstrated ability to communicate supportive program details (presentation, analysis) to present a persuasive argument or to effectively negotiate a position. Must be able to communicate both orally and in writing with PCs, architects, designers and contractors and clearly explain specific requirements for active projects. Demonstrated ability to write comprehensive, detailed plan reviews explaining Brand standards and Life Safety Requirements as follow up to project submittals.  
• Demonstrate knowledge of brand standards and full understanding of the differences in the various brand standards. Demonstrate a clear understanding of ADA requirements and Company Life Safety Requirements. Must maintain a working knowledge of all requirements described in each brand standards manual. 
• Demonstrate ability to read blueprints including architectural, mechanical, plumbing, sprinkler systems and electrical drawings.  
• Must be capable of writing and typing a comprehensive, technical renovation document (within a specific template) describing the required PIP scope of work that will become part of a franchisee’s License Agreement. 
• Demonstrate ability to remain current with construction trends, code requirements and design through participating in annual continuing education classes. 
• Demonstrate ability to effectively prioritize project details and manage time usage to track active renovation, conversion and new development properties, and to determine if plans have been submitted in a timely manner. Must make immediate time available to return telephone calls and work with franchisees when problems arise regarding project development, Brand standards or vendor-related issues. 
• Demonstrate knowledge of national building codes, ADA requirements and Life Safety codes.  

Travel – 75% [2-3 days a week/3 weeks a month]

Location – Remote:  **Candidate must reside in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio or Indiana and must be within 1 hour proximity to a major US airport**

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