About Dorchester Collection
Dorchester Collection operates hotels including The Dorchester in London, Hôtel Plaza Athénée and Le Meurice in Paris, and The Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles County. Its properties hire across rooms, restaurants, kitchens, engineering and guest services.
The Director of Residences will lead the strategic vision, pre-opening and day-to-day operations of ORLA Residences managed by Dorchester Collection in Dubai, overseeing residential services, homeowner relations, teams, stakeholder engagement and financial performance. This is a permanent, full-time role requiring at least 2 years’ experience in a comparable senior leadership position.
Role & Responsibilities
- Contribute to the processes and activities that promote Dorchester Collection’s culture and values and bring its “We Care” philosophy to life, ensuring an exceptional experience for homeowners, guests and employees.
- Oversee the strategic vision, pre-opening activities and day-to-day operations of an ultra-luxury branded residential development, delivering a seamless living experience in line with Dorchester Collection standards.
- Build trusted relationships with homeowners, understand their individual preferences and expectations, and deliver personalized, anticipatory service.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for homeowners and key stakeholders, balancing the needs of residents, ownership representatives, developers, operators, service providers and internal leadership teams.
- Lead, guide and develop operational teams, fostering excellence, accountability, engagement and continuous improvement.
- Collaborate with business stakeholders to ensure operational alignment, consistent service and achievement of strategic objectives.
- Oversee residential operations across Concierge, Housekeeping, Security, Engineering, Valet and Lifestyle Services, ensuring service standards are met.
- Advance homeowner satisfaction and engagement through innovative programs, experiences and communication channels that strengthen homeowner relationships and community engagement.
- Manage budgets, forecasting, cost control and profit and loss accountability to drive financial performance while maintaining service standards.
- Manage third-party suppliers, contractors and service partners, ensuring consistent quality, compliance and value.
- Bring Dorchester Collection’s values of Passion, Personality, Respect, Working Together and Creativity to life while contributing to its legacy.
- Communicate effectively and manage stakeholders across all levels to ensure alignment and engagement.
Qualifications
- Strong professional presence, leadership capability and a passion for luxury hospitality and residential management.
- At least 2 years’ experience in a Director of Residences or equivalent senior leadership role within an ultra-luxury branded residence or luxury hospitality environment.
- Proven experience managing relationships with high-profile homeowners and collaborating with developers, ownership representatives, operators, service providers and corporate leadership teams; able to build trust, drive engagement and foster long-term relationships with discerning homeowners.
- Hands-on experience in budgeting, management and driving operational efficiencies.
- Proven success leading, mentoring and developing high-performing teams while fostering excellence, accountability and continuous improvement.
- High emotional intelligence, resilience, empathy and diplomacy; able to navigate complex stakeholder relationships and sensitive situations with discretion, professionalism, confidence and sound judgment.
- Strategic, highly organized and solutions-oriented, with strong judgment and effective decision-making skills.
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence, inspire and collaborate effectively across all organizational levels.
- Fluent English, with the confidence and professionalism to communicate.
Skills
Experience
At least 2 years in a Director of Residences or equivalent senior leadership role within an ultra-luxury branded residence or luxury hospitality environment.
Workplace
The successful candidate will be located in Dubai, Dubai, UAE.
Explore jobs in the UAE.
Benefits
Family benefits; development opportunities; complimentary stays with breakfast at sister Dorchester Collection hotels; 50% discount at bars and restaurants in sister Dorchester Collection hotels; meals on duty; private medical insurance for the employee and family; life insurance for the employee; annual flight allowance for the employee and dependents; children’s education support allowance; housing allowance; transportation allowance; complimentary business attire laundry; participation in the Company Bonus Plan.
Culture
Each hotel has its own kitchens, service teams and history. In Paris, for example, a sommelier at Le Relais Plaza works at Hôtel Plaza Athénée, while the pastry team at Le Meurice prepares work for a different house.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Dorchester Collection, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Residential Operations Director», «Director of Residential Services», «Head of Residences», «Residential Services Director», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.