Director, Strategy & Planning

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JOB SUMMARY 

The Director, Strategy & Planning, South Asia is a senior leader responsible for shaping and executing the strategic agenda of the South Asia Sales & Distribution Organization. Reporting to the Vice President, Sales & Distribution, South Asia, this role drives high-impact initiatives that advance Marriott International’s commercial priorities in the region. The Director combines strategic foresight, structured problem-solving, and strong project leadership with performance analytics to ensure clear planning, disciplined execution, and measurable business outcomes. By aligning regional priorities with APAC and Global objectives, the role serves as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and a catalyst for sustainable growth, operational excellence, and continuous improvement across South Asia.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Strategy and Planning 

• Lead the development and execution of the strategic planning process for South Asia, ensuring alignment with APAC and Global priorities.
• Partner with senior stakeholders to identify, scope, and prioritize initiatives critical to the South Asia market.
• Translate strategic objectives into actionable plans and operating models that drive execution and accountability.
• Develop business cases, scenario analyses, and recommendations to support executive decision-making.
• Stay at the forefront of AI and digital innovation, guiding the adoption of AI-driven solutions to strengthen commercial strategy and execution.
• Delivering end-to-end project management, analytics, and communication support for South Asia initiatives.
• Provides recommendations to improve effectiveness of performance management processes
• Assists with the development and implementation of LSOP/resources and framework, both internal and external
• Helps establish long-range objectives, specifying the strategies and driving the execution of the strategy
• Analyzing information, identifying current and potential problems and proposing solutions
• Coordinate with Hotel teams to develop and conduct Market Assessments for key impact markets
• Provides critical input to market leaders for development of deployment strategy

Project Management & Execution

• Provide end-to-end leadership for key initiatives, ensuring timely and successful execution.
• Oversee project governance, including timelines, milestones, stakeholder engagement, risk management, and reporting.
• Drive the deployment of major commercial initiatives in South Asia, including Marriott Bonvoy, MICE Offers, Destination Selling, and Leisure Series business.
• Champion change management strategies to ensure effective adoption and long-term business impact.

Performance Enablement & Analytics

• Partner with centralized Reporting & Analytics, Global Performance Services (GPS), and APAC teams to ensure consistency in measurement and reporting.
• Develop dashboards, adapt reports, and analyze KPIs to provide leadership with clear, actionable insights.
• Identify business trends, gaps, and opportunities through analysis, and recommend optimization strategies.
• Support performance reviews and goal-setting processes to keep the South Asia Sales & Distribution Organization on track against objectives.
• Equip sales teams and support functions with tools, processes, and training that enhance efficiency and accountability.

Leadership & Influence

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the Vice President, Sales & Distribution, South Asia, offering strategic guidance backed by data-driven insights.
• Build strong cross-functional partnerships with APAC and Global teams to ensure alignment and share best practices.
• Foster a culture of strategic thinking, analytical rigor, and continuous improvement within the South Asia Sales & Distribution Organization.

Focus Areas of Work

• Strategic Projects: Market-specific problem solving, research, and business case development.
• Deployment Projects: Large-scale rollouts and commercial program launch with integrated change management.
• Performance Projects: Business analytics, dashboards, and optimization initiatives to enhance sales and distribution effectiveness.
• Process Efficiency: Streamlining systems, programs, and account deployment models to maximize productivity.

Analyzing & Reporting on Sales and Financial Data

• Analyzes hotel /market/Above property productivity information by using sales systems and reports on a monthly basis achievement of numbers to the goals 
• Generates and delivers accurate and timely results in the form of reports, presentations, etc ensuring delivery deadlines
• Analyzes information and evaluate results to choose the best solution and solve problems

CANDIDATE PROFILE 

Education and Experience

• Education: Minimum 3-year bachelor’s degree in business administration, Hotel Management, or related field.
• Experience: 10+ years of experience in analytics, project management, or planning.
  Experience in hospitality or consulting is helpful. Preferred prior consulting or project management experience.

COMPETENCIES 

Skills and Knowledge

• Strong strategic planning and structured problem-solving expertise.
• Ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights.
• Proven project management skills with a track record of execution excellence.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence at senior levels.
• High business acumen with a balance of strategic vision and execution discipline.
• Agile, resourceful, and effective in navigating a fast-paced, matrixed environment.
• Job Specific Computer Skills – Strong skills in Excel, PowerPoint, Tableau, MINT, SQL, and Snowflake. Ability to leverage AI tools. 

Success in this Role Means

• Delivering high-impact strategic initiatives that strengthen Marriott’s commercial presence in South Asia.
• Providing leadership with actionable insights to drive business performance.
• Embedding performance measurement and optimization into everyday operations.
• Ensuring alignment between South Asia, APAC, and Global priorities.

• Being recognized as a strategic leader who combines vision, execution, and data-driven decision-making to deliver results.