Assistant General Manager/Deputy General Manager - Operations (Hotels)

FlipSpaces Job Description :

Sector Head : Hotels (The founding hire for Flipspaces most ambitious new vertical.)

Vertical : Hotels

Location : Mumbai

Reports To : CBO

About Flipspaces (www.flipspaces.com) :

We're Flipspaces - a design-tech powerhouse reshaping the future of commercial interiors. Our VR-powered platform lets clients visualise and co-create their spaces in real time. Backed by in-house manufacturing and end-to-end execution capabilities, we've built 8 M+ sq. ft. for top startups, enterprises, co-working brands, and global giants.

Born at the intersection of design, tech, and manufacturing, we're led by IIT founders and are scaling rapidly across India, the US, Singapore, and the Middle East.

The vision The next 5 years All about scale, speed, and global impact. We're bringing on trailblazers to drive that vision.

Why Flipspaces :

We're fresh off a $50M Series C raise with Marquee investors like Iron Pillar, SMBC Asia Rising Fund, Panthera Growth Partners, and CE-Invests joining the journey. With plans to scale across India, the US, and the UAE, double down on AI-powered tech, and explore strategic acquisitions, this is your chance to join a design-tech rocketship at full throttle. Join one of the fastest-growing design-tech ventures, reimagining commercial interiors across India and the US. At Flipspaces, we don't just design spaces - we engineer experiences through immersive VR, data-led execution, and bold innovation.

Role Overview :

We are building the Hotels vertical from zero. This is not a management role - it is a founder-in-residence role for the hospitality fit-out business. The Sector Head owns everything : empanelment with Hotel Management Companies (HMCs), the first client wins, design-ops integration, FF&E strategy, and a multi-year vertical P&L built for scale.

You will report directly to the CBO. Your first 90 days will define whether Flipspaces becomes a credible name in hospitality renovation. The right hire has either left a technical or procurement team at a major HMC - or has a track record of winning mandates from hotel owners who answer to HMC brand standards.

Key Responsibilities :

HMC Empanelment & Strategic Entry :

- File empanelment applications with OYO, Lemon Tree, IHG Select, Marriott Select, and Sarovar Hotels as a first priority - using direct contacts, not cold inbound.

- Build and own the relationship with VP Technical / Head of Projects at each target HMC.

- Understand each HMCs PIP (Property Improvement Plan) cycle, brand audit criteria, and approved vendor requirements - and position Flipspaces to meet all three.

- Serve as primary author of Flipspaces hotel-sector empanelment collateral : capability decks, compliance matrices, project references, and FF&E catalogues.

Client Acquisition & Pipeline :

- Map 40 target hotel owners (franchise and independent) and initiate formal introductions with the most qualified prospects.

- Personally lead the first 5 pitch meetings alongside the CBO - targeting franchise owners, asset managers, and independent mid-scale hotel owners.

- Understand the language of hotel ownership : ADR impact, OTA rating correlation with property condition, RevPAR uplift post-renovation - and quantify it in every proposal.

FF&E Strategy & Margin :

- Build Flipspaces FF&E sourcing playbook for hospitality : approved vendor list (room furniture, mattresses, PTAC/FCU units, bathroom fittings, curtains, signage).

- Integrate FF&E into every project proposal - FF&E typically represents 3040% of hotel renovation cost and is a key revenue driver for the vertical.

- Manage vendor negotiations, lead times, and delivery sequencing so FF&E installation is the last operation before snag - not a delay trigger.

Vertical P&L Ownership :

- Own the Hotels vertical P&L from Day 1 - order book, revenue, gross margin, and EBITDA.

- Manage vertical headcount, vendor costs, and overhead with commercial discipline to protect project margins.

Cross-Functional Integration :

- Brief the Design team on brand standard requirements for each HMC before any GFC is issued.

- Work with Operations to build the hotel-specific execution playbook : room-rotation scheduling, night-shift mobilisation, occupancy-sensitive Gantt.

- Represent the Hotels vertical in all investor reviews, board presentations, and quarterly CBO strategy sessions.

What You Bring :

- 15+ years of experience in hospitality construction, hotel procurement, or technical services - with at least 3 years in a leadership or vertical-ownership role.

- Minimum 2 active, direct relationships with decision-makers (VP Technical or equivalent) at OYO, Lemon Tree, IHG, Marriott Select, Sarovar, or a comparable HMC.

- Demonstrated experience with PIP mandates, brand audit compliance, and FF&E procurement for mid-scale / budget hotel segments.

- A working understanding of hotel operations : occupancy calendars, ADR sensitivity, OTA review cycles, and the revenue cost of construction downtime.

- Proven ability to close deals independently - not just source leads. You have a track record of closing hotel fit-out or renovation contracts with real commercial accountability.

- P&L fluency : able to build a project financial model, defend margin assumptions, and present to a board.

- Tier-1 institute background preferred; MBA or engineering degree with strong commercial record equally considered.

Traits That Will Make You Exceptional :

- You speak hotel - ADR, RevPAR, OTA ratings, PIP, brand audit. You dont need a glossary.

- You move fast on empanelment's and dont wait for permission. Day 1 = applications filed.

- You sell on reliability, not price. You know the cost of a delayed renovation in room-night revenue.

- You are comfortable being the first person to do something. You dont need a playbook - you write it.

- You thrive in a culture where entrepreneurship is not a value written on a wall - it is the operating system.

Who Should Not Apply :

- If youve only managed hotel fit-outs as a PMC or contractor employee - never as a BD or vertical owner - this role will be a mismatch.

- If your HMC contacts are more than 2 years old and not active. This role needs live relationships, not past ones.

- If you need a defined territory, a warm pipeline, or a support team to start selling - you are building all three from scratch.

- If youre not comfortable owning a P&L and being accountable for a vertical that does not yet exist in the company.