Overview

The Vice President of Openings & Transitions is responsible for leading the successful integration, opening, repositioning, and transition of CoralTree Hospitality's growing portfolio of hotels, resorts, and vacation rental properties. This executive serves as the operational leader for all pre-opening and transition activities, ensuring each property launches or transitions seamlessly while preserving owner confidence, operational excellence, and CoralTree's culture of entrepreneurial hospitality.

Working cross-functionally with Strategic Growth, Design & Development, Operations, Finance, Information Technology, People Services, Commercial Services, Guest Journey, and Engineering, the Vice President develops and executes comprehensive opening and transition strategies that accelerate operational readiness, financial performance, and guest satisfaction, while also welcoming new property level leaders and supporting their onboarding into the CoralTree organization and culture.

This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on execution, requiring exceptional project management, stakeholder engagement, and hospitality operations expertise.

Responsibilities

Portfolio Openings & Transitions

• Lead all operational aspects of hotel openings, third-party management transitions, conversions, repositionings, dispositions, and ownership changes.
• Develop comprehensive opening and transition strategies, timelines, and readiness plans.
• Manage internal communications and planning with the support of third-party software.
• Identify operational risks early and implement mitigation strategies to ensure successful execution.
• Partner closely with senior operations leaders to ensure smooth integration of permanent regional leadership teams into new properties.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Lead activities that cross over to Operations, Finance, Revenue Management, Commercial Services, Guest Journey, Information Technology, Engineering, Procurement, Design & Development, and People Services.
• Interface with executive team to highlight key strategic challenges and opportunities before, during, and after the opening and transition processes.
• Ensure all departments achieve opening milestones on schedule and within the specified transition or pre-opening budget.
• Foster collaboration while maintaining accountability across multiple stakeholders.

Owner & Development Partner Relations

• Serve as the executive operational liaison for ownership groups and developers.
• Build trusted relationships through transparent communication and proactive issue resolution.
• Present operational readiness updates, budgets, project risks, and strategic recommendations.
• Support Business Development efforts by participating in owner presentations and due diligence activities.

Operational Excellence

• Establish and continuously improve CoralTree's standardized opening and transition playbooks, tools, and best practices.
• Ensure consistency and build standards of care while allowing flexibility to support independent, lifestyle, luxury, and branded properties.
• Develop and manage pre-opening and transition budgets.
• Partner with Finance to ensure financial controls and reporting processes are established before opening.
• Drive projects to completion while maintaining budget discipline.

Cultural Ambassadorship

• Partner with People Services to onboard and prepare property leadership teams.
• Coach General Managers and property leadership throughout transition and opening activities.
• Reinforce CoralTree's culture of empowerment, entrepreneurial thinking, accountability, and service excellence.
• Develop succession planning and organizational capability within the Openings & Transitions function.
• Establish plan and monitor post transition plan for support, ongoing training and departmental integration, etc.

Continuous Improvement

• Capture lessons learned following each opening or transition.
• Refine methodologies, templates, and operational standards to improve future execution.
• Monitor hospitality industry trends, technology, and best practices to enhance CoralTree's pre-opening and transitions platform.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or related discipline.
• 8+ years of progressive hospitality leadership experience.
• Extensive experience leading hotel openings, conversions, renovations, repositionings, or management transitions.
• Multi-property operational leadership experience within hotels, resorts, or mixed-use hospitality assets.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing pre-opening budgets and capital planning.
• Demonstrated success leading complex cross-functional projects.
• Exceptional executive communication and presentation skills.
• Experience working directly with owners, developers, and brand partners.
• Strong analytical, organizational, negotiation, and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to travel extensively (approximately 40 60%).

Preferred Experience

• Independent lifestyle and luxury hotel experience.
• Third-party hotel management company experience.
• Branded and independent property openings.
• Experience supporting acquisitions and due diligence.
• Familiarity with major hotel operating systems, project management platforms, and hospitality technology implementations.

As a valued member of the CoralTree team, you'll receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Group medical, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits,
• Colorado Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (FAMLI)
• Participation in a pre-tax flexible benefit plan for healthcare and dependent care reimbursement
• An employee assistance program
• Paid time off/sick time
• Participation in a 401(k) plan with a company match
• Team member free room night program

Salary range: $175,000 - $195,000/yr. + 35% bonus potential

Location: CoralTree Home Office in Englewood, CO, with significant travel

This job posting will be open through September 1, 2026 or until the position has been filled.

#LI-onsite