Senior Director & Senior Counsel Operations EMEA

Job Description – Senior Director & Senior Counsel Operations EMEA (EUR
015QX
)

Job Description

EUR
015QX

Hilton – Regional Headquarters – Europe, Maple Court, Central Park, Reeds Crescent, Watford, WD24 4QQ

Hilton is one of the largest and fastest growing hospitality companies in the world, with more than 9,000 properties and 1.1 million rooms in 126 countries and territories. In the 100+ years since our founding, we have defined the hospitality industry and established a portfolio of 25 world‑class brands, including our flagship Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand, which is the most recognized hotel brand in the world.

Hilton was recently crowned World’s Best Workplace by Great Places to Work and Fortune Magazine and we have more than 170 million members in our award‑winning customer loyalty program, Hilton Honors.

What will I be doing?

As a Senior Counsel in the Operations group within the Global Legal team, you will provide strategic legal support to business partners, regional offices and hotels across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. You will focus on the UK and Ireland, Europe, and Türkiye. You will support a wide range of commercial contracts across procurement, food and beverage, sales, and engineering operations and advise corporate functions such as Government Affairs, Corporate Communications, Corporate Supply Management, Sales, Finance, Human Resources, and Risk Management.

You will also provide legal support to the Hilton UK Foundation, a registered English charity. You will form part of the Operations Legal team reporting to the Vice President & Senior Counsel, International Franchising, and Operations and Development EMEA. You will represent Legal at senior leadership meetings hosted by regional leaders of hotel operations.

Your responsibilities will also include:

• Providing appropriate and timely advice, consistent with company policies and procedures.
• Drafting and negotiating a wide suite of commercial contracts, including agreements for hotels and for corporate departments such as Supply Management, Sales, Finance and Engineering Operations.
• Supporting HR with corporate and hotel‑level employee related matters, policies and guidance, including compensation and benefits initiatives.
• Assisting with hotel‑level leases, licences, and concession agreements.
• Supporting the Risk and Safety & Security team with various legal matters including crisis management.
• Supporting the F&B team with NDAs, franchise, license, third party and outsourcing agreements for chefs, restaurants and consultancy services.
• Providing advice to managed hotels and business partners on contentious and non‑contentious matters, collecting information and preparing documentation in relation to actual and anticipated disputes and assisting in the preparation for litigation, mediation and arbitration.
• Assisting various business functions including Government Affairs, Corporate Communications, Finance, Human Resources, Brands and Development.
• Attending business partner meetings and serving as a senior legal representative at such meetings.
• Developing and maintaining constructive and cooperative working relationships within the Legal Department, internal business partners and external legal counsel.
• Providing support and strategic guidance to the business when contractual disputes arise, working to protect the company and to find appropriate commercial solutions when available.
• Helping to ensure the Legal Department’s EMEA operations are conducted within established budgetary parameters and requirements including engaging and managing outside counsel in accordance with engagement policies and budgets.
• Assisting legal colleagues globally in the coordination, deployment and implementation of global initiatives and priorities.
• Formulating and delivering training programs for business partners and identifying, planning and implementing additional self‑service programs for recurring matters wherever possible.
• Working with Hilton Legal’s standard systems and procedures and assisting in their continuous improvement and updating.
• Undertaking know‑how development and management for the Operations group.
• Leveraging effective…