General Manager - InterContinental Columbo (new hotel opening)

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We're seeking a General Manager for our new flagship property, InterContinental Colombo, opening January 2028. Based in Colombo, Sri Lanka's commercial and financial capital, this is a rare pre-opening leadership opportunity with InterContinental's first-ever partnership in Sri Lanka.

As General Manager, you'll lead InterContinental Colombo from the ground up — shaping the culture, building the team and establishing the hotel as one of Sri Lanka's most prestigious hospitality destinations. This 307-room property, which includes 47 service apartments, sits at the heart of Colombo's diplomatic and business district, drawing demand from corporate, diplomatic, government, MICE and high-net-worth leisure guests. You'll oversee an extensive food and beverage offer — all-day dining, a lobby lounge, two speciality restaurants, a pool bar and a rooftop restaurant — alongside 12,000 sq ft of conference and banqueting space, working closely with ownership to deliver a landmark luxury asset from day one.

Key responsibilities

• Lead all aspects of pre-opening, brand activation and operational readiness, ensuring full compliance with InterContinental brand standards.
• Drive commercial performance across RevPAR, ADR and GOP, maximising market share across corporate, diplomatic, MICE, government, airline and leisure segments.
• Build and lead a high-performing team in a competitive luxury talent market, embedding a strong service culture from the outset.
• Own the guest experience end-to-end, delivering personalised luxury service to international travellers, diplomats and high-net-worth guests.
• Position the hotel as a preferred venue for luxury food and beverage, destination dining and high-profile social events.
• Manage complex stakeholder relationships, including ownership, government authorities, diplomatic missions and tourism bodies.
• Balance disciplined financial management with premium service delivery, supporting long-term asset value.
• Act as the visible, ambassadorial face of the hotel at industry, government and diplomatic events across the region.
• Partner closely and transparently with ownership to align expectations, brand requirements and long-term commercial goals.
• Establish robust talent pipelines and succession planning to support the hotel's ongoing growth.

On a daily basis, you'll shape a brand-new luxury hotel's identity from the ground up — building the team, the service culture and the market position that will define InterContinental's re-entry into Sri Lanka for years to come.

What we're looking for

• Proven General Manager experience in luxury or upper-upscale international hotels.
• Experience within InterContinental, IHG Luxury & Lifestyle brands, or comparable global luxury operators strongly preferred.
• A demonstrated track record leading hotel pre-openings, repositionings or large-scale operational transitions.
• Strong commercial acumen, with a deep understanding of luxury market segmentation and revenue optimisation.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, ideally including experience with government, diplomatic or high-profile corporate audiences.
• Strong food and beverage and social/events pedigree.
• Proven people leadership skills, with experience developing and retaining talent in competitive markets.
• Fluency in English required; knowledge of Sinhala and/or Tamil is an advantage.
• Prior exposure to Colombo or the wider South Asian hospitality market is beneficial.
• Comfortable representing the brand as a visible, ambassadorial leader within the local and international community.

What we offer

We provide a wide range of benefits designed to help you live your best work life. Including:

• An expatriate package with relocation support
• Travel benefits that include discounted room rates and food & beverage
• The opportunity to lead a flagship, ground-up luxury opening with a global brand