Director of Celebrations
Accor · Mumbai
Company Description
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is where the intimate equally coexists with the infinite – an unrivaled portfolio of more than 90 extraordinary hotels where grand moments of life, heartfelt pleasures and personal milestones are celebrated and remembered long after any visit. Since 1907, Fairmont has created magnificent, meaningful and unforgettable hotels, rich with character and deeply connected to the history, culture and community of its destinations – places such as The Plaza in New York City, The Savoy in London, Fairmont San Francisco, Fairmont Banff Springs in Canada, Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai, and Fairmont The Palm in Dubai. Famous for its engaging service, awe-inspiring public spaces, locally inspired cuisine, and iconic bars and lounges, Fairmont also takes great pride in its pioneering approach to hospitality and leadership in sustainability and responsible tourism practices. Fairmont is part of Accor, a world leading hospitality group counting over 5,400 properties throughout more than 110 countries, and a participating brand in ALL - Accor Live Limitless – a lifestyle loyalty program providing access to a wide variety of rewards, services and experiences.
Job Description
1. Position Purpose
The Director of Celebrations is the creative and commercial leader responsible for curating extraordinary celebrations and distinctive social experiences across Fairmont Mumbai and Roswyn, A Morgans Originals Hotel.
The role brings together the elegance and refined service of Fairmont with Roswyn’s contemporary, expressive, and lifestyle-led character. The incumbent will transform client aspirations into personalised experiences that combine design, gastronomy, entertainment, culture, and exceptional hospitality.
From sophisticated weddings and intimate soirées to milestone celebrations, private gatherings, and high-profile social occasions, the Director of Celebrations will create meaningful moments that reflect each property’s identity while building lasting relationships with discerning clientele, event curators, wedding planners, and influential lifestyle partners.
The position combines creative vision, relationship-led business development, revenue generation, and operational leadership to establish both hotels as preferred destinations for exceptional celebrations.
2. Key Responsibilities
A. Celebration Vision & Experience Design
Develop a distinctive celebration philosophy for both properties, aligned with their individual brand identities and guest expectations.
Conceptualise bespoke experiences across weddings, engagement celebrations, milestone birthdays, anniversaries, private dinners, festive occasions, and exclusive social gatherings.
Curate celebrations that bring together ambience, culinary experiences, décor, music, entertainment, personalisation, and thoughtful service.
Introduce signature celebration concepts and innovative experiences that distinguish the hotels within the luxury and lifestyle hospitality market.
Translate emerging luxury, design, fashion, food, and lifestyle trends into commercially viable celebration offerings.
Ensure every celebration reflects creativity, authenticity, emotional connection, and meticulous attention to detail.
B. Business Development & Relationship Curation
Build a strong network of luxury wedding planners, event designers, lifestyle curators, social influencers, premium brands, and high-value clientele.
Develop meaningful relationships with clients and partners to generate new business, referrals, and repeat celebrations.
Represent both properties at relevant industry gatherings, luxury showcases, networking events, and curated client experiences.
Lead client consultations, creative presentations, venue showcases, and bespoke proposal development.
Collaborate with Sales and Marketing to create compelling celebration narratives and strengthen each property's market positioning.
Build a pipeline of qualified celebration opportunities and maintain strong engagement throughout the client journey.
C. Commercial Performance & Revenue Growth
Own the celebration business plan, revenue objectives, conversion strategy, and profitability targets for both properties.
Identify opportunities to maximise revenue through event experiences, food and beverage, accommodation, private dining, and other relevant hotel offerings.
Develop distinctive celebration packages while retaining flexibility for bespoke client requirements.
Monitor enquiry conversion, average event value, profitability, repeat business, and client acquisition.
Work with Finance and Sales to establish pricing strategies, budgets, forecasts, and appropriate commercial controls.
Ensure proposals, contracts, deposits, payment schedules, and commercial commitments comply with approved policies.
D. Bespoke Client & Guest Experience
Serve as the trusted advisor and principal relationship owner for key celebration clients.
Understand each client's vision, preferences, cultural considerations, and expectations to deliver highly personalised experiences.
Oversee the celebration journey from initial enquiry and concept development through execution and post-event engagement.
Ensure exceptional attention to detail, thoughtful personalisation, seamless communication, and proactive service recovery.
Develop post-celebration engagement strategies to nurture long-term relationships and encourage future bookings.
Champion a culture in which every interaction feels personal, intuitive, and memorable.
E. Creative Collaboration & Event Execution
Partner with Culinary, Food & Beverage, Marketing, Rooms, Engineering, Housekeeping, Security, and external creative specialists to deliver seamless celebrations.
Oversee creative briefs, event concepts, venue layouts, menu experiences, décor, entertainment, production, and event timelines.
Lead creative reviews, client tastings, site inspections, and pre-event coordination meetings.
Ensure concepts are operationally feasible, financially sound, and aligned with brand standards.
Maintain oversight of event delivery, ensuring consistency between the agreed concept and the final guest experience.
Conduct post-event reviews to capture client feedback, evaluate commercial performance, and identify opportunities for improvement.
F. Brand Expression & Lifestyle Partnerships
Protect the distinct identities of Fairmont Mumbai and Roswyn while developing celebration experiences appropriate to each property's positioning.
Collaborate with Marketing to create compelling visual stories and celebration showcases, subject to brand guidelines and client consent.
Explore relevant partnerships with luxury fashion, design, beauty, gastronomy, entertainment, and lifestyle brands.
Develop distinctive experiences that encourage social engagement, referrals, and positive brand advocacy.
Ensure all external collaborations enhance the guest experience and deliver measurable business value.
G. Leadership & Culture
Lead and inspire the celebrations team through creativity, accountability, commercial awareness, and service excellence.
Establish clear performance expectations, development plans, and standards of execution.
Foster collaboration across departments and encourage innovative thinking.
Develop the team's capabilities in consultative selling, experience design, client relationship management, and luxury service.
Champion the values of Accor and the relevant brand standards of both properties.
H. Governance, Safety & Responsible Operations
Ensure celebrations comply with applicable laws, licensing conditions, safety requirements, food hygiene standards, and hotel policies.
Oversee approved vendor partnerships, contracts, event documentation, budgets, and operational risk assessments.
Ensure responsible management of décor, entertainment, sound, production, and other event-related activities.
Maintain appropriate financial discipline and ensure all commercial commitments follow the hotel's approval processes.
3. Key Performance Indicators
Celebration revenue and profitability against budget.
Qualified enquiry generation and conversion rate.
Average event value and ancillary revenue contribution.
New client acquisition, repeat business, and referrals.
Client satisfaction and post-event feedback.
Strategic partnerships and contribution from referral channels.
Effectiveness of signature experiences and creative initiatives.
Brand positioning and quality of celebration execution.
Budgetary control, compliance, and operational excellence.
Team performance, engagement, and development.
4. Qualifications & Experience
Degree or diploma in Hospitality Management, Event Management, Business Management, or a related field.
Typically 8–12 years of relevant experience in luxury hospitality, lifestyle hotels, luxury events, weddings, or bespoke social celebrations.
Demonstrated experience in leading high-value events, cultivating premium clientele, and delivering personalised experiences.
Strong commercial understanding of sales, revenue management, pricing, budgeting, and profitability.
A well-developed network within the luxury celebrations, wedding, events, or lifestyle ecosystem would be advantageous.
Experience working across multiple properties or distinct luxury and lifestyle brands would be preferred.
5. Leadership Attributes
Creative vision and an instinct for experiential luxury.
Strong commercial and entrepreneurial mindset.
Sophisticated communication and relationship-building skills.
Aesthetic sensibility and attention to detail.
Confidence in engaging discerning clients and senior stakeholders.
Strong negotiation, presentation, and influencing capabilities.
Collaborative leadership and cross-functional coordination.
Adaptability, discretion, and sound judgement.
A passion for creating memorable experiences and meaningful connections.
6. Role Mandate
The Director of Celebrations will position Fairmont Mumbai and Roswyn, A Morgans Originals Hotel, as distinctive destinations for exceptional celebrations by bringing together creative excellence, contemporary lifestyle experiences, personalised luxury, and sustainable commercial growth.
Success in this role will be measured not only by revenue and profitability, but also by the strength of client relationships, the distinctiveness of experiences created, the reputation of both properties, and the lasting memories made possible through exceptional hospitality.
Additional Information
Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:
We are an inclusive company, and our ambition is to attract, recruit and promote diverse talent.
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