Chief Engineer (Pre-Opening) – Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins and Holiday Inn Melbourne Bourke Street

One of Melbourne’s most iconic CBD arcades is fast transforming into a landmark retail and holiday destination. The redevelopment of "Melbourne Walk" Arcade will soon see IHGs first Australian dual-branded hotel project. Nestled in the heart of Melbourne's vibrant CBD, this project combines the boutique charm of Hotel Indigo with the modern comfort of Holiday Inn, offering a unique blend of hospitality experiences across 452 rooms.

Open the door into Hotel Indigo and guests can expect local character, modern design and warm, professional service with a vibrant and individual flavour, bringing the edgy laneway neighbourhood of Little Collins Street to life. Making the most of the retail haven, Holiday Inn will offer a modern, fresh and friendly stay for a wide variety of guests coming to enjoy the convenience and value they know and love from Holiday Inn, and all that Bourke Street Mall has to offer.

Our guests’ safety and comfort always comes first. Which is why we’re seeking out a master multi-tasker and qualified Chief Engineer to ensure the hotel’s physical infrastructure is safe, efficient, and ready to support day-to-day operations. You will be a key player in guaranteeing a smooth transition from construction to operational readiness and will lead and coach a small but talented engineering team to stay one step ahead of our everyday maintenance needs.

A little taste of your day-to-day

Every day is different, but as part of the pre-opening team, you will play a key role in ensuring this new hotel is ready to welcome its first guests, including:

• Overseeing the installation and testing of essential hotel systems like HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), plumbing, electrical systems, elevators, and fire safety systems.

• Liaising with contractors, architects, and construction teams to ensure the proper setup and installation of all mechanical and electrical systems.

• Ensuring that all equipment and systems meet local health, safety, and environmental standards.

• Verifying that fire safety systems (sprinklers, alarms, smoke detectors, etc.) are installed and functioning correctly.

• Creating a detailed plan for preventive maintenance to keep all systems running smoothly once the hotel opens.

• Gathering all equipment operating manuals and ensuring the engineering team is trained on their use.

• Assisting in recruiting the hotel’s engineering team, which includes HVAC specialists, electricians, plumbers, and general maintenance staff.

• Training the staff on hotel-specific equipment and systems, safety protocols, and emergency procedures.

• Implementing energy-saving measures and ensuring that the hotel’s operations will run as efficiently as possible once it opens.

• Working closely with the finance team to manage the budget for engineering operations, including the purchase of tools, spare parts, and systems.

• Handling procurement of necessary parts, materials, and equipment from vendors.

• Conducting final inspections before handover from construction teams, ensuring the hotel is ready for operations.

• Keeping hotel management informed about the status of all technical and engineering aspects and ensuring the hotels are operationally ready for opening day.

• Setting up emergency protocols for the hotels, such as generator operation, backup systems, and disaster preparedness plans.

What we need from you

This role is crucial role in ensuring the hotels’ infrastructure and technical systems are fully operational and compliant, so we are looking for someone able to demonstrate:

• Advanced vocational training plus five years of experience in general building maintenance or construction, or equivalent combination of education and experience, in a management position

• Specialised expertise in plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and carpentry fields (preferred)

• Professional certification and licence if required by law

• Hotel experience preferred

• Full working rights in Australia without restrictions

• Ability to work autonomously and manage workload and key deliverables within a project opening timeline.

• High level communication and relationship management skills, collaborating with a wide variety of stakeholders, both internal and external.

What you can expect from us

Not only will you benefit from a truly unique and career-defining opportunity as part of this exciting hotel opening, working with a talented and experienced General Manager and New Hotel Openings team, but you’ll receive a competitive salary that rewards all your hard work and a wide range of benefits designed to help you live your best work life – including, impressive room discounts and some of the best training in the business.

Most importantly, your career journey will be supported through our lifelong development programs, IHG career milestone celebrations, and transfer of leave entitlements as you move and grow with IHG.

Our mission is to welcome everyone and create inclusive teams where we celebrate differences and encourage colleagues to bring their whole selves to work. IHG Hotels & Resorts provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability. We promote a culture of trust, support, and acceptance. Always welcoming different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

So, join us and you’ll become part of our ever-growing global family.

Don't quite meet every single requirement, but still believe you'd be a great fit for the job? We'll never know unless you hit the 'Apply' button. Start your journey with us today.

At IHG Hotels & Resorts, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We firmly believe that all our colleagues deserve to be treated equally and have the same opportunities to develop and grow their skills within our business and provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and colleagues without regard to an individual's, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or familial status, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.