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Assistant Learning & Development Manager - Job Opportunity at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group

Abu Dhabi, AE
Full-time
Mid-level
Posted: July 19, 2025
On-site
Based on the luxury hospitality sector in Abu Dhabi and the mid-level nature of this Assistant Learning & Development Manager role at a prestigious Mandarin Oriental property, the compensation package likely ranges from USD 45,000 to USD 65,000 annually, with additional benefits including accommodation allowances, health insurance, and the valuable MOstay program. The UAE's tax-free environment effectively increases the net compensation value significantly compared to similar roles in other markets.

Benefits

MOstay Program offering complimentary nights and attractive rates at Mandarin Oriental properties worldwide, providing exceptional personal travel value and global accommodation benefits that significantly reduce personal travel expenses
Comprehensive Learning & Development programs with unique career-stage specific training designed to accelerate professional growth and skill advancement throughout your career journey
Health & Colleague Wellness programs including variety of health benefits and wellness initiatives supporting work-life balance and overall wellbeing, demonstrating company investment in employee health
Retirement Plans with commitment-based benefits that scale with length of service and role level, providing long-term financial security and rewarding employee loyalty

Key Responsibilities

Lead strategic communication and maintenance of Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group's Learning & Development standards, ensuring brand consistency and excellence across all training initiatives
Drive organizational culture transformation by supporting company Mission, Values and Legendary Quality Experiences implementation, directly impacting guest satisfaction and employee engagement
Develop and execute comprehensive hotel L&D strategic plans while ensuring departmental training alignment with business priorities, maximizing organizational performance and ROI on training investments
Orchestrate end-to-end coordination and execution of all hotel training activities, managing complex logistics and stakeholder engagement to ensure seamless learning delivery
Maintain strategic L&D calendar optimization and resource maximization, ensuring efficient utilization of learning opportunities and budget allocation
Design and deliver innovative, engaging training experiences including Move-In orientation and product knowledge programs, enhancing new hire integration and reducing time-to-productivity
Facilitate continuous customer service excellence training aligned with LQEs and Forbes standards, directly contributing to luxury service delivery and brand reputation
Manage comprehensive training compliance tracking across organizational levels, ensuring regulatory adherence and risk mitigation while maintaining detailed performance analytics
Execute strategic administrative oversight of training records, reports, and resource management, maintaining organizational knowledge base and supporting data-driven L&D decisions
Lead online learning platform management through Loop system, driving digital transformation in learning delivery and accessibility
Optimize training budget management while meeting hotel operational needs, demonstrating financial acumen and resource efficiency
Coordinate monthly Department Trainers meetings with strategic documentation and communication, fostering trainer network development and knowledge sharing
Develop and mentor departmental trainers, building internal training capacity and ensuring consistent quality delivery across all departments
Conduct strategic product knowledge assessments and in-house audits, maintaining service standards and identifying performance improvement opportunities
Lead colleague recognition initiatives design and implementation, driving employee engagement and retention through strategic appreciation programs

Requirements

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred in Human Resources, Hospitality Management, or related field

Experience

Extensive experience in the hospitality industry, previous training experience is a must

Required Skills

Confident and dynamic public speaker Outstanding communication skills, both written and verbal Ability to train, motivate, evaluate and mentor colleagues Skilled at fostering strong relationships with colleagues while consistently upholding confidentiality Enthusiastic and positive personality with ability to build trusting relationships Creative, effective team player, possessing a high degree of professionalism, energy and determination Proven organizational skills, work well on their own, able to set and meet deadlines with quality results Proficient in MS Office Applications, advanced in Excel and PowerPoint Ability to multitask Great attention to detail

Certifications

Forbes Travel Guide certification preferred Professional training certifications in hospitality or learning development preferred
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Sauge AI Market Intelligence

Industry Trends

The luxury hospitality sector is experiencing unprecedented focus on personalized service excellence and employee experience transformation, with properties like Emirates Palace leading the charge in comprehensive learning and development initiatives. This trend reflects the industry's recognition that exceptional guest experiences are directly correlated with well-trained, engaged employees who embody brand values and service standards. Digital learning platform adoption is accelerating across the hospitality industry, with properties investing heavily in technology-enabled training solutions like the Loop platform mentioned in this role. This shift represents a fundamental change in how hospitality organizations deliver training, moving from traditional classroom-based approaches to more flexible, accessible, and measurable digital learning experiences. The Middle East luxury hospitality market is experiencing significant growth driven by diversification efforts and international tourism expansion, particularly in UAE destinations like Abu Dhabi. This growth is creating increased demand for skilled learning and development professionals who can maintain service excellence while scaling operations and managing diverse, multicultural teams.

Role Significance

The role typically involves collaboration with a core L&D team of 3-5 professionals while coordinating with departmental trainers across all hotel divisions, effectively influencing and supporting training initiatives for the entire Emirates Palace property's workforce of several hundred employees.
This Assistant Learning & Development Manager role represents a significant mid-level position within the organizational hierarchy, reporting directly to senior L&D leadership while having substantial operational autonomy and strategic input into training program development and execution across the entire hotel property.

Key Projects

Implementation of comprehensive new hire onboarding programs that reduce time-to-productivity and improve employee retention rates Development and execution of luxury service training initiatives aligned with Forbes Travel Guide standards and LQE requirements Digital learning platform optimization and content development for the Loop system Cross-departmental trainer development programs that build internal training capacity Guest satisfaction improvement initiatives through targeted employee skill development programs

Success Factors

Exceptional communication and presentation skills combined with deep understanding of luxury hospitality service standards are critical for effectively delivering training that meets the exacting standards of a Mandarin Oriental property and resonates with diverse international staff. Strong project management capabilities and attention to detail are essential for managing complex training calendars, coordinating multiple stakeholder requirements, and ensuring compliance with various training mandates while maintaining quality and engagement. Cultural sensitivity and adaptability are crucial given the international nature of both the workforce and guest base at Emirates Palace, requiring the ability to design and deliver training that works effectively across cultural boundaries. Technology proficiency, particularly with learning management systems and Microsoft Office applications, is fundamental for managing digital learning platforms, analyzing training data, and creating compelling training materials and reports. Strategic thinking combined with operational excellence enables success in aligning training initiatives with business objectives while managing day-to-day execution effectively.

Market Demand

High demand exists for experienced learning and development professionals in the luxury hospitality sector, particularly in rapidly growing markets like the UAE where international hotel groups are expanding their presence and competing for top talent to maintain service excellence standards.

Important Skills

Critical Skills

Public speaking and presentation abilities are absolutely essential as this role requires daily facilitation of training sessions, meetings, and presentations to diverse audiences ranging from new hires to senior management, with the expectation of maintaining engagement and professionalism throughout. Advanced Microsoft Office proficiency, particularly Excel and PowerPoint, forms the foundation for creating training materials, managing complex data tracking systems, analyzing training effectiveness metrics, and producing professional reports for senior leadership review. Organizational and project management skills are fundamental to success given the complexity of coordinating multiple training programs simultaneously while managing calendars, resources, budgets, and stakeholder expectations across various departments. Relationship building and interpersonal communication capabilities are critical for working effectively with departmental trainers, maintaining confidentiality with sensitive employee information, and building trust relationships that enable effective coaching and mentoring.

Beneficial Skills

Experience with Learning Management Systems beyond the mentioned Loop platform would provide additional value, as the hospitality industry continues to adopt various digital learning technologies and cross-platform experience enhances versatility. Certification in adult learning principles or instructional design would strengthen training development capabilities and provide additional credibility when designing and implementing new training programs. Multilingual capabilities, particularly Arabic or other languages common in the UAE workforce, would enhance effectiveness in delivering training to diverse employee populations and demonstrate cultural competency. Data analysis and reporting skills beyond basic Excel proficiency would support more sophisticated training effectiveness measurement and ROI demonstration, increasingly important in modern L&D roles.

Unique Aspects

This role offers direct exposure to one of the world's most iconic luxury hotel properties, providing unparalleled experience in ultra-high-end hospitality training and development that significantly enhances career prospects in the luxury segment.
The position combines traditional luxury hospitality training with cutting-edge digital learning platforms, offering valuable experience in both classic service excellence and modern learning technology applications.
Working within the diverse, multicultural environment of Abu Dhabi's luxury hospitality sector provides exceptional cross-cultural competency development and international business experience.
The comprehensive benefits package, including global property access through MOstay and tax-free compensation in the UAE, creates exceptional personal and professional value proposition.
Direct involvement in Forbes Travel Guide and LQE standards implementation provides prestigious certification and recognition opportunities that enhance professional credibility.

Career Growth

Career progression to Learning & Development Manager level typically occurs within 2-3 years with strong performance, while advancement to Director level positions generally requires 4-6 years of additional experience and demonstrated success in managing larger teams and budgets.

Potential Next Roles

Learning & Development Manager positions within Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group or other luxury hospitality brands Director of Learning & Development roles at hotel properties or regional level Human Resources Manager positions with expanded responsibilities beyond training and development Training and Development Consultant roles serving multiple hospitality properties Regional Learning & Development positions covering multiple properties across the Middle East or other geographic regions

Company Overview

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group represents one of the world's most prestigious luxury hospitality brands, known for combining legendary Asian-inspired service with cutting-edge luxury experiences. Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental in Abu Dhabi stands as a flagship property featuring 394 luxury accommodations, award-winning dining, extensive conference facilities, and a 1.3km private beach, positioning it as one of the Middle East's most iconic luxury destinations.

Mandarin Oriental maintains a premium position in the ultra-luxury hospitality segment, competing directly with brands like Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, and St. Regis, while consistently earning recognition for service excellence and innovative guest experiences that command premium pricing and exceptional guest loyalty.
The company's Middle East presence, anchored by the Emirates Palace property, represents a strategic focus on the region's growing luxury tourism market and positions employees at the center of a rapidly expanding hospitality ecosystem with significant growth opportunities.
The organization emphasizes a culture of excellence, continuous learning, and respect for both colleagues and guests, with strong emphasis on Asian-inspired service philosophy combined with local cultural sensitivity and international professional standards.
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