General Manager (Pre-Opening), Candlewood Suites, Jackson, TN

Description

Build a Home Away From Home. Open Our New Candlewood Suites in Jackson, TN.

At Candlewood Suites, guests aren’t passing through. They’re here for projects, relocations, and long work assignments, and for a while, this hotel becomes home. We’re looking for a General Manager to open our new Candlewood Suites in Jackson, TN and build a team that treats extended stay guests like neighbors. Sitting right between Memphis and Nashville, with major industrial growth in West Tennessee, Jackson is seeing real long stay demand.

This is a pre-opening role. The hotel is scheduled to open in March 2027, and you’ll be the leader who gets it there. You’ll hire and train the founding team, set up systems and processes, and shape the culture from day one. If you’ve opened a hotel before, or you’ve always wanted to, this is your chance to build something from the ground up.

Athena Hospitality Group manages hotels across Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana, and New Jersey, and we’re growing.

What you’ll do

• Lead the pre-opening plan, working closely with our construction, operations, and corporate teams to hit every milestone
• Recruit, hire, and train the full opening team
• Complete IHG brand opening requirements and get the hotel ready for its first guest
• Set up vendor relationships, operating systems, and property procedures
• Once open, lead every department and hold the property to IHG and Athena standards
• Own the numbers: review financials, manage the labor budget, control costs, and grow long stay revenue
• Partner with sales to line up project based, corporate, and relocation accounts before opening day
• Oversee accounting functions including payables, receivables, payroll, banking, and period end
• Keep the property safe and clean, with a strong key control program and OSHA compliance

What you bring

• At least 5 years of hotel operations experience, with 3 or more years in management
• Pre-opening or new build experience is a strong plus
• Extended stay or IHG brand experience is a plus
• Confidence with financial statements, budgets, and labor planning
• A leadership style that’s accountable but human
• Strong communication skills, in person and in writing
• Flexibility to work nights, weekends, and holidays when the business needs it
• High school diploma or GED required; a degree in hospitality or business is a plus

Why Athena

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus 401(k)
• Paid time off
• Room to grow with a company that’s adding hotels and promoting from within
• A corporate team that shows up, supports you, and knows your name

Expected start date: March 2027

If you’re ready to open a hotel that feels like home for every guest who walks in, apply today.

Requirements

This position requires the ability to lift up to 40 lbs and to use a computer and standard office equipment. Athena Hospitality Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status.