Leader, Specifications (IKA), LWT APAC

ROLE OBJECTIVE:

The Specifications Leader (Senior Manager), is responsible for securing product specifications in high-value and strategically important projects, particularly in hospitality, residential and other property sectors. This role focuses on managing relationships with international hotel groups, leading architects and designers, and developers to secure early-stage specifications. After securing specifications, the role collaborates closely with local market teams to ensure specification retention and support the tender process to win the project.

This is a high-impact role that requires strong relationship-building, strategic influence, cross-functional collaboration, and project tracking skills across multiple stakeholders and markets.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Strategic Stakeholder Engagement

• Manage relationships with international hotel groups, understanding their brand standards, project pipelines, and development cycles.

• Influence design and procurement decision-makers at corporate and regional levels to adopt brand standards or project-specific specifications.

• Build strong partnerships with leading architects, designers, and consultants, providing product guidance, technical support, and solutions that meet project needs.

• Engage with architects, designers, and consultants to secure product specification during early planning stages.

2. Specification Development & Securing

• Secure project specifications at the concept or regional design level and document them thoroughly in the CRM system.

• Provide detailed product presentations, technical documentation, and mock-up support to design teams.

• Track and manage specifications through design phases to ensure retention and avoid substitution.

3. Market Collaboration & Local Specification Support

• Work with country/market teams to hand over project details once the concept specification is secured.

• Identify and support engagement with locally appointed architects, designers, or consultants.

• Assist local teams in reinforcing the original specification and managing any necessary adaptations.

4. Tender Support & Project Conversion

• Collaborate with sales and bid teams to support project tendering with the developer or property owner.

• Provide technical documentation, certifications, and justification to defend or reinforce the specification.

• Support local teams in navigating objections, substitutions, or compliance issues that may arise during bidding.

5. Project Tracking & Lifecycle Management

• Monitor project progress across all phases—from specification to tender to final delivery.

• Ensure the original specification is upheld through transitions in project stakeholders or geographies.

• Update and manage the CRM pipeline with accurate data and status updates.

6. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Marketing for A&D brand and engagement programs

• Work with Product Category Management to align specifications with project requirements.

• Coordinate with After-Sales/Customer Care teams to support installation, commissioning, and issue resolution—especially for long-term accounts and hotel operators.

• Collaborate with the CRM team to ensure accurate project pipeline tracking, data integrity, reporting, and user feedback that supports system improvements and end-to-end project visibility.

7. Strategic Leadership & Industry Engagement

• Develop and implement the overall specifications strategy, ensuring alignment with business goals, market priorities, and customer needs.

• Lead strategic account planning for assigned accounts (e.g., international hotel groups, architecture firms, and  interior design firms ), including developing, executing, and measuring individual account plans aligned with business objectives and project targets.

• Provide strategic insights and regular updates to leadership on trends in specifications, design and development practices, competitive activity, and market dynamics.

• Represent the company as a brand ambassador at key industry events, forums, and networking opportunities—elevating the company’s visibility and credibility among architects, designers, developers, and decision-makers.

• Support the organization’s thought leadership positioning by sharing best practices, contributing to content, and building relationships with industry influencers.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS:

General Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Engineering, Business, or related fields

• 10+ years of experience in specification, business development, sales, or project management in the construction or building materials industry, , with at least 3 years in a leadership role

Experience:

• Proven success in driving specifications and securing major project wins.

• Proven experience in managing relationships with international hotel chains, and A&D firms

• Strong understanding of project lifecycles, from design to procurement and construction.

• Familiarity with CRM systems, preferably Salesforce, for tracking projects and contacts.

• Experience managing a specifications team, setting KPIs, and tracking performance (for future  team leader role)

• Strategic planning experience in specifications, business development, or market expansion.

• Ability to represent the company at industry events and conferences as a thought leader.

• Strong background in negotiation, stakeholder engagement, and commercial decision-making

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