Director- Programming, Member Experience & Brand

About The Leela

The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts is India’s largest institutionally owned and managed pure-play luxury hospitality brand. Backed by Brookfield, The Leela’s portfolio comprises 15 operating award-winning properties spanning owned, operated, and managed hotels and another 10 in the pipeline across leading leisure and business destinations in India and Dubai. Recognized globally for architectural excellence and bespoke services, The Leela was ranked #2 globally among the best Hotel Brand in the World by the Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2026 and has been previously ranked as the World’s Best Hotel Brand by Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards in 2020 and 2021, and among the global top three in 2023, 2024 and 2026. The brand remains committed to delivering timeless Indian hospitality through world-class luxury experiences.

Why join The Leela?

Award-Winning Brand: Join a brand that has been recognized as one of the World’s Best Hotel Brands for two consecutive years.Commitment to Excellence: Be part of a team that is dedicated to providing the highest standards of service and hospitality.Innovative Environment: Be part of a team that encourages creativity and innovation, ensuring that we stay at the forefront of luxury hospitality.Career Growth: Benefit from our strong pipeline of future projects and opportunities for career advancement within The Leela and our global alliances.Cultural Experiences: Engage with the rich cultural tapestry of India, bringing unique and authentic experiences to our discerning guests.

Position OverviewReporting to: Vice President - Marketing Location: The Leela Corporate Office, BKC, MumbaiTravel: Frequent travel across Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi and upcoming ARQ Club locations

The Head of Programming, Member Experience & Brand will serve as the strategic custodian of ARQ Club's desirability, cultural relevance, member engagement and experiential ecosystem.This role is responsible for curating and delivering world-class experiences that make ARQ one of the most coveted private membership communities in India. The incumbent will create cultural moments, build influential networks, strengthen the member value proposition and foster a sense of exclusivity and belonging that drives both member advocacy and membership demand.The role requires a unique blend of luxury marketing expertise, cultural intelligence, relationship management, hospitality sensibility, commercial understanding and programming excellence.The ultimate objective is to ensure ARQ becomes a club that influential individuals aspire to join and existing members feel privileged to belong to.

Key Responsibilities:Programming & Experience CurationDevelop and execute a best-in-class annual programming calendar across all ARQ locations.Curate highly exclusive experiences spanning gastronomy, luxury lifestyle, arts, culture, literature, music, business, wellness, design, fashion, travel and sports.Conceptualize marquee signature events and IPs that become synonymous with ARQ.Create experiences that generate anticipation, exclusivity, conversation and strong word-of-mouth amongst members and prospective members.Build a programming strategy that creates genuine desirability and "fear of missing out" amongst India's most influential audiences.Lead experiential concepts for new club launches and expansion markets.

Member Experience & EngagementOwn the end-to-end member journey and engagement strategy.Continuously strengthen the ARQ member value proposition and benefits ecosystem.Develop initiatives that improve member participation, satisfaction, loyalty and retention.Drive member advocacy through highly personalized experiences and access-led privileges.Curate milestone celebrations for members, including birthdays, anniversaries, achievements and other meaningful moments.Design memorable gifting and recognition programs that reinforce the premium positioning of ARQ.Ensure members consistently discover new reasons to engage with the club.

Brand Building & PositioningAct as the principal marketing stakeholder for ARQ Club within The Leela ecosystem.Partner closely with central marketing, communications, PR and digital teams to strengthen ARQ's positioning.Ensure all member-facing communication reflects the understated sophistication and exclusivity of the brand.Develop experiential storytelling, bespoke content, invitations, gifting programs and premium collateral.Build ARQ's reputation as one of India's most prestigious and culturally relevant membership communities.

Membership Growth & Selective AcquisitionWork closely with Membership Sales teams to support acquisition of highly affluent, influential and culturally relevant members.Help shape member acquisition strategy through programming and experiences rather than traditional sales-led approaches.Support the identification and cultivation of prospective members who align with the ethos and stature of ARQ.Collaborate with club leadership and membership teams to ensure continued elevation of member quality and network value.Create experiences and engagement opportunities that actively support referral-led membership growth.

Launches & ExpansionLead the experiential and member engagement strategy for upcoming ARQ Club launches.Develop launch programs that establish desirability and relevance within new markets.Create launch experiences that attract influential audiences, tastemakers and prospective founding members.Partner with leadership teams to ensure each new club launch delivers a distinctive and elevated ARQ experience.

Partnerships & Influence NetworksBuild and maintain strategic relationships with:Artists and curatorsAuthors and intellectualsCelebrities and entertainersBusiness leaders and entrepreneursDiplomats and policymakersInfluencers and tastemakersLuxury brands and maisonsSports personalitiesDesigners and cultural leadersDevelop exclusive collaborations that provide members with access unavailable elsewhere.

Public Relations & Cultural RelevanceCollaborate with PR teams to create newsworthy and culturally impactful experiences.Drive earned media opportunities and organic advocacy.Position ARQ at the center of relevant conversations across luxury, business, culture and lifestyle.Build relationships with influential opinion-makers and cultural gatekeepers.

Commercial ContributionSupport membership growth through elevated brand positioning and compelling member experiences.Increase engagement and revenue contribution across:Restaurants and BarsWellness and SpaRooms and Hospitality ExperiencesEvents and ExperiencesPartner with Sales, Operations and Club Leadership to maximize member lifetime value while preserving exclusivity and club standards.

Ideal Candidate Profile:Experience12-15+ years of relevant experience.Strong background in private members' clubs or luxury hospitality, with experience in experiential marketing for UHNI relationship management or cultural programming is preferredSignificant experience in luxury automotive, fine jewellery, luxury retail, private banking, art, culture or lifestyle sectors catering to UHNI and HNI audiences via experiential events

Knowledge & ExpertiseDeep understanding of luxury consumer behavior and affluent audiences.Excellent knowledge of hospitality, food and beverage, culture, arts, literature and luxury lifestyle trends.Proven capability in conceptualizing and executing highly curated premium experiences.Strong marketing, communication and storytelling skills.High commercial acumen with understanding of membership-led businesses.Impeccable attention to detail and aesthetic sensibility.

Network & RelationshipsThe ideal candidate will bring an existing network and proven ability to engage with:CEOs and CXOsEntrepreneurs and industrialistsDiplomats and policymakersArtists and cultural influencersCelebrities and entertainersAuthors and intellectualsLuxury brand leadersSocialites and tastemakersSports personalities

A demonstrated track record of creating meaningful access and high-value relationships within influential communities will be highly preferred.

What Success Looks LikeARQ is recognized as one of India's most coveted private members' clubs.Membership demand outpaces available capacity.Members actively advocate for the club and participate in its experiences.ARQ becomes a highly respected cultural and networking platform for influential India.Strong member retention, engagement and loyalty metrics.A distinctive and differentiated programming calendar that members cannot easily access elsewhere.A powerful ecosystem of luxury, cultural and influence partnerships.Successful activation and launch of new ARQ locations.

The Ideal PersonA natural tastemaker. A connector. A curator. Someone equally comfortable hosting a private dinner for industrialists, facilitating an intimate conversation with a global thought leader, launching a cultural property, collaborating with a luxury maison, or creating a member experience that becomes the talk of the city.Most importantly, this person understands that ARQ is not in the business of events. It is in the business of creating belonging, influence, access and aspiration for India's most discerning individuals.