The Director of Sales has direct oversight of sales and marketing operations for a hotel. This role has the responsibility to achieve optimal occupancy and ADR growth to maximize total revenue while meeting/exceeding hotel profit objectives. This individual will oversee operations of the hotel sales department including, but not limited to, direct sales, follow-up, sales administration, hiring of staff, training, managing and coaching. Additional responsibilities include sales and marketing budget, forecast, advertising, marketing and business plans for no more than one hotel; manages within approved plans and budgets.
Key Responsibilities
- Coordinate all group, transient, and catering sales solicitations and bookings to maximize overall revenue.
- Develop, recommend, implement and manage the division's annual budget and the advertising, public relations marketing and sales plans and programs for the hotel to maximize rate, occupancy and food & beverage opportunities thus ensuring the hotel meets/exceeds management and owner revenue/profit goals and expectations.
- Proactively conduct outside sales calls, conduct sales tours and entertain clients.
- Understand the content reflected in contracts and how to negotiate terms therein.
- Develop and maintain market awareness to ensure ability to predict revenue opportunities and set proactive strategies.
- Monitor production of all top accounts and evaluate trends within your market.
- Adheres to company's established regulations, company standards, sales standards and sales metrics related.
- Comply with attainment of individual goals, as well as team goals and budgeted metrics.
- Train all members of the hotel staff on how to recognize and capitalize on all sales opportunities to increase hotel occupancy and revenue.
- Develop a full working knowledge of the operations and policies of the hotel, including Sales, Food and Beverage, Front Office and Reservations.
- Maintain strong visibility in local community and industry organizations.
- Attend and/or conduct daily/weekly/monthly meetings and any other functions required by management, providing training on a rotational basis.
- Maintains professional working relationship and promote open lines of communication relationships to achieve initiatives with respective marketing partner(s) and other internal departments.
- Travel on a weekly basis, as required.
- Act, as directed, on behalf of the General Manager in his/her absence; performing any other duties, as requested by management.
- Access to back of house areas of the hotel and sensitive information.
- Interact and occasionally have unsupervised contact with guests and/or colleagues.
- Access and control to sensitive areas in the hotel premises, including Master Keys and/or guestrooms, Storage/Liquor Room, and secured file cabinets.
- Represent the company with certain level of reputation and good character as well as exercise sound judgement.
Qualifications & Experience
- At least 10 years of progressive hotel sales experience preferred.
- Must have a valid driver’s license in the applicable state.
- Must possess highly developed verbal & written communication skills to frequently negotiate, convince, sell and influence other managerial personnel, hotel guest(s) and/or corporate clients.
- Must have thorough experience with professional selling skills: opening, probing, supporting, closing.
- Shows strong analytical skills and strategic vision in establishing appropriate sales deployment.
- Must be proficient in general computer knowledge especially Microsoft Office products.
- Must be able to work independently and simultaneously manage multiple tasks.
- Strong organization and presentation skills.
- Demonstrated ability to effectively interact and manage people of diverse socioeconomic, cultural, disability and ethnic backgrounds while solving complex problems and creating a productive sales team.
- Requires advanced knowledge of the principles and practices within the sales/marketing/hospitality profession.
- Must work well in stressful, high pressure situations; maintain composure and objectivity under pressure.
- Must be able to work with and understand financial information and data, and basic arithmetic functions.