Regional Sales Director- Southeast

Job Summary

The Regional Sales Manager (“RSD”) position is responsible for revenue generation from travel agency partners and direct management of all aspects of Crystal Cruises’ business development in an assigned geographic territory. The RSD is responsible for increasing sales and achieving established Key Performance Indicators (“KPIs”) for Crystal Cruises. This position will collaborate with various teams and departments within the company including but not limited to Marketing, Revenue Management, IT and Strategic and National Accounts to create programs which drive sales within the assigned sales region in order to support Crystal Cruises commercial objectives.

Essential Job Duties

• Responsible for developing a Tier One portfolio of travel agency partners within the assigned geographic territory.
• The number of travel agency partners in the assigned territory will be established in conjunction with executive sales management, guided by revenue generation and business needs and is subject to change on an annual basis based on revenue.
• When Tier 2 agency partners are determined, collaborate with the Business Development team to engage and drive revenue production from that group of travel sellers located in the assigned region.
• Maintain a sales call cadence of 20–25 physical and virtual meetings each week and record and report each call through the company’s CRM platform. Meetings are scheduled with the objective of driving revenue growth for each agency partner.
• Establish revenue targets with appropriate agency partners and consistently review productivity and progress toward assigned targets.
• Conduct staff training (physical or virtual via webinars) to familiarize agency travel advisors with the Crystal product so they can effectively sell the Crystal Cruises brand experience to the target customer.
• Seek out and close affinity or promotional group business, assisting agency advisors in identifying group opportunities within customer databases and local or regional organizations.
• Create an annual overhead budget to achieve the above goals.
• Effectively and efficiently manage an assigned marketing budget and provide a monthly forecast of marketing spend, submitting all invoices on a monthly basis.
• Participate in travel agency partner consumer events both physical and virtual (e.g., Cruise Nights) as feasible given availability, cost, budget, and revenue opportunity.
• Identify and cultivate opportunities to generate new revenue streams with existing accounts and new potential partnerships that will elevate Crystal Cruises’ market penetration and brand awareness.
• Represent Crystal at industry trade shows and events when required in the assigned territory and on any conference or event sponsored by a National Account or Consortia partner as requested.
• Participate in ship inaugurals and onboard events as required, and plan and conduct “seminar at sea” or familiarization cruises as approved.
• Maintain an email database of travel advisors for the purpose of communicating offers, news, and information about Crystal Cruises.
• Conduct informational webinars as appropriate or requested by executive management.
• Maintain a presence on at least one social media site of choice, creating original content under Crystal Cruises’ brand guidelines or sharing Crystal Cruise posts at least once per week.
• Provide a detailed annual business plan covering sales, marketing ROI, challenges, opportunities, and required marketing funds, trade show attendance, travel and entertainment expenses, sponsorships, and memberships.
• Effectively utilize both company technology and online technology to ensure speed to market, including proficiency in Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, the Crystal Cruises reservation system, the CRM platform, mobile device features, and office electronics.
• Competently create and submit required monthly reports or ad‑hoc reports in a timely manner, including: weekly sales report, monthly sales report, expense report, marketing spend forecast, 60‑day planned calendar, and business development performance expectations.
• Achieve no less than a yearly average of 85 % of the established revenue target, with individual quarterly performance falling below 85 % acceptable only if the cumulative average remains 85 % or above. Incentive payout begins at 90 % of goal.

Reporting Requirements

• Weekly Sales Report – data entered into and reported via CRM and ultimately in the monthly report.
• Monthly Sales Report – includes an executive summary of activities by week, summarizes the competitive environment, advises management of specific issues that need attention, and reports trends or observations that may impact Crystal Cruises’ operations.
• Expense Reports – submitted bi‑weekly or monthly as determined by the accounting department.
• Marketing Spend Forecast – due monthly.
• 60‑day planned calendar with detailed calls, a three‑month advance notice of travel locations, and an annual overall travel plan.
• Business Development Expectation – annual average revenue target of 85 % with quarterly performance tracking.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Functions, duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Competency

Education: Bachelor’s degree required or equivalent experience.

Experience

• 5–10 years of experience in travel industry sales; luxury cruise line experience preferred.
• Extensive knowledge of the luxury cruise market and competitive set.
• Extensive international destination knowledge, including Crystal Cruises’ destinations preferred.
• Existing travel industry sales relationships in the assigned territory or region.
• Demonstrated track record of sales success required with a leading luxury travel company.
• Management experience that includes sales team management preferred.

Skills & Qualifications

• Positive, energetic, and professional demeanor.
• Excellent sales, customer service and relationship‑building skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Exceptional organizational and administrative skills.
• Self‑motivated and results‑oriented with proven ability to achieve sales objectives.
• Capable of working independently with minimal day‑to‑day direction.
• Capable of multi‑tasking and working in a fast‑paced environment.
• Skilled at problem solving and decision making.
• Ability to tactfully handle internal and external contact challenges in pursuit of mutually beneficial solutions.
• Ability to maintain professionalism when faced with adversity, particularly when supporting company policies and positions that may not be accepted or understood.
• Fluency in MS Office applications, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Must be able to travel as needed domestically and internationally.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and a reliable, well‑maintained vehicle for business purposes.

Physical Demands

Requires sitting, standing, walking, bending, and reaching. May require lifting or pushing up to 35 pounds. Requires manual dexterity sufficient to operate standard office machines such as computers, fax machines, calculators, the telephone, and other office equipment.

Expected Hours of Work

The position is full‑time and frequently requires working additional time outside of normal business hours. Must live in the Southeast USA territory (GA, AL, TN, SC, NC, VA, DC, MD, PA, DE).

EEO Statement

Abercrombie & Kent is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

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