Design and Development Manager

Cohera was born from the merger of 360 Destination Group and CSI DMC and brings together decades of destination management experience under one name. As a company that values innovation, creativity, and excellence, we pride ourselves on utilizing a unique and customized approach to deliver unforgettable events that leave our clients speechless. We now find ourselves seeking a hospitality-oriented individual with a passion for design and events to be the next Design and Development Manager for our Santa Barbara office! As a member of our rockstar team, you’ll bring to life a variety of corporate events ranging from carnival-themed seminars to Latin nightclub receptions all while collaborating with professionals who are equally as passionate about creating memorable experiences as you! This is what WE offer YOU... A competitive salary based on experience. Incentive eligibility based on program size and profitability. Health insurance coverage including medical, vision, and dental. Discretionary PTO for vacation and personal time, paid holidays, and paid sick leave accrued based on hours worked. 401(k) with employer match. Company-paid short term and long term disability insurance coverage. Company-paid $50,000 basic life insurance. Voluntary life insurance. Paid DMCP and/or CMP certification. Paid industry memberships. As a Design and Development Manager, you will... Independently lead the full proposal process—from concept to delivery—for custom, high-impact programs, ensuring alignment with client goals, budget, and brand identity. Own all aspects of proposal development, including ideation, narrative writing, pricing, formatting, and presentation delivery. Accurately scope and price all program components including décor, entertainment, venues, staffing, transportation, and activities using strong editorial skills. Write and adapt creative descriptions for client-facing materials such as activities/tours, venues, and restaurants, customizing standard content when necessary. Conduct initial vendor outreach to confirm availability and collect service information aligned with proposal and contract parameters. Maintain direct communication with Sales team and Strategic team (if applicable) throughout the pre-sale phase, including discovery calls, meetings, site visits, and presentations, both virtual and in-person. Maintain holds for venues and vendors during the sales process, ensuring timely release or confirmation based on program stage. Coordinate site inspections based on Sales team direction, including vendor bookings and payment logistics. Proactively manage workload and role responsibilities in order to meet deadlines and stakeholder expectations; adjust program details throughout the proposal phase to ensure alignment of scope, budget, and logistics. Attend and contribute to turnover meetings with the Event Management and Sales teams to ensure seamless handoffs and clear program documentation. Position requires flexibility to work late hours and weekends as needed to meet tight deadlines and ensure timely project completion. Research, evaluate, and communicate with vendors to obtain accurate and cost-effective quotes that meet program requirements. Introduce vendor vetting process and initiate onboarding through Vendor Manager. Update and maintain an organized tariff by way of archiving newly developed services (décor, teambuilding, activities, entertainment, etc.) into the company tariff library for future use and executing tariff projects, including formatting, auditing, and the enhancement of category offerings, in alignment with departmental direction. Support ECS inventory maintenance and accuracy as directed by management. Build and sustain strong vendor relationships to ensure reliable service, pricing transparency, and innovative offerings. Align proposal content with client expectations, destination opportunities, and pricing parameters. Support familiarization tours, hotelier events, and other sales-related activations by assisting with logistics, vendor coordination, and on-site presence as needed. Collaborate with Marketing to contribute destination-specific content, photos, and service descriptions for client-facing materials such as Weekenders, Area Guides, and Photo Pages. Stay informed on new venues, experiences, and trends in the local market to help inform proposals and teamwide inspiration. Ensure accuracy in pricing, margins, timelines, and vendor documentation across proposals and internal systems such as ECS. Manage internal paperwork including deposit invoices, vendor payments, Ramp expense submissions, and reconciliation per company procedures for site inspections. Maintain mastery of internal tools, formatting standards, and proposal processes; serve as a resource for department troubleshooting. Proactively manage timelines, consistently meet internal and client due dates, workload, and cross-functional coordination with minimal oversight. Join and actively participate in client meetings (calls, sites, and presentations) as needed. Attend networking and industry events, based on deadlines and availability. Subject to change based on destination alignment. You'll stand out from the crowd if you... Work as a productive team member, take initiative, act creatively, operate flexibly, and do everything with honesty, integrity, and with a focus on client satisfaction. Work well in a fast-paced team environment, work overtime when required, and deliver quality service to our clients. Act in a self-starting way, make good independent decisions, and take steps to complete work within time parameters. Generate new and innovative ways to improve our company's products and services. Recognize essential elements of a challenge and develop creative solutions. Are detail-oriented with vendor contracts, invoices, and agreement clauses. Respond quickly to changing circumstances and anticipate new developments where possible. Act in a forthright way. Give and accept feedback constructively. Recognize and consider the client’s expectations and needs and have a “do what it takes” mentality. We are seeking someone with... Minimum of six years work experience with a minimum of three years in hospitality. At least one year work experience in proposal writing, event design, creative marketing, or destination management. Proficiency in client relations, detailed budget management, event design, contract management, and vendor relations. Strong pricing, formatting, and creative storytelling abilities required. Advanced writing and creative storytelling skills. Ability to develop customized, client-specific content. Exceptional project management and organizational skills. Excellent verbal and written communications skills. Knowledge of the local destination offerings such as restaurants, clubs, festivals, tours, and venues. Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Canva. Job Conditions: The specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually low. The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the associate is: Frequently required to perform administrative and professional work using writing tools and electronic media. Required to be ambulatory to move around freely between buildings and between levels within buildings. Occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles and toxic or caustic chemicals associated with office work. Disclaimer: This job has recurring work situations involving moderate degrees of discretion. The need for accuracy and effective utilization of accepted policies and procedures is high. Errors in judgment and execution will waste time and resources, adversely impacting unit performance. Employees operate independently but work is verified by supervision. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed. Acknowledgements: Cohera is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action Employer / Disability / Veteran. Candidates who receive an offer of employment will be legally employed by 360 DG OCLA LLC dba 360 Destination Group until the organization transitions to Cohera LLC on April 1, 2026. Until that date, all employment-related documents including offer letters, agreements, and payroll records will reference 360 DG OCLA LLC dba 360 Destination Group. Upon transition, employment will transfer to Cohera LLC with no interruption to service, tenure, or benefits. #J-18808-Ljbffr