President and CEO (Visit Lauderdale) (Fort Lauderdale)

About Visit Lauderdale

Created by the Board of Broward County Commissioners in 1987, Visit Lauderdale (formerly Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau) is a governmental agency funded from the tax on hotel rooms in Broward County. The agency promotes Broward County and Greater Fort Lauderdale as a premier year‑round leisure and meeting destination.

Position Summary

The President & CEO is responsible for managing the marketing of Greater Fort Lauderdale and Broward County, formulating long‑range goals, implementing policy, and serving as a valuable advisor to the Chief Executive of the County. The role reports to the County Administrator and is part of the Executive Team of the County.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Serves as the chief executive and strategic leader of Visit Lauderdale, providing overall leadership, vision, and direction for the organization, its staff, and destination‑wide tourism initiatives.
• Leads and oversees destination sales, marketing, communications, partnership development, convention sales, tourism development, and brand strategy efforts to increase visitation, hotel occupancy, convention and meeting business, and economic impact for Broward County.
• Provides leadership and oversight for the organization’s annual operating budget and financial resources, ensuring strong fiscal management, accountability, strategic investment, and alignment with County and organizational priorities.
• Serves as a visible ambassador and advocate for Greater Fort Lauderdale and Broward County at the local, regional, national, and international levels; participates in industry organizations and attends meetings, conferences, and trade shows.
• Builds and maintains strong relationships with hotels, tourism partners, municipalities, chambers of commerce, elected officials, community leaders, industry stakeholders, and Broward County leadership.
• Works collaboratively with the hospitality community to maximize convention, meeting, group, and event opportunities associated with the County’s expanded convention center campus and the new OMNI‑Fort Lauderdale headquarters hotel.
• Responds to media inquiries and requests for information, serving as spokesperson for the destination.
• Develops and implements strategic initiatives, performance metrics, and measurable goals to evaluate organizational effectiveness, tourism performance, market competitiveness, and return on investment.
• Monitors tourism industry trends, economic conditions, consumer behavior, and competitive destination strategies to ensure Visit Lauderdale remains innovative and competitive within the global tourism marketplace.
• Performs related work as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or a closely related field.
• Minimum ten (10) years of progressively responsible managerial experience in the promotion and marketing of a municipality or destination.
• Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) certification or other relevant tourism, hospitality, destination marketing, leadership, or industry‑related certifications preferred.
• Proven expertise in convention sales, group sales, and destination demand generation.
• Experience leading in a large or similarly complex market; South Florida or Southeast regional familiarity preferred.
• Strong understanding of convention center sales strategy and countywide business development.
• Background in both leisure and group tourism marketing.
• Financial management and P&L/budget oversight experience.
• Crisis management experience.
• Track record of promoting destinations during peak periods/shoulder seasons.
• Existing tourism industry relationships and credibility within the DMO space.
• Experience building partnerships across multifaceted sectors.
• Executive‑level leadership experience as current CEO or highly accomplished second‑in‑command.
• Exposure to diverse destinations and multicultural visitor markets.
• Experience leading organizational assessment, restructuring, and performance‑driven cultures.
• Modern marketing, partnership development, and strategic planning experience.

Competencies

• Business Insight: Applies knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organization’s goals.
• Financial Acumen: Interprets key financial indicators to make better business decisions.
• Balances Stakeholders: Anticipates and balances the needs of multiple stakeholders.
• Global Perspective: Takes a broad view using a global lens to guide the organization.
• Strategic Mindset: Sees ahead to future possibilities and translates them into breakthrough strategies.
• Ensures Accountability: Holds self and others accountable to meet commitments.
• Builds Networks: Effectively builds formal and informal relationship networks.
• Builds Effective Teams: Builds strong identity teams that apply diverse skills and perspectives.
• Drives Engagement: Creates a climate where people are motivated to do their best.
• Drives Vision and Purpose: Paints a compelling picture of the vision and strategy.

County Core Values

• Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others.
• Customer focus: Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer‑centric solutions.
• Instills trust: Gaining confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
• Values differences: Recognizing the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization.

Key Characteristics

• Collaborative and partnership‑oriented
• Transparent, approachable, and accessible
• Politically savvy with strong diplomatic skills
• Relationship‑driven and consensus‑oriented
• Visible and engaged leader who serves as the face and ambassador of the destination
• Strategic and forward‑thinking
• Entrepreneurial, nimble, and open‑minded
• Inclusive leader who embraces diverse communities and perspectives
• Strong communicator with excellent interpersonal skills
• Team‑oriented with the ability to coach, motivate, and develop staff
• Accountability‑driven with a focus on metrics and performance management
• Professional, credible, and respected within the industry
• Bridge‑builder capable of aligning varied stakeholders and interests
• Proactive and highly engaged with industry partners and the community

Top Priorities

• Assess and strengthen the organization, leadership structure, strategic plan, budget, and overall performance metrics/KPIs.
• Build strong relationships and alignment with staff, hotels, municipalities, chambers, elected officials, tourism partners, and community stakeholders.
• Maximize opportunity surrounding the County’s expanded convention center and OMNI‑Fort Lauderdale headquarters hotel through enhanced group sales, need‑time strategies, and destination marketing efforts.
• Establish a clear vision and collaborative strategy for the future of Visit Lauderdale, including brand positioning, industry trends, community engagement, and long‑term destination growth.

Compensation and Benefits

The annual salary range for this position is $155,771.76 – $248,612.45. The starting salary will be based on the qualifications and experience of the selected individual. The State of Florida has no state income tax.

The County’s Benefits Include

• Florida Retirement System (FRS) – Employees may choose between a traditional pension plan or an investment plan.
• Deferred Compensation – Voluntary 457 plan offered through multiple providers with County matching.
• Flexible Spending Accounts – Eligible health and dependent care accounts.
• Insurance Coverage – Various benefit plans covering health, dental, vision, and disability; County subsidizes enrollment.
• Health Savings Accounts – Contributions from County when HDHP is chosen and engagement incentive completed.
• Vacation and Sick Leave – Accrued biweekly; annualized at two weeks vacation and 12 days sick time; additional 40 hours of job‑based leave for exempt employees.
• Holidays – Eleven holidays and two personal days.
• Life Insurance – $50,000 group term life insurance; additional coverage available.
• Additional Benefits – Access to Credit Union, employee development, and personal income protection plans.

EEO Statement

All Broward County employees must serve the public and fellow employees with honesty and integrity in full accord with the letter and spirit of Broward County’s Employee Code of Ethics, gift, and conflict of interest policies. All Broward County employees must establish and maintain effective working relationships with the general public, co‑workers, elected and appointed officials, and members of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, political affiliation, familial status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, or gender identity and expression.