Senior Group Sales Manager (Washington DC-Baltimore Area)

Position Summary

A premier luxury hotel/resort organization is seeking an accomplished Senior Group Sales Manager to drive group revenue through strategic account development and proactive sales efforts within the Washington, D.C. and national meetings market .

This is a remote sales position; however, the successful candidate must be based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and possess strong knowledge of the market along with established relationships within the corporate, association, government-related, and professional meetings community.

The National Accounts Group Sales Manager will be responsible for developing and managing a portfolio of high-value national accounts, generating new group business, strengthening existing client relationships, and achieving established room-night and revenue goals.

The ideal candidate is a highly motivated hunter and relationship builder with significant hotel group sales experience and a proven ability to develop business through proactive prospecting, networking, industry involvement, client entertainment, and strategic account management.

Key Responsibilities

National Account & Group Sales

• Proactively solicit and secure group business from assigned national accounts, market segments, and geographic territories.
• Develop and manage a portfolio of high-value corporate, association, government-related, and third-party accounts.
• Achieve or exceed monthly, quarterly, and annual room-night and revenue goals.
• Generate new business through proactive prospecting and strategic account development.
• Manage the complete sales process from initial prospecting and qualification through proposal, negotiation, contracting, and turnover.
• Respond strategically and promptly to RFPs and qualified group opportunities.
• Negotiate guest room rates, meeting space, Food & Beverage commitments, concessions, and contractual terms.
• Evaluate total account and group revenue potential when determining business value.
• Maximize revenue through strategic upselling of guestrooms, meeting space, F&B, activities, and additional hotel/resort services.
• Develop long-term relationships that generate repeat and multi-year business.

Washington, D.C. Market Development

• Maintain an active and highly visible presence within the Washington, D.C. meetings and hospitality community.
• Develop relationships with:
• National associations
• Corporate meeting planners
• Government-related organizations
• Professional and trade associations
• Third-party meeting planners
• Meeting management companies
• Incentive houses
• Destination management companies
• Executive assistants
• Conference and convention planners
• National corporate accounts
• Conduct regular in-person sales calls throughout the D.C. metropolitan market.
• Maintain a strong network of existing industry relationships while continuously developing new contacts.
• Identify organizations with significant annual meeting and group travel potential.
• Develop account strategies based on each organization's meeting patterns, budget cycles, decision makers, destinations, and future opportunities.

Proactive Business Development

• Maintain a strong emphasis on new account acquisition and proactive selling .
• Research and identify high-potential national accounts and emerging market opportunities.
• Conduct consistent telephone, email, social, and face-to-face prospecting.
• Develop creative strategies to penetrate accounts currently producing for competitive hotels and resorts.
• Establish relationships with key decision makers and influencers.
• Re-engage dormant accounts and identify opportunities to increase share from existing clients.
• Create individual account action plans for top prospects and strategic accounts.
• Maintain an active pipeline capable of supporting both short- and long-term revenue goals.

Association & Corporate Group Business

• Develop significant group business within the association and corporate segments .
• Understand association meeting cycles, annual conferences, board meetings, executive retreats, educational programs, and incentive opportunities.
• Develop relationships with association executives and meeting professionals throughout the Washington, D.C. market.
• Identify corporate organizations with national meetings, leadership retreats, incentive programs, conferences, and special events.
• Maintain detailed knowledge of client buying cycles and sourcing processes.
• Position the hotel/resort appropriately for each organization's specific meeting objectives.

Client Relationship Management

• Build trusted, long-term relationships with national account decision makers.
• Conduct client presentations, sales appointments, site inspections, and entertainment.
• Coordinate and host familiarization trips when appropriate.
• Maintain regular communication with key clients regarding future opportunities.
• Provide highly responsive and professional service throughout the sales process.
• Serve as a knowledgeable resource regarding the property, destination, accommodations, meeting facilities, F&B, activities, and overall guest experience.
• Conduct post-event follow-up to strengthen relationships and identify future opportunities.

Industry Presence & Networking

• Represent the organization at relevant national and regional industry events, trade shows, sales missions, and networking functions.
• Develop relationships through organizations such as PCMA, MPI, ASAE, FICP, SITE , and other relevant industry associations.
• Attend client events and industry functions throughout the Washington, D.C. market.
• Participate in major industry trade shows and national sales opportunities as assigned.
• Maintain awareness of industry trends, account movement, competitive activity, and emerging business opportunities.
• Serve as a visible ambassador for the hotel/resort within the meetings and events community.

Group Sales Strategy

• Partner closely with the Director of Sales, Revenue Management, and property leadership to maximize group revenue.
• Understand occupancy patterns, need periods, rate strategy, meeting-space availability, and revenue priorities.
• Evaluate opportunities based on total revenue contribution, profitability, displacement, and long-term account value.
• Strategically target business that complements the property's overall revenue strategy.
• Identify opportunities to drive business during need periods.
• Maintain strong awareness of competitive hotels and resorts and effectively communicate competitive advantages.

Pipeline, Forecasting & Reporting

• Maintain an accurate and active sales pipeline.
• Track account production, leads, tentative business, definite bookings, lost business, conversion, room nights, ADR, and total revenue.
• Prepare accurate weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual forecasts.
• Maintain complete account and activity documentation within the CRM.
• Provide market intelligence and competitive information to Sales and Revenue leadership.
• Develop quarterly action plans designed to achieve established booking goals.
• Track individual sales activity including appointments, prospecting calls, site inspections, client entertainment, and new-account development.

Site Inspections & FAM Trips

• Coordinate and conduct compelling site inspections for qualified clients.
• Host key decision makers and meeting planners during property visits.
• Coordinate familiarization trips designed to convert high-value accounts and future group opportunities.
• Partner with property teams to showcase accommodations, meeting spaces, restaurants, amenities, activities, and destination experiences.
• Follow up strategically after site visits and FAM trips to convert opportunities into confirmed business.

Property & Operational Partnership

• Maintain strong working relationships with property Sales, Convention Services, Catering, Revenue Management, Reservations, Banquets, Culinary, and Operations.
• Ensure confirmed groups are transitioned accurately and effectively to the appropriate operational teams.
• Provide detailed account and client information to support seamless execution.
• Remain engaged with strategic accounts following turnover when appropriate.
• Communicate market intelligence and client feedback to property leadership.

Qualifications

Required

• 5+ years of progressive hotel/resort group sales experience.
• Previous experience as a National Sales Manager, National Account Manager, Group Sales Manager, Senior Sales Manager, or comparable hospitality sales professional .
• Must currently reside in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan market.
• Strong knowledge of the Washington, D.C. group, association, corporate, and meetings market.
• Established network of D.C.-based meeting planners and industry contacts strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success achieving significant room-night and revenue goals.
• Proven ability to generate business through proactive prospecting and account development.
• Experience managing national or regional accounts.
• Str]]>