Director of Group Sales

Compensation Type

Highgate Hotels

Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a rapidly expanding presence in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Highgate’s portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $20B and generates over $5B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry’s most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas, and Seattle.

Location

Park Lane New York, situated on Billionaires’ Row – home to the world’s most coveted addresses onCentral Park South – has been completely reimagined as a departure from its neighbors and serves as aunique and inclusive retreat within walking distance of the city’s cultural hubs including Lincoln Center,Carnegie Hall, 5th Avenue shopping, and the Museum of Modern Art. The 47-story property features 610rooms – nearly half of which provide sweeping park-facing views – and 11,000 square feet of reimaginedindoor and outdoor event space. A fitness center perched on the fifth floor offers state-of-the-artequipment and its own separate outdoor terrace. The reimagined hotel features three new food & beverage venues throughout the hotel including an 80-seat lobby bar with an outdoor promenade, an intimate restaurant on the hotel’s second floor, and CentralPark South’s only rooftop lounge atop the hotel. Perched on the 47th floor, the cocktail bar will treat guests to a one-of-a-kind experience against the backdrop of Manhattan's sprawling skyline and park.

Overview

The Director of Group Sales is responsible for leading and driving top line group and banquet revenue through defined strategies and tactics with focus on budget achievement. He/she is also responsible for prospecting and closing on assigned accounts/territory to positively impact hotel revenues. This position will report to the Director of Sales & Marketing, carry a group sales booking quota (him or herself) as well as direct the group sales team toward achieving group booking targets and goals.

The Director of Group Sales will maximize sales opportunities/revenue with existing accounts, as well as direct & implement a plan to identify/solicit new group opportunities amongst the primary and secondary hotel competitive sets. DOGS also develops a comprehensive sales activity plan to attend appropriate industry tradeshows/events – to promote Park Lane New York.

This position also works collaboratively with the Director of Catering and catering sales effort to drive/maximize group banquet and local catering revenue for the hotel. The Director of Group Sales attends weekly revenue strategy meetings, interfaces daily with Director of Revenue and provides input on pricing and business assessment that may lead to group sales production for hotel. The DOGS is responsible for group sales deployment (vertical/territorial coverage), managing group leads/assignment to sales manager(s) and tracking group sales pace and production vs. goals. DOGS works collaboratively and drives sales production from soft branding & 3rd party support in place for hotel.

Responsibilities

• Meet or exceed set top line group and banquet budget and crossover goals
• Identify and research potential accounts/clients and prospect for new business opportunities, generate leads, and set up meetings/presentations with clients that will keep the hotels pipeline consistently full of opportunities.
• Monitor production and lead volume of all top accounts and evaluate all group/catering trends, recommend, and implement strategic changes as needed to positively impact top line revenue.
• Regularly contact existing accounts based on the tracing frequencies of the Account Coverage Program.
• Initiate and follow up on leads, ensuring response times meet Highgate SOPs across group team members
• Maintain and participate in an active sales solicitation program, exceeding assigned goals
• Invite clients to the hotel for entertainment, lunches, tours and site inspections.
• Develop a full working knowledge of the operations of the hotel, including Food and Beverage, Guest Services and Reservations.
• Develop a complete knowledge of company sales policies and SOP’s and ensure knowledge of and adherence to those policies by the sales team.
• Assist in creating and implementing special promotions relating to direct sales segments, i.e., events, familiarization visits, sales blitzes, etc.
• Operate within established sales expense budget.
• Attend all hotel required meetings and trainings.
• Assist in the preparation of required reports in a timely manner.
• Be familiar with all Highgate Hotel sales policies and selling techniques with an emphasis on maximizing occupancy and Average Daily Rate (ADR).
• Conduct a professional, thorough site inspection of the hotel with clients, exhibiting key features and benefits of the property.
• Meet and greet onsite contacts.
• Abide by Prime Selling Time (PST).
• Use your property’s computerized sales management system to manage the hotel’s business, including (but not limited to) generating reports, entering business, blocking space and building accounts.
• Develop networking opportunities through active participation in community and professional associations, activities and events.
• Lead business review (GRC) meetings.
• Review meeting planner group and event evaluations with the Director of Event Planning and Director of Sales & Marketing to ensure revenue is maximized and any issues receive follow-up.

Qualifications

• At least 2-3 years of luxury/luxury lifestyle hotel sales leadership experience; 5+ years of effective group selling experience
• Must be skilled in Windows, Excel, Delphi, and Opera systems.
• Must be able to effectively communicate both verbally and written with all levels of employees and guests in an attentive, friendly, courteous, and service oriented manner.
• Must be effective at listening to, understanding, and clarifying concerns raised by employees and guests.
• Must be able to multitask and prioritize departmental functions to meet deadlines.
• Approach all encounters with guests and employees in an attentive, friendly, courteous and service-oriented manner.
• Must maintain high standards of personal appearance and grooming.
• Comply with Highgate Hotel Standards and regulations to encourage safe and efficient hotel operations.
• Ability to maximize efforts towards productivity, identify problem areas and assist in implementing solutions.
• Must be effective in handling problems, including anticipating, preventing, identifying and solving problems as necessary.
• Must be able to understand and evaluate complex information, data, etc. from various sources to meet appropriate objectives.
• Must be able to maintain confidentiality of information.
• Travel and extended work hours sometimes required.
• Light work - Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.
• Perform other duties as requested by management.
• Must have a valid driver’s license in the applicable state.

Salary: $140,000-$180,000 Plus competiative bonus and benefit package