Director of Sales

Director of Sales

Holiday Inn Express Gatlinburg (LHP GAT1) - Gatlinburg, TN 37738

Overview

Position Type Full Time Category Hospitality - Hotel

Description

Company Overview: We have built our company one person at a time. We understand that our team members are the key to our success. Our superior results begin by hiring and training good people and continue by supporting and retaining them. We build cohesive teams and promote opportunities for growth, development and leadership.

Summary: Director of Sales will lead the hotel's sales department. This position will report to the General Manager and work closely with the hotel's department heads.

Qualifications

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Self-starting personality with an even disposition to effectively communicate with guests, colleagues and community.
• Be familiar with and adhere to Legacy Ventures Service standards as outlined in the Blueprint and other policies / rules of conduct, to include personal appearance / grooming, attendance and safe / efficient operations.

Planning (Approximately 20% of time)

• Assist in the production of annual business and marketing plans as well as revenue and sales department expense budgets.
• Develop and execute strategic and promotional plans to drive sales and catering revenues to reach/exceed annual goals. Plans include strategic initiatives, competitive analysis, insights on new areas of opportunity, staffing, partnerships, evaluation of rates and need periods, etc.
• Establish both annual and monthly sales objectives in coordination with the Company's business plan.
• Develop sales action plans; continuously monitor performance to plan and make effective adjustments in order to meet and exceed targets.
• Keep up-to-date with industry knowledge as well as the competitive positioning of the hotel and fully integrate into local CVBs to capitalize business that comes into the local market.
• Develop forecasts and budgets in accordance with prescribed schedule and Company standards that maximize revenues through the most effective mix of business.
• Monitor and influence revenue channels to ensure the proper market segmentation and rate/occupancy and catering rooms-to-space and free sell strategies are in place to reach/exceed revenue goals.

Leading / Managing / Follow-up (Approximately 20% of time)

• Perform as the driver of all revenue and ensure quarterly and annual revenue goals are achieved.
• Coordinate with front office team to assist with an "everybody sells" culture, obtain leads, recognize key accounts and frequent travelers.
• Monitor, respond to and/or direct sales leads as appropriate.
• Maintain efficient sales office procedures for productive use of time and ensure the maintenance of accurate and updated account files and follow-up procedures and to ensure the hotel is easy for clients to do business with.
• Manage customer contracts to ensure that all contracts are executed according to Company standards, ensuring that standard contract language remains intact and contracts are executed appropriately to protect Company interests.
• Ensure that billing, credit procedures and audit guidelines are followed.
• Provide leadership to the day-to-day operations of the sales department, while maintaining focus on the company's strategic goals.
• Lead, train and mentor sales staff including hiring, coaching development, performance evaluations, disciplinary actions and terminations.
• Provide motivation, support, encouragement, and direction to all members of the sales department. Hold sales team accountable to results and celebrate successes.

Selling (Approximately 60% of time)

• Proactively solicit new business opportunities by conducting effective sales calls, make out-of-the-office sales and presentations to potential clients in keeping with assigned market segment. Resolicit and retain existing business by maintaining good client relationships and ensuring the hotel provides best-in-class meetings experiences. Leverage reader board and agency subscriptions to identify opportunities.
• Build/generate new leads to increase size of potential client database from cold calls and market prospecting to include, but not limited to: conventions, corporations, DMCs, tour operators, meeting planners, associations, film companies, political affiliations, SMERF (Social, Military, Educational, Religious and Fraternal) groups, concierges, organizations (i.e. Chamber of Commerce, MPI, etc.) etc.
• Identify and penetrate new accounts.
• Conduct inquiry calls, account maintenance, qualification calls, outside sales calls, site visits, concierge visits, and other sales activities; ensure that these activities are timely updated and logged in the Sales Database.
• Attend local trade-shows, participate in sales blitzes and other off-site sales efforts.
• Participate in executing all company-wide marketing initiatives.

Qualification Requirements: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must have a flexible schedule and ability to work days, evenings or nights any day of the week, including weekends and holidays.
• Must have exceptional customer service skills.
• Demonstrate ability to perform multiple tasks in a busy environment and remain flexible.
• Ability to work well in a team environment.
• Must possess excellent written, verbal, and organizational skills.
• Computer literacy and financial management a must.

Education and/or Experience: Degree from a four-year college or university preferred. Minimum of two years' work experience as a branded hotel Director of Sales is required, or equivalent combination of education and experience . Market, BT and pre-opening experience preferred.

Language Skills: Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other associates of the organization.

Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply commonsense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here 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 ensure individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the associate is regularly required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and talk or hear. The associate is occasionally required to walk and reach with hands and arms. The associate must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.