Director of Sales

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Position Title: Director of Sales

Location: Rancho Santa Fe, CA

Department: Sales

FLSA Status: Exempt

Reports To: General Manager

Revised Date: August 2026

SUMMARY

The Director of Sales is responsible for developing, maintaining, and growing the resort's leisure and transient business segments through strategic sales initiatives, exceptional relationship management, and proactive business development. This position is responsible for increasing the resort's domestic and international leisure client base while cultivating long-term partnerships that generate repeat business and maximize revenue.

As a key member of the Sales & Marketing team, the Director of Sales serves as an ambassador for Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, representing the resort to luxury travel advisors, corporate travel managers, travel consortia, wholesale partners, destination management companies, and other leisure travel intermediaries. This role collaborates closely with Revenue Management, Marketing, Operations, Spa, Tennis, Food & Beverage, and Guest Services to deliver seamless luxury experiences that enhance guest satisfaction and drive profitability.

In addition to traditional leisure sales responsibilities, this position oversees the coordination, promotion, sale, and execution of resort specialty programs and signature experiences, including tennis camps, cycling retreats, wellness and yoga programs, culinary experiences, and other unique events that showcase Rancho Valencia's luxury lifestyle offerings.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Leisure Sales & Business Development

• Develop and execute annual leisure sales strategies designed to achieve budgeted room nights, ADR, RevPAR, and revenue goals.
• Maintain and grow the resort's Business/Transient leisure market segments through proactive solicitation and account management.
• Increase domestic and international leisure business by cultivating relationships with luxury travel advisors, travel agencies, tour operators, destination management companies, and wholesale partners.
• Identify and pursue new business opportunities while expanding existing accounts through strategic relationship development.
• Conduct regular inside and outside sales calls, virtual presentations, client meetings, networking events, and entertainment activities.
• Represent Rancho Valencia at trade shows, industry events, luxury travel marketplaces, and sales missions in accordance with the annual marketing plan.
• Travel quarterly, or as required, to key domestic and international markets with a focus on corporate travel managers, luxury consortia, travel advisors, preferred corporate accounts, and extended-stay clientele.

Account Management

• Develop and maintain long-term relationships with key leisure, transient, wholesale, and preferred corporate accounts.
• Monitor production compliance and overall account performance.
• Prepare quarterly and annual production reports for all major accounts.
• Conduct semi-annual business review meetings with account representatives to evaluate production, identify opportunities, and strengthen partnerships.
• Maintain comprehensive account records utilizing the resort's CRM and account management systems.
• Maintain regular communication with all preferred corporate and leisure accounts, including quarterly production reports and market updates.
• Coordinate local transient sales initiatives and activities supporting national and regional account strategies.
• Negotiate contracted rates, preferred corporate agreements, wholesale pricing, and volume-based negotiated accounts in collaboration with Revenue Management and Executive Leadership.

Travel Partner Relations

• Develop and strengthen relationships with:
  • Virtuoso
  • Signature Travel Network
  • Internova
  • American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts
  • Ensemble
  • Travel Leaders
  • Preferred Hotels & Resorts
  • Luxury independent travel advisors
  • Destination Management Companies
  • Wholesale partners
  • Corporate Travel Managers
• Host and coordinate:
  • Familiarization (FAM) Trips
  • Site Inspections
  • Educational Tours
  • Sales Missions
  • Travel Advisor Events
  • Client Appreciation Experiences

Requirements:

Specialty Programs & Resort Experiences

Lead the sales, promotion, coordination, and implementation of signature resort experiences including:

• Tennis Camps
• Pickleball Clinics
• Cycling Programs
• Wellness Retreats
• Yoga Programs
• Culinary Experiences
• Seasonal Promotions
• Luxury Lifestyle Events
• Other specialty programming designed to increase leisure demand and enhance the guest experience.

Revenue & Marketing Collaboration

• Partner closely with Revenue Management to develop transient pricing strategies, promotional offers, and need-period initiatives.
• Support all leisure marketing campaigns and promotional initiatives in collaboration with the Marketing team.
• Assist in developing digital marketing campaigns, advisor communications, social media collaborations, and luxury travel promotions.
• Analyze client room night production, ADR, market trends, and revenue performance to identify growth opportunities.
• Understand competitive positioning by monitoring the transient sales strategies, promotional programs, pricing, and market strengths and weaknesses of competing luxury resorts.

Cross-Department Collaboration

Work collaboratively with operational leaders to ensure exceptional execution of all client programs and guest experiences.

Partner with:

• Front Office
• Reservations
• Revenue Management
• Spa
• Tennis
• Food & Beverage
• Pony Room
• Housekeeping
• Guest Services
• Marketing

Responsibilities include:

• Monitoring operational implementation of negotiated programs.
• Ensuring all departments are informed of account expectations.
• Delivering seamless guest experiences from booking through departure.

Cross-Selling & Revenue Growth

• Maximize total resort revenue by actively promoting and cross-selling all resort amenities and experiences, including:
  • The Spa at Rancho Valencia
  • Dining outlets
  • Tennis & Pickleball
  • Wellness Programming
  • Seasonal Experiences
  • Villas
  • Private Events
  • Golf Concierge Services
  • Beach Club partnerships and destination experiences

Reporting & Financial Performance

• Monitor account production and production compliance.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual sales reports.
• Forecast room night production and revenue.
• Analyze account performance and profitability.
• Maintain accurate CRM documentation.
• Recommend strategic adjustments to maximize revenue performance.

Leadership Expectations

The Director of Sales is expected to:

• Be self-motivated, entrepreneurial, and results-oriented.
• Demonstrate exceptional communication and presentation skills.
• Build trusted relationships with clients and colleagues.
• Be highly organized with strong attention to detail.
• Exercise sound business judgment and strategic thinking.
• Maintain confidentiality and professionalism at all times.
• Foster collaboration across all resort departments.
• Represent Rancho Valencia with integrity, authenticity, and luxury service excellence.

Core Competencies

• Luxury Leisure Sales
• Strategic Business Development
• Relationship Management
• Contract Negotiation
• Revenue Optimization
• Market Analysis
• Presentation & Public Speaking
• Client Entertainment
• Event Coordination
• Cross-Functional Leadership
• Financial Acumen
• Exceptional Communication Skills

Rancho Valencia Culture

The Director of Sales is expected to exemplify Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa's Core Values— We Respect, We Pride, We Represent, We Care, and We Engage —while delivering personalized service that reflects the resort's Forbes Five-Star standards and brand pillars of Welcoming, Unpretentious, Authentic, Ownership, and Experience .

This position requires a passionate hospitality professional who is relationship-driven, proactive, and committed to creating meaningful partnerships that elevate Rancho Valencia's reputation as one of the premier luxury destination resorts in the world.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, or a related field preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of 5–7 years of luxury hotel or resort sales experience, with a strong emphasis on leisure and transient sales.
• Proven success managing luxury travel advisor relationships, consortia, and preferred corporate accounts.
• Experience with Forbes Five-Star and/or AAA Five Diamond properties strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success negotiating contracts, growing market share, and achieving revenue goals.
• Experience with Delphi, Salesforce, Cvent, or similar CRM systems preferred.

TRAVEL - Frequently

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

1. Frequent or occasional need to perform the following physical activities: reaching, bending, pushing, pulling, twisting, lifting, and climbing. Have frequent need to perform standing and walking activities related to inspecting property.
2. Constant need to perform the following physical activities: grasping, turning, finger dexterity.
3. Occasional need to stand for long periods of time.
4. Lifting/carrying up to 10 lbs. frequently and 25 lbs. occasionally.
5. Vision requirements: constant need to view small print. Frequent need to see small details and things clearly beyond arms’ reach.
6. Hearing requirements: constant need to speak on the telephone and/or two-way radio, respond to general public and converse with staff. Ability to hear fire alarms and emergency equipment.

NOTE : A review of this description has excluded the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of fundamental job duties. All duties and requirements are essential job functions. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to perform other job-related duties assigned by their supervisor.