Account Director, US Government [Transient] - U.S. Region

About the role

This role involves managing U.S. Federal and State government transient travel programs, focusing on maximizing revenue through strategic account planning, rate optimization, and demand capture across federal agencies, military segments, and state government travelers.

Responsibilities

• Understand Key Account(s) drivers, behaviors, values & opportunities
• Maintain relationships with multiple key contacts within all subsidiaries and/or business units to maximize revenue delivery
• Explore unique ways to drive returns (share shift, Mutual Value, partnerships, etc.)
• Anticipate & overcome objections through thoughtful research & consideration of potential solutions, impactful negotiation skills and creative problem-solving
• Prioritize time to think & strategize; create & execute a Strategic Account Plan
• Be a strategic leader of account team(s) as applicable
• Ensure all managed accounts have thoughtful account plans, strategies & actions to support maximizing market share opportunities for IHG; engage with customers as appropriate
• Work Collaboratively Appropriately share information & ideas across stakeholder groups & IHG tools & resources to advance sales efforts
• Be a valued advisor sought out by others for guidance
• Exhibit the ability to influence without authority & successfully navigate a highly-matrixed organization
• Encourage & participate in open & honest dialogue amongst account teams, peers & leaders
• Champion interdependency & act as a liaison for Global Sales in cross-functional working groups
• Sales & Business Acumen Possess end-to-end critical thinking skills: the ability to interpret & action data, articulate a business case, and evaluate ROI/financial impact of potential actions
• Has command, drives usage, and ensures team subject-matter expertise of all IHG sales tools & methodologies; leverages people & team resources to optimize revenue opportunities
• Research & action calculated risks to enhance our ability to close revenue & shift market share amongst key accounts
• Ensure team achieves yearly financial targets & business goals
• Embody a seeker mentality; always look for the next revenue opportunity within your accounts
• Owns and champions the vision and strategy of the specific industry grouping for which you are responsible, executing through a sound market business plan
• Communication Skills Continually practice & improve written, verbal & non-verbal communication skills
• Successfully tailor your message to the audience(s) for maximum impact
• Demonstrate comfort in addressing internal & external stakeholders
• Be adept at empathic listening, probing questions & productive debate
• Seek first to understand, then be understood
• Commitment to Continuous Improvement Commit to a mindset of continuous self-development
• Receptive to feedback & coaching from peers & leaders; embody that same spirit within your team
• Display exceptional time management & organizational skills; foster those same skills amongst your team

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master's Degree in Marketing, Management, Business, Hospitality or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience
• Minimum of 3 years of experience supporting the Government segment – on or above property
• Demonstrated experience with a deep understanding working with government customers. Understanding the nuances of government procurement
• Understanding the complexities of global companies with multiple stakeholders, cultural teams and complex buying processes
• Deep understanding of U.S. Federal and State government transient travel programs, including and agency-specific rate sourcing processes
• Strong working knowledge of Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and intermediary channels, including Travel Management Companies (TMCs), online booking tools (OBTs), and government travel platforms, ensuring optimal rate loading, content accuracy, and visibility to drive transient production
• Proven success managing high-profile, high-volume transient accounts, with a focus on maximizing revenue through strategic account planning, rate optimization, and demand capture across federal agencies, military segments, and state government travelers
• Demonstrated ability to navigate the complexities of decentralized government travel decision-making, effectively influencing sourcing, booking behavior, and program participation across agencies, installations, and departments operating at both national and local levels
• Experience building and managing relationships across a diverse ecosystem of stakeholders, including government buyers, intermediaries, contractors, and internal partners, to drive alignment and capture incremental transient share
• Expertise in managing large, complex account portfolios and pipelines, prioritizing opportunities based on production potential, program participation, geographic demand, and strategic alignment across a fragmented government landscape
• Collaborative mindset with proven ability to partner cross-functionally, particularly with Revenue Management, Distribution, Marketing, and Operations, to ensure successful execution of transient strategies and account initiatives
• High level of adaptability and strategic problem-solving, with the ability to respond to evolving government travel policies, funding shifts, and operational priorities while maintaining consistency in revenue delivery and account performance

Qualifications

• Travel – 30-40%
• Location – Remote: Candidate must reside in the United States within 1 hour proximity to a major US airport

Benefits

• The salary range for this role is $84,000.00 to $113,000.00. This role is also eligible for bonus pay (as applicable).
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance, 401K, and other benefits to employees.

Pay

The salary range listed is the lowest to highest pay scale we, in good faith, believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and the range may be modified in the future. An employee’s pay position within the pay range will be based on several factors, including relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, and business or organizational needs.

Schedule

No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until it is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, or other form of compensation allocable to a particular employee remain in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.