National Account Executive

About the role

Be the face of Minneapolis to the meeting planners and association executives across our home market and closest neighboring states. As National Account Executive, you'll own MN + 5 — Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska — building the kind of relationships that turn a first handshake into a signed contract and a signed contract into a decades-long partnership. This is a role for someone who lights up a room, remembers names and details months later, and never lets a follow-up slip through the cracks.

You'll be part of a critical two-person team stewarding our local market: nurturing existing Minneapolis relationships, reactivating accounts that have gone dormant, and winning back business that has drifted to other destinations. In Minnesota, you'll sell the full range of business up to 550 peak room nights; across MN + 5, you'll work everything from 21-room bookings to full citywide conventions. You'll bring creativity to every pitch, curiosity to every client conversation, and genuine follow-through to every lead — because in this business, the deal is won in the details and the relationship is won in the follow-up.

Responsibilities

• Achieve annual definite room night goals and other job-related goals as assigned.
• Actively prospect to develop business and generate new leads across the MN + 5 territory.
• Steward existing Minneapolis relationships and proactively reactivate accounts that have gone dormant or been won by competing destinations.
• Maintain communication on account activity through tasks, leads, updates, cancellations, definites and site tours.
• Manage the progress of tentative accounts.
• Coordinate all aspects of bid proposals.
• Organize and conduct client site inspections and FAM tours as required.
• Update and effectively utilize all databases provided such as iDSS and MINT.
• Travel, as required, to attend business-related trade shows, sales missions, sales calls, training, meetings and presentations.
• Develop and execute sales presentations.
• Professionally conduct phone conversations, electronic correspondence and personal visits with meeting planners, hotel sales personnel, and other hospitality industry partners.
• Attend bi-monthly sales meeting, and other sales-related meetings as necessary.
• Attend Director of Sales, General Manager/Director of Sales and local industry meetings, as required.
• Maintain a current base of knowledge of Meet Minneapolis partners to include hotels, Minneapolis Convention Center and other local venues, businesses or organizations that can assist our efforts.
• Strive to improve the effectiveness of the Meet Minneapolis sales organization and lead by example.
• Conduct all activities in a professional and ethical manner.
• Utilize all Meet Minneapolis technology to its complete capability.
• Perform other duties as required.

Requirements

• Four-year degree from an academic institution, business or hospitality preferred.
• Five years minimum of hospitality industry sales experience; preference will be given to candidates experienced in selling multi-property and/or convention centers.
• Previous experience selling within Minnesota or the MN + 5 region a plus.
• Valid private driver's license.

Skills

• Strong and consistent ability to prioritize activities within specific time guidelines and to handle multiple responsibilities within a specific time frame.
• Willing and able to work evenings, weekends and holidays based on client and office demands.
• Strong analytical skills to determine quality of business and best-suited business opportunities for the community.
• Skill and ability to develop and implement portions of a business plan and manage a budget.
• Excellent communication skills - written, oral, listening and grammatical.
• Software Skills: Customer Management Systems, Microsoft Office Suite.
• Genuine adherence to Meet Minneapolis' values of Accountability, Inclusion, Passion and Collaboration.

Physical Demands

• Walk, sit, bend and squat.
• Talk and hear.
• Grab, pull or bend items.
• Lift and/or carry up to 30 lbs.
• View items at a close and distant range.
• Stand, walk and sit for extended periods of time.
• Use computers for extended periods of time.
• Air and ground transportation travel for extended periods of time.

Working Conditions

Hybrid office environment (60% in-office; 40% remote option if schedule and business needs allow). Regional and national travel as needed to trade shows and client visits.

Pay

$70,000 - $90,000 starting range for annual base salary plus incentive potential.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision insurance.
• Short-term/long-term disability (STD/LTD) and life insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan.
• Vacation and sick time.
• Parental leave.
• Personal volunteer time.