Vice President of Sales & Marketing

Responsibilities

• Strategizing and establishing brand wide sales and marketing goals, preparation of budget, and marketing plan.
• Develop expert knowledge of the hotel's product positioning in marketplace, seasonality, pricing strategies and master the competitive advantages to the hotel's primary/aspirational competitive sets.
• Provide high level leadership to sales team members across the group, corporate, and consortia segments to achieve assigned objectives, with overall responsibility for achieving booking goals and hotel(s) revenues; actively coaching, mentoring, and developing earlier-career sales leaders into the brand's next bench of senior talent.
• Manage the development of a strategic action plan for the demand generators in the market.
• Meet or exceed the annual sales revenue goals, including sales activity production guidelines.
• Continuously evaluate the hotel(s) involvement in the various sales distribution channels and develop strong working relationships to proactively position and market the hotel(s) accordingly.
• Partner closely with Revenue Management on pricing, yield, and mix-of-business strategy — aligning sales targets, group ceilings, BAR positioning, consortia and corporate rate loading, and channel mix to optimize RevPAR and total revenue across the portfolio.
• Proactively report on the progress and results of the marketing plan and related strategic activities, to include key metrics as well as conversion and return on investment data to key stakeholders.
• Develop strategic alliances/partnerships to support marketing initiatives.
• Increase market share by creating hotel-specific promotions to be communicated using the hotel's CRM tool (where applicable) and/or traditional on-property marketing communication vehicles.
• Work with GMs, DOSs and home office team, providing input into creation of area marketing calendar and media plan, and provide support as appropriate / required in the development of marketing support materials for area-wide initiatives.
• Develop and execute trade marketing programs that drive demand from corporate, consortia, and group buyers, including targeted campaigns to TMCs, meeting planners, procurement leads, and corporate travel managers across the portfolio.
• Manage consortia program participation and activation — including placement strategy, promotional offers, rate loading, partner communications, and ROI tracking by program.
• Own the group marketing program — sales collateral, group offers, FAM trips, site inspection materials, and planner-facing content across all properties.
• Drive corporate account marketing, including RFP response strategy, preferred-program positioning, and account-based marketing initiatives to top corporate and TMC accounts.
• Plan and lead the brand's presence at key industry trade shows and client, maximizing qualified lead generation and senior-buyer engagement.
• Set goals and expectations for direct reports, aligns performance and incentives, manages performance issues and holds team accountable for results.
• Guide and participate in monthly sales department and revenue and strategy meetings.
• Develop, implement, and execute sales strategies through quarterly action plans to impact existing key accounts, target accounts, and the development of new business opportunities within assigned market segments; personally own and grow relationships with the brand's most strategic group, corporate, and consortia accounts.
• Maintain positive relations and high visibility in relative business organizations such as Downtown Alliance, HSMAI, CVB, NYC & Company, Chamber of Commerce, and local hotel/motel associations.
• Partners with People Services to attract, develop and retain diverse, high-performing talent that can lead the organization today and strengthen the leadership bench for the future growth of hotels; continues to improve sales and brand talent.

Requirements

• At least 15 years of experience in sales leadership including both strategic sales and/or brand development experience.
• Ability to demonstrate expert knowledge and an active book of customer contacts across the group, corporate, and consortia segments; luxury leisure relationships strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of developing and executing sales and marketing objectives and strategies required; preferred experience with online marketing, advertising, and finance/budget planning and management.
• Four-year college degree from an accredited institution; Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Hotel + Restaurant Management, or related major or related professional area.
• Proven ability to recruit, motivate, train, retain, and develop a high-performing management and sales team, including a demonstrated track record of mentoring and advancing earlier-career sales leaders into senior roles.
• Intellectual and analytical curiosity.
• Advanced computer skills and knowledge of various discipline focused computer programs, including a strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Opera.
• Experience managing/marketing luxury or lifestyle brands, ideally across a multi-property or multi-market portfolio.
• Strong financial planning and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, meet and work effectively under time and resource constraints.
• Knowledge of travel industry, current market trends and economic factors.
• Skill in development and delivery of sales presentations.
• Ability to deal with internal and external customers and staff, collect accurate information and to resolve conflicts.