Area Director of Sales, Freehand Hotels

HEI Hotels and Resorts•New York, NY

19h

About The Position

The Area Director of Sales is based at Freehand New York and also oversees Freehand Los Angeles, Freehand Miami, and Freehand Chicago. The role is responsible for total room, banquet, catering, and room-rental revenue; yield strategies; implementation; and performance against market targets, budgets, forecasts, and optimal business mix. Sales strategies include market mix, pricing, status, and direct sales. The position develops and solicits business across markets to secure the advance bookings needed for successful and profitable hotel operations.

Requirements

Knowledge of the travel industry, current market trends, and economic factors.
Ability to access, understand, and accurately enter information using a moderately complex computer system.
Knowledge of computer accounting programs, mathematical skills, and budgetary analysis capabilities.
Extensive knowledge of sales skills, revenue management, recruitment, supervision, training, and motivating managers.
Ability to listen effectively, communicate, and use diplomacy with internal and external customers and staff in varied situations.
Ability to stand and move throughout the hotel property and continuously perform essential job functions, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Effective verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to adapt communication style to different audiences.

Nice To Haves

Five or more years of sales leadership experience in a similar-sized operation.
Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Delphi.

Responsibilities

Direct the sales staff’s solicitation efforts through effective oral and written communication, and oversee rate, date, and space commitments for group room sales.
Recruit, interview, hire, train, recommend performance evaluations, resolve problems, maintain open communication, and recommend discipline or termination when appropriate.
Oversee sales team management across the Freehand portfolio.
Ensure training programs are conducted regularly and HEI performance standards are met; guide and counsel staff toward improvement.
Compile or direct preparation of Sales Department reports, including annual budgets and forecasts, monthly forecasts, lead management reports, group booking pace reports, STAR reports, and sales meeting minutes.
Research the travel industry and market trends, and recommend marketing strategies and ways to improve business potential in various markets.
Develop and deliver persuasive verbal sales presentations to prospective clients, and lead presentations to ownership and asset management.
Prepare and execute the computerized annual business plan, reviewing and adjusting it as market conditions require.
Organize or attend sales department, executive committee, and related meetings.
Direct and manage group, transient, catering, and banquet sales activities to maximize hotel revenue.
Prepare, implement, and compile information for strategic sales plans, monthly reports, annual goals, sales budgets, forecasts, and other required reports.
Develop rates and group sales and catering deployment strategies by reviewing competitive data, demand, and business mix.
Represent the hotel professionally in community and industry organizations and events.
Oversee departmental matters concerning federal, state, and local employment and civil rights laws.
Comply with attendance rules and maintain regular availability for work.
Perform other job-related duties as assigned.
Travel as required.