Business Development Manager

Crystal Cruises • Downers Grove, IL

1d

About The Position

Position Summary As Manager, Business Development for Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group (AKTG) Americas, you will lead and develop the Business Development team across Crystal and Abercrombie & Kent, driving B2B growth through structured outreach, strategic campaigns, and consistent execution of sales activities. Reporting to the Senior Director of Business Development and Inside Sales, this role is responsible for coaching and developing Business Development Specialists and Business Development Representatives, standardizing processes, and ensuring alignment with commercial priorities across brands. You will oversee call strategies, scripting, and campaign execution, ensuring the team is equipped to effectively engage travel advisors and drive revenue. This role also owns KPI tracking, sales activity performance, and escalation management, ensuring accountability, visibility, and continuous improvement across the Trade Sales organization.

Requirements

• Strong leadership and coaching skills with the ability to develop high-performing sales teams.
• Proven ability to design and execute sales strategies, call scripts, and campaigns.
• Strong analytical mindset with experience tracking and interpreting sales KPIs and performance metrics.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage escalations and make sound, timely decisions.
• Experience working cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, and Operations teams.
• Highly organized with strong project management capabilities.
• Adaptable and results-driven in a fast-paced environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in business development, sales, or related roles.
• Previous team leadership or management experience required.
• Proficiency in CRM platforms and sales reporting tools.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, Outlook).

Nice To Haves

• Experience in the travel, hospitality, or particularly within the cruise sector, is highly advantageous.
• Bilingual is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Business Development team supporting Crystal and Abercrombie & Kent trade sales across the Americas.
• Coach, mentor, and develop team members through ongoing training, call coaching, and performance management, ensuring alignment with sales objectives. Including onboarding, and training of new team members.
• Design and implement call strategies, scripts, and outreach frameworks to support business priorities and campaign execution.
• Maintain and evolve playbooks, scripts, and SOPs to support best-in-class execution.
• Develop and execute targeted sales campaigns aligned with revenue goals, product focus, and market opportunities.
• Establish and track KPIs for sales activity, including call volume, conversion rates, pipeline generation, and revenue contribution.
• Monitor team performance and provide regular feedback, ensuring accountability and continuous improvement.
• Oversee and support escalations from the Business Development team, ensuring timely resolution and alignment with company policies.
• Standardize processes across the team to ensure consistency, scalability, and operational efficiency.
• Partner with Marketing, Sales Leadership, and Operations to align campaigns, messaging, and outreach strategies.
• Collaborate with Inside Sales and CRM teams to ensure alignment between lead generation, account management, and follow-up processes.
• Undertake additional responsibilities as assigned by the Senior Director, VP, or SVP.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager