Director of Convention Services

DoubleTree•Miami, FL

About The Position

The DoubleTree by Hilton Miami Airport & Convention Center is seeking a highly motivated, results-driven Director of Convention Services to generate and convert hotel business associated with tradeshows, conventions, exhibitions, corporate events, and meetings at and around the Miami Airport Convention Center (MACC). This proactive outside-sales and business-development role focuses on identifying new opportunities, building relationships with exhibitors, show managers, associations, meeting planners, and corporate decision-makers, and converting those relationships into room nights, meeting space, banquet, catering, food and beverage, and overall hotel revenue. The hotel is situated near Miami International Airport and the Blue Lagoon Business District. It features 334 guestrooms, onsite dining, a fitness room, an outdoor pool, a business center, complimentary high-speed internet access, 24,000 square feet of retail space, 20,000 square feet of hotel meeting and function space, and a convention center with 152,000 square feet of meeting, event, and exhibit space. The role reports to the General Manager. The hiring range is $110,000–$120,000.

Requirements

At least 3 years of hotel sales, convention, meeting, event, or related hospitality experience is preferred.
Proven success in business development and prospecting.
Strong understanding of the tradeshow, convention, and meetings market.
Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and closing skills.
Comfort making cold calls and developing new business.
Strong organization and follow-up skills, with the ability to manage multiple opportunities.
Energetic, outgoing, and comfortable networking with executives, planners, exhibitors, and event professionals.
Ability to work independently while collaborating closely with Sales, Revenue Management, Catering, and Operations.
Prior roles must be a Convention Senior Sales/Operations Leadership Role.

Nice To Haves

Strong knowledge of the Miami corporate and convention market.
Experience with Hilton systems and/or hotel CRM platforms.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a comprehensive sales strategy for tradeshows and conventions utilizing MACC and the surrounding Miami market.
Identify upcoming tradeshows, conventions, exhibitions, association meetings, and corporate events that can generate hotel room nights and ancillary revenue.
Research show exhibitors and create targeted prospecting lists before each event.
Develop and maintain relationships with tradeshow organizers, show management companies, exhibitors, meeting planners, associations, and corporate decision-makers.
Conduct pre-show outreach to exhibitors and attendees to secure room blocks, individual reservations, meetings, receptions, dinners, and other hotel services.
Attend tradeshows and industry events as the hotel's sales representative, including booth visits, networking, client appointments, and post-show follow-up.
Convert tradeshow leads into definite business and maintain a strong, active sales pipeline.
Develop new local, regional, and national accounts connected to MACC and the Miami convention market.
Prospect companies exhibiting at MACC and other major Miami convention venues and establish preferred-hotel relationships with repeat exhibitors and organizations.
Maintain strong relationships with existing accounts while identifying opportunities for additional revenue and future business.
Create account-specific sales strategies based on production potential and future business opportunities.
Drive room-night production, occupancy, ADR, meeting-room rental, banquet revenue, and food and beverage revenue.
Partner with Revenue Management to maximize rate and availability during high-demand tradeshow periods.
Monitor booking pace and communicate opportunities, risks, and need periods to leadership.
Maintain a consistent schedule of outside sales calls and appointments with prospective accounts, corporate offices, exhibitors, agencies, and event planners.
Participate in industry networking events, association meetings, client entertainment, and sales missions.
Represent the hotel professionally throughout the Miami business community and build a strong referral network within the convention, meeting, and events industry.
Respond quickly and professionally to sales leads and inquiries, maintain accurate CRM information, document sales activity, and consistently follow up until business is converted or formally closed/lost.